The 126th U.S. Open is set for this week at Shinnecock Hills, and Bryson DeChambeau made some major professional news ahead of the event.
DeChambeau has been struggling in the majors this season as he missed the cut in both the Masters and the PGA Championship. It’s been a frustrating year for DeChambeau, and on the week of the U.S. Open, he was spotted with a new driver in his hand.
On the driving range on Tuesday, DeChambeau was seen testing out the TaylorMade Qi4D Proto 200+.
Although DeChambeau was seen testing out a new driver, it doesn’t mean he will use it this week at the U.S. Open. But he is using the driving range, which means the heads are conforming, and allows him to use it under the Rules of Golf.
So, whether or not DeChambeau will make such a major change during the week of a major is uncertain, but it is no doubt interesting that he’s using a new driver on the range.
Analyst Doesn’t Like DeChambeau’s Chances at U.S. Open
With DeChambeau’s struggles at majors this season, golf analyst Andrew Coltart doesn’t like his chances.
Shinnecock Hills is a tough golf course for anyone, and Coltart believes DeChambeau is messing around too much to succeed.
“My initial suggestion on that is no,” Coltart said on the Sky Sports Golf Podcast. “I don’t know, to me, he seems to be mucking around too much with untried and untested equipment. 3D printed golf clubs and stuff like that and trying to work them out and curved faces and all this, that and the other. And I don’t think he’s found something that really works consistently for him,” he said. And you throw that into the mix with a golf course like Shinnecock, and he’s left with both hands on his hips, just looking up at the sky.
“I’m not sure Bryson at the minute is in the right mental place with him and his game really to take this golf course on. Also, his distance control with some of his scoring irons, because he gets steep, because he gets quite a good shaft lean on it and stuff like that, it’s going to cause him a lot of problems. Having said that, of course, I mentioned Pinehurst, and he won around Pinehurst a couple of years ago. But there’s just something about me with these irons that he’s got. There’s something not quite right there.”
DeChambeau enters the U.S. Open with the ninth-best odds of winning the event at +3400.
When is DeChambeau Teeing Off at U.S. Open?
The U.S. Open tee times have been revealed, and DeChambeau’s group will be one to watch.
On Thursday, DeChambeau will tee off at 1:25 p.m. ET on the 10th hole alongside Viktor Hovland and Matt Fitzpatrick. On Friday, the group gets an early tee time of 7:30 a.m. ET.
DeChambeau is a two-time U.S. Open champion, winning the event in 2020 and 2024. Yet, those were at Winged Foot and Pinehurst and not Shinnecock, which is one of the toughest courses.
Bryson DeChambeau Announces Professional News on Week of U.S. Open