Bryson DeChambeau apologises (kind of) for cameraman run-in

It’s fair to say Bryson DeChambeau’s Sunday went better than his Saturday.

His Sunday ended with him holding the Rocket Mortgage Classic trophy after sealing his sixth victory on the PGA Tour.

Saturday? Saturday was a different story altogether. The 26-year-old got caught up in an angry confrontation with a TV cameraman after an incident on the seventh hole.

The matter gained widespread attention following the round when DeChambeau called for players to be shielded from cameras during “a potentially vulnerable time” on the course so that it doesn’t “damage our brand”.

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Suffice to say the remarks met with an unsympathetic audience and, after he had reined in 54-hole leader Matthew Wolff to continue his remarkable run of form, the American was asked if the furore had served as motivation for him on Sunday,

After initially saying he wouldn’t comment on the events of Saturday afternoon, DeChambeau said: “Look, I respect everybody and I think people took it the wrong way and I’m sorry that they did so.

“My job and my idea is never to create any divisive nature. I just want to provide the best entertainment out here.

“I just felt like a minute long for videoing me was kind of a little weird, but we talked it out and it was all great and no issues, no issues whatsoever. So, appreciate what they do [and] appreciate everybody that works hard out here to provide great entertainment.”

DeChambeau has been the most talked-about golfer in the game since the PGA Tour returned from its COVID-19 hiatus, primarily because of the huge weight gains he has made in order to hit the ball further.

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He estimates that he added 20 pounds during lockdown and the results speak for themselves. In the four events played since golf resumed, he is a combined 69-under-par. That’s 20 shots better (relative to par) than his nearest challenger, Viktor Hovland.

Asked about the attention he has received, DeChambeau added: “I think the most important thing is that I’ve shown people that there’s another way to do it and there’s going to be other people trying to come up and do it that way.

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“Whether it translates on the PGA Tour, I don’t think so. I think guys are going to play their game, they’re going to keep doing what they’re doing, trying to utilise their biggest tools in their toolbag to play their best golf.

“For me, I think there are going to be people trying to hit it a little harder, some of them, but at the end of the day, it’s going to take a generation for this to all evolve into something different. I really think there are going to be a lot more players down the road trying to hit it as far as they possibly can, and straight.”