Bryson DeChambeau: ‘I feel vindicated’

Bryson DeChambeau says he feels vindicated for his unique approach after achieving his maiden PGA Tour win at the John Deere Classic.

The young American, who uses Cobra single length irons, edged out Patrick Rodgers by one stroke at TPC Deere Run following an excellent six-under-par 65 in the final round, including birdies on the 17th and 18th holes.

Earlier in the season, DeChambeau missed ten PGA Tour cuts in a row from the RBC Heritage through to the US Open and, as people began doubting him, he said he was overjoyed to prove those doubters wrong.

“It is vindication,” he said. “It’s definitely nice to a win under such conditions. There has been a lot of talk. I had somebody say, ‘Go back and get your old clubs or whatever’. This week out here somebody that said that.

“It happens every week. I just throw it to the side and say, ‘Don’t even worry about it’. You’re going down the road you’ve chosen and you’re comfortable with it, and you know it’s going to in the end be the right thing.”

“All I’m focused on is trying to execute the best shot I possibly can. I felt like I did a really good of that this week and was able to make a couple putts, and that’s all I care about.

“But it is nice. It definitely is a comfort factor to have a little bit of vindication on that. Where, ‘Hey, it does work. It’s not actually a bad way to do it’.”

DeChambeau was overcome with emotion after learning that 1999 US Open champion Payne Stewart’s debut win also came at the John Deere and, in idolising himself on someone who was also one of the game’s pioneers, the 23-year-old also has further plans to copy Stewart’s style.

“I love the way he looked out there. I was hoping to do some plus fours on tour; I just didn’t want to do it too early and have people go, ‘Who is this guy? Why is he wearing these things out here?’ In due time I think that’ll happen in the right situation because he’s done a lot for the game.

“Payne is definitely meant a lot to me in my life, and hopefully I can kind of follow in his footsteps.”