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Oh, and he’s also apparently got a great Arnold Palmer impression.

DeChambeau flashed on the Golf Channel broadcast on Thursday night — which was also a surprise to the broadcast team — and was shown live talking to a group on the 1st tee. Wearing shorts and a T-shirt, DeChambeau tossed a ball and teed it up with a persimmon wood in hand. According to reports from on-site, DeChambeau hit several shots hoping to reach the green.

He then took a mighty cut and rolled it through and over the right side of the green, his ball coming to rest barely off the green in the thick rough.

If DeChambeau’s bouncy finish — look at the knees! — looks familiar, it’s something you might have seen from Palmer. This was likely an intended hat tip to The King, who famously drove this green during the final round of the 1960 U.S. Open en route to a victory. DeChambeau hit it from the same spot on Thursday, which is just under 350 yards away.

DeChambeau is no stranger to the U.S. Amateur. In 2015 he won it with a lopsided 7-and-6 victory in the 36-hole final, becoming just the fifth player to win the U.S. Am and NCAA individual championship in the same year.

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The post ‘Not sure what’s worse:’ Shane Lowry shreds Bryson DeChambeau over rope spoof appeared first on Golf.

The post ‘Not sure what’s worse:’ Shane Lowry shreds Bryson DeChambeau over rope spoof appeared first on Golf.

And Shane Lowry poked fun at the poking fun. 

Before we get into the jabs, some background is in order. Eleven days ago, at the LIV Golf event in Chicago, DeChambeau took a fan rope to the face while trying to duck underneath it, swore, dropped to a knee, and if you didn’t see it live, social media has got you, from every angle. Players at the Presidents Cup were aware of it; a day later, during a practice round at Quail Hollow, one imitated the incident. Presidents Cup broadcasters got into it, too. 

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On Saturday, Davis Love III, the U.S. captain, was driving his cart when he grabbed a rope, lifted it over his head, drove under it and released it, and the joke was placed on a tee for announcer Dan Hicks and analyst Paul Azinger.  

“And the captain … successfully handling the gallery rope,” Hicks quipped. “Not easy to do, Zing.”

“Not for everyone,” Azinger said. “Not for everyone.”

Too easy. On Wednesday, during a break at the Professional Long Drivers Association world championships, where he is competing, DeChambeau added his spin. Working with comedy group Country Club Adjacent, which has appeared at multiple events at the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series, DeChambeau was filmed in a short video where he stood before another rope, ducked underneath it without incident and was swarmed in a celebration. He then ducked back under the rope, celebrated more, and the clip ended. 

Enter Lowry. 

Whether he had seen the original incident is unknown, but he had watched the spoof. And about five or so hours after he finished up a two-under 70 at the DP World Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, Lowry weighed in with 10 words. 

“Not sure what’s worse, this or tomorrow’s @dunhilllinks weather forecast…” he wrote on Twitter. 

Other pros commented on the post. 

Thomas Peters wrote: “Not even close.” Richard Ramsay quote-tweeted it and added a laughing emoji. 

And the weather? So poor is the forecast, with cool temps, rain and win, that the event will play Friday’s second round with a shotgun start.

(And yes, if you’ve been following the PGA Tour-DP World Tour vs. LIV Golf saga, and know that LIV plays with a shotgun start, this may make you laugh, too.)  

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After nearly holing his second shot on the par-4 14th hole (his 13th of the day) during the final round of LIV Golf’s Chicago Invitational, DeChambeau got into a bit of a tangle.

No, this wasn’t an altercation with a member of the gallery, but rather he had trouble clearing the gallery rope left of the fairway.

Take a look at the video below:

DeChambeau’s approach shot banged the center of the flagstick on the par-4 and settled about eight feet from the hole. When he tried to get up to the green to see the result of the shot, he failed to duck his 6-foot-1 frame below the rope and took what appeared to be a direct shot to the eye.

