Bryson DeChambeau has 'no expectations' in return to action

In his first PGA TOUR start in nearly two months, Bryson DeChambeau said he will ease into his return to action at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play.

“No expectations,” DeChambeau told the Golf Channel. “A great week is being here.”

This week will mark just the third start of the PGA TOUR season for DeChambeau, who has been beset by a fractured bone in his left hand and a torn labrum in his left hip. He missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January and hasn’t played on TOUR since.

Despite hoping to be able to defend his title at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, he said in a taped message to fans that he was still not at 100 percent.

DeChambeau also missed THE PLAYERS Championship, and his return to the TOUR will come in match play, against England’s Richard Bland, 49, in the first round of pool play Wednesday.

Lee Westwood and Talor Gooch are the other two players in their group.

“People are going to say it’s off of speed training and all that and, sure, some of the things have been a part of that, just abuse and working really, really hard,” DeChambeau said. “But at the same time, I wouldn’t have traded it for anything. I’ve learned so much about my body as time has gone on and learned how to manage things and how important rest is.”

An eight-time TOUR winner, DeChambeau, 28, entered the Professional Long Drivers World Championship in Mesquite, Nevada, last fall, and exceeded expectations by finishing seventh. He brought that power game to the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits, driving the first green in his singles victory over Sergio Garcia.

DeChambeau won’t be touching 400 yards at Austin Country Club, though, and won’t even try. He said he doesn’t plan to go after the ball at full speed, and likely won’t do so until the Masters Tournament next month. He hasn’t made it out of pool play in two starts at the WGC-Dell Technologies, going 2-4-0.