FORT WORTH, Texas — You may have noticed something different with Bryson DeChambeau while watching him shoot his 5-under-par 65 in Thursday’s first round of the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club.
He looks more like a linebacker than a golfer.
DeChambeau has spent the better part of the past year bulking up in an effort to be better on the golf course.
“I’ve upped about 20 pounds,” DeChambeau said Thursday. “It doesn’t mean I’m going to hit it farther (even though he does), but I’ve done a lot of speed training to attain these new ball speeds. When I was out here I was attaining ball speeds of 193, 195 on certain holes, and quite honestly I can’t use it out here. There’s only a couple holes I can use it, No. 11 and No. 1 and No. 2 really.”
Justin Rose, who was playing in DeChambeau’s group Thursday, noticed immediately. And not just by the gun show on display underneath DeChambeau’s shirt sleeves, by the results off the clubs.
“I saw a massive difference — one in his physique for sure,” Rose said. “I mean, he’s huge. I played with Dustin Johnson (also on Thursday) and I’m not small. But at 6-3 and 190, I kind of felt pretty small out on the golf course (Thursday).
“I hit a good drive down No. 1,” Rose went on. “I’m probably like low 170s (miles per hour) ball speed. When I hit it well, I’ve got good spin and good launch and I carry it 300. I probably got it out there 320 down No. 1 and I was 40 (yards) behind Bryson.
“It’s a pretty significant difference for sure. DJ was kind of in between me and Bryson really. (DeChambeau) is definitely different. You can tell the practice swings are very intentional. He’s looking for speed. He’s obviously trained speed. But the other elements of his game still look in control. So it looks like he’s definitely added a couple of weapons for sure.”
DeChambeau made Johnson look short off the tee at times, and Johnson is one of the PGA Tour’s longest hitters.
In his first nine holes, DeChambeau launched drives of 354 yards, 333, 337, 322, and 317. On No. 10, his tee shot traveled of 353 yards.
DeChambeau, who’s known as a technical geek with his scientific approach to golf with his set of irons that are the same length, has been working with Muscle Activation Technique (MAT), which describes itself as a noninvasive system used to restore symmetry and balance to the body’s muscular system by improving range of motion.
From the look of Thursday, mission accomplished.
DeChambeau called his round “awesome,” adding, “I’m excited to be back, and shooting 5-under is nice. I really didn’t know what to expect to be honest, and (am) very excited to get out with a 5-under off the bat.”