LIV broadcaster David Feherty put the moment in words only Feherty can (get away with).

“Off with his head!” Feherty exclaimed during the slow-motion replay on the YouTube broadcast.

DeChambeau was visibly shaken, and stood around for few moments trying to gather himself.

It wasn’t enough to deter him from draining his birdie putt, but he fell down the leaderboard afterward with bogeys on 15 and 16.

Even after making his putt, DeChambeau still looked out of sorts, blinking his eyes multiple times as if to indicate his eye was still not right.

As of this writing, DeChambeau was one under on his round and six under for the tournament, five back of leader Cameron Smith.

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The post WATCH: Bryson DeChambeau threw out first pitch at White Sox game (and didn’t embarrass himself) appeared first on Golf.

The post WATCH: Bryson DeChambeau threw out first pitch at White Sox game (and didn’t embarrass himself) appeared first on Golf.

That’s mostly due to two things: injuries that sidelined him for long stretches and his move to LIV Golf earlier this year.

But last night fans got to see him live in action on the short grass, only it was on an MLB baseball field, not a golf course.

Gear

With the LIV Golf Invitational event in Chicago set for later this week, the Chicago White Sox invited DeChambeau to throw out the first pitch at their game against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night.

First pitches are risky endeavors for pro athletes in other sports. Expectations are sky-high even though being, in this case, a pro golfer has no bearing on how good you are at throwing a baseball, especially off of a mound in front of a stadium full of fans.

“I’m a little nervous, I’m not gonna lie, but I think I’ll do fine,” DeChambeau said during an interview prior to his pitch at Guaranteed Rate Field. “[White Sox mascot Southpaw] helped me warm up and I’m feeling solid now. I want to make sure I don’t throw anything out, I want to be playing golf this week.”

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When it was time for his moment, DeChambeau, decked out in black pants, and a black White Sox jersey and hat, jogged out to the mound while waving to the crowd, then tossed a high floater toward White Sox first baseman Gavin Sheets, who had to stand up to successfully corral the high pitch. It was strikingly reminiscent of the first pitch he threw at a Yankees game back in 2018.

Bryson’s pitching form looked a little awkward, and he by no means threw a strike, but his performance was respectable enough to avoid embarrassment or viral videos online, and even earned some cheers from the fans in the stands.

You can check out DeChambeau’s pitch for yourself below.

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The post How Bryson DeChambeau added game-changing distance — and how you can, too appeared first on Golf.

The post How Bryson DeChambeau added game-changing distance — and how you can, too appeared first on Golf.

Since transforming his mind, body and — yes, you can say his soul — from mild-mannered Tour player to the tee box behemoth you currently see on TV, DeChambeau has picked up three wins, a major trophy, a Ryder Cup, about $12.5 million in winnings and an impressive finish in the Long Drive Championship. Ask him, though, and he’ll humbly reply, “Anybody can do what I’ve done.” 

Here, in his own words, is golf’s mightiest swinger on how you can take advantage of new technologies and training to add driving power you never thought possible.

I started off as a fader… 

I went with a left-to-right shot shape in high school and college, because I wanted to be like Ben Hogan. I gripped it weak with my left hand, and I’d practice holding off the clubface. Hogan is one of my idols, and I wanted to be as good a ball striker as he was.

…Even though it was costing me distance 

I could control my fade, but I felt like I wasn’t maximizing my potential. Then Jordan Spieth came on Tour and I watched him be so consistent with his kind of “chicken-wing” release. Jordan’s move was a big breakthrough for me. If I kept my left elbow pointing at the target, the clubface would never close.I could miss it 40 yards right, but I knew it wouldn’t ever go too far left. I could live with a one-way miss. 

