Bryson DeChambeau let his golf do the talking Thursday at Royal Birkdale.
Just days after six-time major champion Sir Nick Faldo questioned DeChambeau’s course management, claiming the LIV Golf star had “zero clue of strategy,” DeChambeau opened The Open Championship with a 3-under 67 to vault into contention.
Then came the post-round interview.
Without mentioning Faldo by name, DeChambeau repeatedly emphasized one word that had dominated the conversation all week: strategy. The timing immediately caught the attention of golf fans and media, with many interpreting the comments as a subtle response to Faldo’s criticism.
Today, in his post-round interview, Bryson said he “did a really good job today of being incredibly strategic.”
DeChambeau Repeatedly Emphasized Strategy After Round
Earlier in the week, Faldo criticized DeChambeau’s approach to links golf after the American spoke about attacking Royal Birkdale with driver.
“I’d say it to his face,” Faldo said. “DeChambeau has zero clue of strategy.”
DeChambeau answered with one of his best major rounds of the season.
The two-time U.S. Open champion carded five birdies, two bogeys and hit 15 of 18 greens in regulation to finish just one shot off the early lead after Round 1.
When asked afterward what he learned from his opening round, DeChambeau’s response quickly became the story.
“I think you’ve got to be a lot more strategic out on the golf course. I feel like I did a really good job today of being incredibly strategic and focused super hard on placing it in the right places.”
He wasn’t finished.
“Besides 18, I placed the ball in some good areas. I just need to hit more fairways. Other than that, I feel like my strategy was nice today.”
The repeated references to strategy immediately sparked reaction across social media.
Golf Digest highlighted the contrast between Faldo’s comments on Tuesday and DeChambeau’s interview Thursday, while Fore Play joked that DeChambeau mentioned strategy three different times in a single answer after Faldo claimed he had “no clue” about it.
Despite the attention surrounding the exchange, DeChambeau remained focused on the tournament itself.
“I’m having a lot of fun,” he said. “If I can keep it going and give the crowd something to cheer for on Sunday, that’s all I can ask for.”
Bryson after shooting a 67 (T3) today: mentions good strategy 3 times in one interview answer 💀
Faldo Embraces DeChambeau’s Response After Round 1
Rather than backing away from his original comments, Faldo appeared to enjoy the back-and-forth.
Speaking on Sky Sports after DeChambeau’s round, the three-time Open champion joked that he may have helped spark the performance.
“I think I rattled his cage. He has basically stuck you know what up and said, ‘Faldo, I do have strategy.’ So I am taking claim that I switched on the strategy play.”
Faldo also credited DeChambeau for adapting well to Royal Birkdale’s demanding conditions.
“You have got to have that round here. It’s rock hard.”
Still, Faldo believes another player remains the man everyone has to beat.
“If Scottie Scheffler is in play all week, he is going to be a tough man to beat.”
For DeChambeau, Thursday marked an encouraging turnaround after missing the cut in each of the year’s first three majors. His opening-round 67 immediately put him back in contention and, whether intentional or not, gave him the perfect opportunity to answer one of his biggest critics without ever mentioning his name.
Bryson DeChambeau Fires Back at Nick Faldo After ‘Strategic’ Open Championship First Round