DeChambeau powers ahead at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open

LAS VEGAS – Cameron Champ smashed his drive on the par-5 ninth at TPC Summerlin, turned to Bryson DeChambeau and said, “there … that’s all I got Bryson,” before giving him a fist bump.

“Yeah that will roll,” DeChambeau quipped as both had a chuckle.

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And roll it did. A further four yards past DeChambeau’s 353-yard bomb. Between the two of them, and a third power hitter in Matthew Wolff, the trio displayed how to muscle your way around a golf course during the opening round of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

Between them they hit 28 drives of more than 300 yards. But DeChambeau also showed how to add finesse.

The recent U.S. Open champion continued where he left off at Winged Foot with an eye-opening 9-under 62 to pace the morning wave. His round featured five occasions where he had a putter in his hand looking to make eagle – on all three par fives and two par fours. He didn’t connect on any of them but kicked in those five birdies, plus four more.

“That's the advantage of power in this game now, that you can do those sorts of things ... I didn't make any of them, but it makes it easy. That's five birdies right there and it makes the golf course a lot easier,” DeChambeau said afterwards.

“I would say that lowers the par to 67 out here, and that's just the number for me. If I shoot 69 or 70 I feel like I shot a couple over.”

Technically DeChambeau hit 11 of 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens while needing just 29 putts. He gained over two shots on the field on the greens and almost three shots off the tee. He also casually shot a 59 in the Pro-am on Wednesday.

For the record, Champ shot 67 and Wolff 68. But Champ was focusing on the final drive when the two did media interviews within earshot of each other.

“I was swinging the driver good all day, (and on nine) I was like, you know what, let's just see (if I can get him), and just mess around and it was more of a joke afterwards,” Champ grinned.

“I got him but he would have flown me by probably 20 yards … but I got him on the roll, so there's a difference, there's a difference.”

Two seasons ago Champ was number one on TOUR in driving distance but DeChambeau relegated him to number two last season after his hulking transformation.

“I got it past him a couple times, he got it past me a couple times and I'm going to try and hit it harder tomorrow,” DeChambeau joked right back.

Champ plays a low bullet ball flight while DeChambeau plays a high ball, or “moon ball” game as he calls it. Whatever you call it, it is impressive.

“It was fun, it was awesome to play with all of them … amazing to see the power that's out here now. I think that's a testament to the new generation that's coming up and what it's going to be like in the future,” DeChambeau said.

As is habit for the seven-time TOUR winner DeChambeau was looking to get to the range post round after claiming he “heel thinned” a number of shots. But he had to make a few stops first. He was flagged for a random drug test and also had to find fellow competitor Chesson Hadley.

Hadley was part of the group ahead and was standing over a three-foot putt on the par-4 seventh hole when DeChambeau’s tee shot bounded out of the rough and on to the putting surface behind him. The green is obscured from the tee as a dogleg left but DeChambeau cut the corner. According to ShotLink records he is the first player to ever drive that green.

“I felt incredibly bad about that, I had no idea that they were on the green. They were ahead of us all day and I felt like they were off the green because of the time that we took on a few of the holes before that,” DeChambeau said.

“So that was my mistake and I felt really bad. I think it was Chesson, I have got to go find him and apologize … but it was fun to hit it to 15 feet.”

Hadley wasn’t concerned by the incident.

“The only thing that was hurt was my ego. I’m glad I made the putt though because if I missed it would have totally been his fault,” Hadley laughed in jest.

That kind of shoulder shrugging laugh is kind of all anyone can do right now as DeChambeau continues to crush the ball and make more than his fair share of putts. If he continues to do it over the next three rounds he will prove near impossible to beat.

“When I'm playing great golf I feel like I've got a great chance to win every week,” DeChambeau said. “I feel like I have my golf swing under control and am making a lot of putts. I feel like I can shoot low on a lot of golf courses and usually that wins tournaments.”

Yes. It usually does.