So I switched to a controlled draw 

That started around 2017. Now, I like to live in a spot where my swing path is about 4 to 6 degrees to the right (what you’d call a “mild” inside-out delivery). My grip has gotten stronger over the years, mostly as a result of the speed-training sessions I’ve been through. The faster I swung, the more my hands gravitated to the right. A stronger grip has actually given me more speed. I feel like I’m wrapping my thumb more around the handle, as if I’m gripping a baseball bat. I’ve actually gained more stability at this speed with that kind of stronger grip.

Now, my main focus is spin control… 

I’m always trying to find ways to reduce my spin, especially at the higher speeds I’m swinging at now. Some people think I reduce the lofts of my clubs to get more distance, but that’s not true. It’s to reduce spin. That’s why my driver loft is 5 degrees. One of the simplest and most effective ways of reducing excess spin — if that’s a problem for you — is to reduce loft. 

…Oh, and to win in bunches 

I’m in this game to compete and win at the highest level. I was obviously a good player before, but when I looked at the players who were competing and winning majors, they were all players who hit the ball a long way. That’s why driving distance is such an advantage: It doesn’t just get you closer to the green on your drive, it gives you the option of clubbing down and not being forced to “thread” a drive on every tee box. 

Which takes a team effort 

My coach, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Chris Como, has really helped me understand the biomechanics of the swing. Something we work on is using a “stretch-shortening” cycle for more power with my driver. At the top of my swing, I feel like I’m stretching my arms away from my head as much as I can. In transition, I feel like I’m pulling my arms close to my body as fast as possible. First a stretch of the muscles, then a hard contraction.

Everyone needs a consistent setup 

I stand farther away from the ball than most golfers and keep my left arm pretty straight — with lots of ulnar deviation — from start to impact. That’s one of those principles from my first coach, Mike Schy, that has stuck with me over the years. It allows me to set a radius for my swing and gives me the freedom to “throw” the clubhead as hard as I can at the ball at impact. I don’t have to worry about creating space. I just try to release the club as fast as I can. 

Grip the club like you mean it

My grip pressure has gotten more aggressive over time, because you’ve got to have more grip pressure if you’re swinging at 140 mph compared to 115 mph. Your fingers and the palm of your hand need to be super, supertight on the handle, but your wrists need to be supple. A lot of people don’t understand the difference between the two, but it’s essential. 

Give yourself some options 

I used to have two swings that I’d use with my driver: my standard swing and a “fairway finder,” in which I’d tee the ball lower and play it a little farther back in my stance. (If you struggle to find the short grass consistently off the tee, these adjustments will be a game changer for you.) I still have two driver swings, but now they’re my standard swing and my power swing, which I use on wide-open par 5s or reachable par 4s — like the 6th at Bay Hill.

Breathe for speed… 

When I’m trying to swing for extra speed, I take shorter, quicker breaths with a forceful exhale. It’s not for show — I’m trying to rev up my entire nervous system by increasing my heart rate and get some extra adrenaline pumping into my system. 

…Because speed is king 

I’m proud to be a part owner in the Professional Long Drive Association. These guys are incredible athletes who deserve more respect and more exposure to showcase their skill. Go to any local driving range and everybody wants to hit the ball far. It’s fun to hit the ball far. It’s good for the sport, and it gets more people involved and excited about the game of golf. 

A lot of long-drive guys don’t bother practicing with their irons or wedges ever. They literally only pick up their driver and start by swinging it superfast until they warm up to their max speeds. I obviously need to calibrate differently. I allocate certain amounts of time to putting, chipping, iron play and controlling my driver. People who follow me on social media may not recognize that because they like hearing me talking about the driver. 

Do your gear research 

I don’t understand why golfers would let their ego get in the way of their equipment decisions. All it’s doing is costing you distance. Who cares if your driver is 12 degrees? Or if the shaft says stiff or regular? Dial in the specs that are best for you, which you can only find by getting a proper clubfitting. 

I go down lots of rabbit holes with my equipment. Sometimes it doesn’t work and I’m at a dead end. I’ll try to implement something and it makes me slower immediately, so we go research and look at other possible options. There’s no shame in trying something and it not working. It just means it’s time to do more research and pivot toward something else. 

