By his own admission, Bryson DeChambeau enters the Masters after rushing to return from hip and wrist injuries that kept him from defending his Arnold Palmer Invitational title as well as competing in the Players Championship.
DeChambeau has endured a torrid 2022 season so far, missing the cut in two of his five appearances and withdrawing from another. Speaking ahead of the Masters, the 28-year old said: "I'm probably around 80 percent right now. I can't go all-out. I can't do any speed training sessions. I can't practice for excessive hours like I have to figure stuff out.
"It's also allowed me to become a little more - I guess could you say a little smarter in how I practice. Like I've got to be careful with things and really be efficient and limit the amount of golf balls I can hit. Today was the first time I can just go and hit golf balls for a long period of time and just get really comfortable and dialed in, so I feel pretty nice and comfortable going into this week so far."
DeChambeau, who has failed to register a top-20 finish in five attempts at the Masters, was impressed with the speed of his recovery so far: "Normally a bone fracture takes four months to fully heal and I'm back here in two. I'm pleased with that."
As injuries continue to plague the American, the lure of Augusta National proved to be too much; going against the advice of his doctor and coach: "They [doctors] recommended that I didn't come back for a while. They said if you go out there and you hit golf balls and you feel somewhat comfortable, you can consider it. And hitting golf balls on the range, I was able to sustain practice for a good amount of time. So, I'm happy."
"They're like, you should really let it heal. Even Chris [his coach, Como] has told me, 'You probably shouldn't play', even though he wants me to play, right? He's looking out for my best interests for the future."
The Scientist also revealed that he has tried to reach out to Phil Mickelson but "he's gone dark" and there's been "no contact." Lefty is not in the Masters field as he continues his sabbatical from the game.
-
The Three Most Confusing Rules In Golf And How To Interpret ThemAt times, golf’s rules can be complex and confusing. Here we look at three of the most confusing rules in golf and give you the info you need to understand them.
-
There's A Growing Divide Between Club Members And Nomadic Golfers When It Comes To Handicapping... And I'm Concerned About ItSome golfers believe competition play should be a pre-requisite to achieving a ‘valid’ handicap, while others feel you should be able to submit a card whenever you want
-
Fresh Drone Images Show Progress Of Augusta National Clean-Up Operation Following Hurricane HelenePer photos via Eureka Earth on X, several holes at Augusta National appear very different to normal after damage to the course caused by Hurricane Helene
-
Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion Confirms He Will Give Up Major Starts In Favor Of Immediate DP World Tour ChanceChina's Wenyi Ding confirmed he will be leaving college and giving up starts at The Masters and The Open Championship in favor of immediately starting his pro career
-
'A Lot Of Damage' To Augusta National But Masters Expected To Be Held As PlannedAugusta National chairman Fred Ridley says The Masters will be staged on time despite extensive damage to the course caused by Hurricane Helene
-
This Much-Loved Masters Feature Just Made Its Full LIV Golf DebutThe 'Any Shot, Any Time' feature officially launched on the LIV Golf app in Andalucia as Sergio Garcia claimed victory at Valderrama
-
Are Masters Champions Exempt For Life?Winning the Masters comes with a lifetime exemption to future tournaments
-
The Amateur Playing In His Seventh Major And Third Masters This WeekCareer amateur Stewart Hagestad has made it back to Augusta National after another US Mid-Am victory
-
Scheffler The New Tiger? Time For Woods To Say Goodbye? 10 Takeaways From The 2024 MastersWe highlight ten of the key stories to come from the 88th edition of the Masters
-
Tommy Fleetwood Banks Huge Sum For Local Augusta Caddie After Englishman's Best Masters ResultGray Moore is a former Augusta National caddie master who was helping Fleetwood out after his regular caddie Ian Finnis was forced to stay home
