Sign up for our daily newsletter

Latest news, reviews, analysis and opinion, plus unmissable deals for bunkered subscriptions, events, and our commercial partners.

The mystery of Bryson DeChambeau’s equipment contract is over.

The American was seen using a TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus model at this week’s PIF Saudi International at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club, where he missed the cut by six shots.

He was listed on the Cobra website yesterday as one of the brand’s tour staff. But not anymore. Cobra representatives have now told Golfweek that his contract ended in 2022.

DeChambeau was also this week seen using a Project X shaft instead of his signature LA Golf Shaft.

• Dustin Johnson picks up injury

Last year, he lost his sponsorship deal with Bridgestone due to his involvement with LIV Golf. This week he played a Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash. He still used his Cobra irons.

The DeChambeau we know from Bay Hill in 2021 seems like a distant memory. Back then, he was swigging protein shakes mid-round and bombing drives to send crowds wild. On the sixth hole that week, he launched a drive over water on a line no tour pro had taken before, and found himself nearly 170 yards in front of playing partner Lee Westwood.

He eventually won by a shot – ironically helped by his putting – and afterwards spoke about maintaining his speed training, because it was working. “It’s going to be incredible,” he said. “I still hit bad shots. I don’t play my best. So it doesn’t mean I’m going to win all the time, hitting it as far as I am.”

Quite true, because he hasn’t won since.

Speaking to LIV Golf before this week’s Asian Tour event, DeChambeau said he would not be chasing his distance gains like before because current technology was not “up to par” with the ball speeds that were possible.

Incidentally, bunkered Gear Editor James Tait, a former World Long Drive competitor, found the new Aerojet driver’s numbers “really impressive across the board” in a recent You Tube review and said the move will be down to a contract issue and not the club itself. “The Aerojet absolutely holds up,” said Tait. “This has to be a contract issue.”

That is now confirmed to be the case.

DeChambeau got heat for his driver comments in 2021, after saying his driver “sucks” during the first round of the Open at Royal St George’s. That led to him being cautioned by Cobra bosses, who said their star man’s comments were “stupid” and likened him to an eight-year-old. DeChambeau later apologised.

DeChambeau will now be a free agent and able to play any clubs he chooses.