I owe a lot of my new power to new driver tech… 

Cobra is doing some really special things with its technology. They’ve figured out how to push the driver’s center of gravity back (always a plus) while making the overall clubhead lighter and keeping the face superfast. And they did it without sacrificing MOI. That means golfers can swing it faster and launch it higher without sacrificing consistency on off-center hits. 

…And a lot to my accuracy too 

What’s cool is that driver technology is starting to catch up to the higher speeds professional golfers are producing. The challenge is on mishits. I’ve seen long-drive guys hit the ball literally five millimeters too high on the face and the ball just goes — bam! — straight into the ground with no spin. But we’ve started figuring that out. I’m telling you, this new Cobra driver, the LTDx, is insane. 

I set goals. Do you? 

My ultimate dream with my driver is to be over 200 mph ball speed with a 46-inch driver literally every single time I tee it up. I’ve settled into a driver head weight of about 190 grams. I will always continue to work on my speed the same way I will work on putting, wedging and everything else because this is my life and career. 

Anyone can add power 

Every golfer can swing their driver faster than they think they can. What’s stopping them is their brain, which forces them to slow down when it thinks you’re being unsafe. It’s why speed training isn’t simply about gaining strength. It’s about breaking through those neurological barriers and teaching your body that it’s okay to swing at higher speeds. 

And it’ll pay huge dividends for you 

I’ve always said the biggest advantage you gain when you start hitting the ball farther isn’t found off the tee. It’s with your irons. When you’re hitting an 8-iron and your buddy has to pull a 5 from the same spot, that’s going to wear on your opponents. And, as you know, anytime you can approach a green with a short iron instead of a mid- or long iron, you have the advantage. 

Plus, you don’t want to get left behind 

Golf is an athletic sport, and the next generation of golfers are going to be bigger, stronger and faster than the ones before. We’re going to see a lot more golfers built like my friend and Long Drive pro Martin Borgmeier. It’s only a matter of time before someone who is 6 foot 8 comes on Tour with easy 200- plus mph ball speed, putting the rest of us at a disadvantage. I’m trying to make sure I’m ready for that day. 

Some advice for junior players 

Start speed training as early as you can. A kid who is 15, 16 or 17 is going to understand how to produce speed much easier than an older golfer, because you’re able to learn quicker at those ages. A couple of times each week, spend an hour swinging as hard as you can. It doesn’t matter where the ball goes. I think that’s the most empowering thing you can do as a junior golfer. 

You can trick yourself into going low 

From a young age I was playing from the red tees, trying to shoot 58 and 59. I went through one stretch where I did that pretty much every day for three, four weeks straight. I shot 59 from the reds when I was about 15, and I shot 58 once too. It taught me how to score with my wedges and strategize my way around the course so I could leave my ball in places where I’m comfortable. 

Practice is still priority No. 1 

A lot of people can shoot low scores. The difference is repeatability. Can you shoot a low score in your worst emotional state? For me, it comes down to making the practice range the same as the course. When I’m practicing with my driver, it’s not just about distances. It’s about fairway width, trouble width and distance control. 

I’m literally trying to hit the same exact shot every single time. I’m trying to master one shot, one swing. And that is the goal for me. If I can get to where I’m mastering one shot, then there’s no reason for me not to be able to do it on the course. 

NEWSLETTER

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The post Bryson DeChambeau, after LIV move, wasn’t surprised Bridgestone ended deal appeared first on Golf.

The post Bryson DeChambeau, after LIV move, wasn’t surprised Bridgestone ended deal appeared first on Golf.

“I love them,” DeChambeau said. 

But a six-year relationship is over. Earlier this week, Bridgestone announced it was severing ties with the former U.S. Open winner after he made the decision to jump from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf last month, though DeChambeau is still playing their ball at this week’s Open Championship.  

