Bryson DeChambeau admits he is ready to switch into ‘boring golf’ mode in order to best contend for a second career major title at the US Open at Pinehurst No.2 this week.
DeChambeau, 30, acknowledges Pinehurst No.2 is a vastly different course to Valhalla where he finished solo second behind Xander Schauffele at the US PGA last month.
That’s because this North Carolina beast demands a premium on plotting your way around the course rather than just bashing driver at every opportunity. Something big-hitting DeChambeau typically likes to do.
But things will be different this week.
There will be a requirement to find the short stuff off the tee this week in order to set up iron and wedge shots into lightning fast greens that are reportedly playing up to 13 on the stimp.
While the greens on this Donald Ross gem are large, they are small in the sense golfers will be playing to specific landing spots to ensure they don’t catch multiple roll-off areas that will leave testing shots.
Just about all of the Tour pros in the field this week have been testing a number of different shots (chips, putts, hybrids and fairway woods) around the greens in preparation for what could unfold if the greens get ‘borderline’ as reigning US Open Wyndham Clark has described.
Many are predicting a single-digit under-par winning score this week.
When pressed by a reporter for his thoughts on the test Pinehurst No.2 will present, DeChambeau, who removed his ‘stache following a T18 at LIV Golf Houston last week, said:
“I’m looking forward to a great challenge this week, and it’s a lot of boring golf, I can tell you.
“It’s definitely different than Valhalla, but I’ll try to do my best to show the crowd some fun drives and some hopefully long-made putts.”
When asked to follow up on his ‘boring golf’ comment, the 2020 US Open champion added:
“Yeah, it stinks hitting a 6-iron off the tee compared to a driver, but sometimes you’ve got to do it and you’ve got to make the right decision for shooting the lowest score out here.
“There’s numerous holes like 3, I’d love to go for that green every single day, and I may go for it. I don’t know, you never know with me. Certainly on the tee box if it’s downwind, I’ll give it a go probably. No. 3, just hit a 6-iron out there, or 7.
“Hitting an iron out there and playing some very strategic golf is certainly something you have to do on this golf course to compete and win.”
DeChambeau is ready for some ‘boring golf’ at Pinehurst
DeChambeau is priced up at odds of 18/1 to win the 2024 US Open.
He is one of 12 LIV Golf players competing this week.
It was 13 at the start of the week but Jon Rahm withdrew due to a foot infection on Tuesday.
Unsurprisingly, World No.1 Scottie Scheffler is an overwhelming 3/1 favourite to triumph at the US Open.
DeChambeau said he bumped into Scheffler at the beginning of the week and implored the American to spill the beans on his play.