FORT WORTH, Texas — Bryson DeChambeau didn’t win the Charles Schwab Challenge on Sunday, but he was one of the stars of the show this week at Colonial with his new bulked-up look.
He finished the week 14-under par after shooting a final-round 66, but ended up one shot out of the playoff between Daniel Berger and Collin Morikawa, won by Berger.
DeChambeau, however, leaves this week feeling buoyed by his progress — and his new-found bulk and strength.
“I’m excited about the path that I’m on,’’ DeChambeau said. “I just didn’t get the job done again. My time is coming.’’
DeChambeau, who used the three-month COVID-19 break to help add some 25 pounds of muscle, was in position to win, tied for the lead at 15-under as he played the 17th hole.
But No. 17 proved to be his undoing as he bogeyed after misjudging his approach shot, which went over the green.
“Unfortunately [I] got hosed on 17, caught a jumper out of the first cut and was not expecting that and flew it too far, then a little chip shot, muffed it, just didn’t come out very good,’’ he said. “I hit a good putt and barely missed it.’’
As much as DeChambeau lost the tournament on 17, he lamented the even-par 70 he posted in Saturday’s third round as his downfall.
“Yesterday never should have happened,’’ he said of Saturday. “If I make the putts like I should have. … Had I putted pretty well I would have won by a lot this week.’’
DeChambeau led the field in average driving distance at 301.7 yards, but that’s deceiving because Colonial is not a big bomber’s course. On driver holes, he was averaging close to 340 yards.
“I was flying it probably 295 to 300 [yards before his physical change] and now I’m flying it over 325, 330 very easily [on average],’’ he said.
Noted for his cerebral, scientific approach to the game, DeChambeau, who said his shirt size has gone from large to XL, was asked if his hat size has changed with his new regimen.
“No, my hat size didn’t change,’’ he said. “There’s not very many muscles up here that I can train around the brain. That’s pretty much stayed the same.”
That’s about the only thing that hasn’t changed with DeChambeau, though.