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In a statement to GOLF.com, Bridgestone cited its relationship with the Tour — which is going head to head with LIV — as the reason for the separation. And DeChambeau, after Thursday’s first round at St. Andrews, said he understood.   

“No, I respect it and understand everybody’s position and the ties that everybody has,” he said. “I respect it.”

In fact, DeChambeau said he hopes he and the manufacturer are still on talking terms. DeChambeau has been one of the faces of Bridgestone Golf since he turned pro in 2016; he signed a long-term extension with the company back in 2020 that included an even larger role in the development of future Bridgestone Tour B golf balls. 

“I love what they do,” he said. “I still will hopefully continue to have conversations with the R&D team all the time. I’ve given them five or six different little things that have helped improve the golf ball. And hopefully will continue to do so.”

DeChambeau speaking kindly in public then shouldn’t be all too surprising. Of course, his comments on Thursday were just shy of the one-year anniversary of him critiquing his Cobra driver after a shaky Open first round at Royal St. George’s, where he commented: “If I can hit it down the middle of the fairway, that’s great, but with the driver right now, the driver sucks.”

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On the subject of the controversial, Saudi-backed LIV, whom DeChambeau began play with late last month, DeChambeau was similarly unaffected. He was also asked by a reporter how “easy” it was for him “to focus and prepare this week with all the distraction and talk about LIV.”

“This is a major championship,” he said. “I’m going into it with a mindset that I’m focused on trying to win this golf tournament. So it hasn’t been on the top of my mind. I’ve been focused on competing [and] doing my best out here.”

DeChambeau was also asked whether he was concerned “what people have said about LIV and the thing about Tiger the other day.” To the latter, Tiger Woods was critical of LIV Golf during his pre-tournament press conference, saying, among other opinions on the subject, that “as far as … the players who have chosen to go to LIV and to play there, I disagree with it,” Woods said. “I think that what they’ve done is they’ve turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position.”

DeChambeau said he respected that thought, too. 

“I respect everybody’s opinions,” he said. “I have no position on it. Again, for me it was the best decision for me at that point in time and still is.”

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The post The John Daly and Bryson DeChambeau Show was a blast to watch (pun intended) appeared first on Golf.

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DeChambeau is muscular and cleanly shaven. Daly is built like Santa, and has a bleached blond beard that is the envy of every garden gnome. DeChambeau wears stylish, clingy Puma gear that shows off his chiseled figure. Daly wears purple pants adorned with flowers and skulls, and a baggy grey windbreaker from the Masters merchandise shop (yes, really).

DeChambeau once added 40 pounds of muscle on a diet of steaks and protein shakes. Daly once lost nearly 70 pounds in two-and-a-half months on a diet of popcorn and Jack Daniel’s. DeChambeau’s approach to golf is fueled by physics and speed training and the deeply technical teachings of Homer Kelley. Daly’s approach to golf is, well, grip it and rip it.

Daly smokes Marlboros. DeChambeau smokes Bridgestones.

All of which is to say, when DeChambeau and Daly set out together in the 7:52 a.m. grouping in the first round of the 150th Open Championship — with Cameron Tringale along for the ride — they were a study in contrasts.

Balls

Save for one obvious thing.

DeChambeau and Daly, who until Thursday had never played a competitive round together, are to golf-ball mashing what Bird and Curry are to three-point shooting. Superstars. Legends. Iconoclasts. Daly led the PGA Tour in driving distance 11 times, and, in 1997 — with a balata ball, Daly will be quick to remind you — became the first player to post a season-long average north of 300 yards. DeChambeau has been the longest driver on Tour the last two seasons with ball speeds (220 mph!) that even a few years ago were inconceivable. In 2019-20, DeChambeau broke the 17-year-old Tour driving distance record with an average poke of 322.1 yards.

So the opening round of this historic major gave golf fans quite a thrill: the Yoda and Skywalker of tee-ball obliteration, blasting their way around the Old Course together.

