Bryson DeChambeau is teasing a big change as he hunts down LIV Adelaide
Bryson DeChambeau feels different, and that’s a good thing.
The two-time major champion is coming off a season in which he won only one LIV event and did not take home the major title. But he will enter Sunday at LIV Golf Adelaide tied at the top of the leaderboard with Jon Rahm, and his game feels better than it has in years at the start of the season.
“I’m seeing things that I haven’t seen at the beginning of the year in the last four or five years,” DeChambeau said after Friday’s round. “I see good lines and I feel comfortable on putts, some checkers, comfortable on wedges and comfortable on really hard shots. To feel this good this early in the season is a good sign.”
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That new feeling is the result of an offseason speed training program he started early last year. That change has DeChambeau feeling like his clubhead speed is where it should be, even though his swing is slower.
“A lot of work in the offseason,” said DeChambeau when asked where his confidence in his game comes from. “I started at the beginning of this year. I started speed training in November, so I got this kind of exit from my schedule. Last year, I was preparing and doing speed training in January. It slowed down my speed until the middle of the year and it cost me a few months, so I changed that this year, and it made good changes, and I feel really fast. It’s almost too fast in some ways. So my playing the instrument is not a small thing.”
DeChambeau also explained that his offseason training included working with Sportsbox AI. This AI-powered golf training tool takes phone video and turns it into a 3D swing model with biomechanical measurements. DeChambeau is an ambassador for the company.
“I think it came from early practice and meeting my coach Dana, and working hard with Sportsbox a lot,” DeChambeau said. “It’s been fun working with Sportsbox. We’re about to unveil something special with AI, so I’m excited about it. It’s going to help a lot in times of need to be more specific than any coach out there.”
But as he often does — be it with a new ball, club or offensive scheme — DeChambeau is hinting at a big change on the horizon — one that will help his playing style and big season right there.
“There’s something coming that I don’t expect to have,” said DeChambeau. “Hopefully I’ll have it in Hong Kong and that three-week period, and it will be something that will improve my irons and wedges a lot. We’ll see. You never know.”
While the 32-year-old waits for his mysterious help, he has 18 holes left at The Grange in Adelaide to try and unseat Rahm. DeChambeau criticized the Saudi-backed league’s change from 54 to 72 holes. That change, however, is why DeChambeau had 18 more holes to distance himself from Rahm instead of heading into Saturday’s playoff after Rahm birdied the final hole to tie him at 19 under.
Which means, for now, DeChambeau is fine with a change.
“I’m really happy that there are 18 more tomorrow,” said DeChambeau. “But it’s worth another round. But we’ve done it our whole career, and we’re used to it and we’re comfortable with it. I think we’re splitting up from now on. You never know, somebody could go deep tomorrow. But I think we’re both playing good golf right now and giving the fans what they want, and that’s what it’s all about.”
On Sunday, two of LIV’s biggest stars will go head-to-head for the trophy and the Official World Golf Rankings points that come with it. Then, we’ll wait for DeChambeau’s big reveal.