Before we proceed, let us be clear: Daly, who is now 56, is not the JD of Crooked Stick lore. Far from it. His swing is still long and flowy but he has lost some speed, and he lumbers around the course with a bum left knee. As he walked from the 13th green to the 14th tee Thursday, a marshal in a green golf cart joked to Daly, “Take the buggy.”

“Can I have it?” Daly quipped back.

At least we think he was joking.

A moment later, in the same walkway, Daly’s longtime girlfriend, Anna Cladakis, leaned over the ropes and handed her beau a cup of ice and a Diet Coke, of which he has been known to consume up to 12 in a round. Daly took only a few more strides before a young fan offered him a beer.

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“I need a vodka,” Daly joked.

Daly also could have used something else on Thursday if he wanted to keep up with golf’s new long-drive king: about 50 more yards. “It was fun just to see the power he has,” Daly said after posting a more-than-respectable one-over 73, four shy of DeChambeau’s mark. “He’s hitting his 4-iron 280, 290 off the tee. On 15 [a 455-yard par-4], he hit 7-iron off the tee, which is amazing. It’s a blast to watch.”

The fans seemed to agree, urging on both players on every tee box. On the 465-yard par-4 13th, DeChambeau laid back with an iron. When Daly pulled driver, the crowd roared its approval.

“I want to get it past that left bunker,” Daly said later. “If he hits driver, he wants to drive the green.”

On another hole, DeChambeau did. Daly, too.

At the 351-yard par-4 12th, both players launched soaring drives that rewarded them with eagle putts, though, with the putting surface obscured from the tee box, neither was sure of it. DeChambeau arrived on the green first to find both of their balls within 40 feet of the hole. He looked back down the fairway toward Daly with a big grin and gave him a thumbs-up.

“Right here!” DeChambeau bellowed.

DeChambeau sounded genuinely happy for Daly, and not only on that occasion. When Daly nearly drove the green at 18, DeChambeau offered up a hearty, “Nice shot!”

DeChambeau and Daly aren’t close, but they clearly respect one another and undoubtedly appreciate each other’s go-for-broke style of play.

On the 15th tee, Daly appeared awed by how far DeChambeau had smashed his 7-iron. As Tringale prepared to hit, Daly pulled DeChambeau’s 7-iron out of his bag to compare it to his own. He put them side by side, shook his head and just laughed.

DeChambeau was equally roused by Daly’s game.

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“It was something to see,” DeChambeau said of Daly’s five-birdie round. “He’s obviously wobbling a little bit around the golf course, but he’s getting through it. And, man, for him to shoot the score he shot today was pretty impressive. I was on 13 or 14, going, What is he, one over, still right there? And the crowds obviously love him. It’s great to feed off that.”

Indeed, everywhere Daly went, he heard some combination of adoration and playfulness from the usually decorous Scottish galleries. Along the 15th fairway, fans desperate to get Daly’s attention yelled things like:

“Love the trousers!”

“Hey, John, where we goin’ for drinks after?”

“Is he smoking a cigarette? What a legend!”

After the round, I asked DeChambeau if Daly — in his prime and with modern equipment — would have been longer than DeChambeau.

“That’s a question for him,” DeChambeau said. “But I think he could. He probably for sure had like around 85 to 88 ball speed back in his day. And that’s with equipment and the golf balls not being as firm. I’m sure he had the speeds that I have out there.”

I didn’t get a chance to ask Daly the same question, but Daly has previously spoken on the topic.

On the Full Send podcast last year, Daly said that, yes, peak Daly would outdrive DeChambeau — “by far.”

“Bryson, what he’s doing is phenomenal but most of the golf tournaments I played, I hardly ever hit driver,” Daly said. “I hit 1-irons. I’d fly that thing 300 [yards]. I’d cut it 280 into par-5s.”

On Thursday, let the record show, Daly hit plenty of drivers. DeChambeau, not so much.

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The post Bridgestone severs ties with Bryson DeChambeau at Open Championship appeared first on Golf.

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In a surprise move that sent shockwaves through the equipment industry on Tuesday, Bridgestone announced it was severing ties with the former U.S. Open winner after he made the decision to jump from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf last month.

“The PGA Tour is an extremely important part of professional golf, and Bridgestone has a sports marketing relationship with this highly visible series of tournaments,” Bridgestone said in a statement to GOLF.com. “In considering that Bryson DeChambeau will no longer be participating in these events, Bridgestone and Bryson have agreed to end their brand ambassador partnership.”

DeChambeau has been one of the faces of Bridgestone Golf since he turned pro in 2016; he signed a long-term extension with the company back in 2020 that included an even larger role in the development of future Bridgestone Tour B golf balls.

“I’ve seen a lot of other guys sign up just to be spokesmen for a brand and collect a check,” DeChambeau said. “I have a much deeper role in mind with Bridgestone. I want to be a bigger part of their R&D process and help develop golf ball technology for the future of the game while pushing the limits of golf ball designs to benefit the full spectrum of players.”

The loss of DeChambeau still leaves Bridgestone with a strong roster that includes Tiger Woods, Fred Couples, Jason Day, Lexi Thompson and Matt Kuchar.

DeChambeau is the first equipment casualty since players started defecting to LIV Golf earlier this year. It remains to be seen if the Bridgestone-DeChambeau announcement is an anomaly or a sign of bigger things to come for golfers who walked away from the PGA Tour for LIV’s guaranteed money. (Phil Mickelson’s deal with Callaway Golf remains on pause.)

Want to overhaul your bag for 2022? Find a fitting location near you at GOLF’s affiliate company True Spec Golf. For more on the latest gear news and information, check out our latest Fully Equipped podcast below.

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But all of that has come out in a trickle. Some players swore off the series, while others stayed quiet. Others yet — like Bryson DeChambeau — even flipped their opinions in a matter of days. Who is all involved with the LIV series? It can get confusing, but we’ve spelled it out for you below.

Phil Mickelson is the obvious one. Mickelson has become the face of the Tour by signing on to play all eight events in 2022 and all 10 events planned for 2023. He’s also among the 17 players who were suspended by the PGA Tour just moments after they teed off in the first LIV event. Mickelson, unlike most of the others, has not resigned his Tour membership, and believes he deserves to maintain his lifetime membership status. 

Dustin Johnson is the other big name who recently committed to the series. Unlike Mickelson, Johnson has resigned his Tour membership. It was Johnson’s involvement, according to various Tour sources, that changed the scope of the series for many professionals. Pat Perez is one of those pros, who admitted that Johnson is “100% the reason” why he’s playing. 

Perez committed during the final round of the LIV Golf London event, just hours after 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed committed, and two days after DeChambeau, the 2020 U.S. Open champion, committed. Speaking with reporters at the 2022 U.S. Open at Brookline, DeChambeau called the move “strictly a business decision.” 

In total, the series currently boasts six different Masters champions, inclusive of Sergio Garcia and Charl Schwartzel, who both played in the first LIV event. The most recent commits came just days after the U.S. Open, with 4-time major champion Brooks Koepka and Abe Ancer.

At the moment, LIV Golf has a wide array of players taking part. Some of them have signed multiple-year contracts. Others are going to take part in some events here, other events there. The fields are capped at 48 players, so the more names involved, the fewer spots available. Below is a list of notable players who have played in the series or committed to future events.

We will update this post as more names join the series.

LIV Golf committed players, future players

Phil Mickelson
Dustin Johnson
Sergio Garcia
Brooks Koepka
Bryson DeChambeau
Patrick Reed
Pat Perez
Abe Ancer
Matthew Wolff
Carlos Ortiz
Eugenio Chacarra
Lee Westwood
Ian Poulter
Martin Kaymer
Branden Grace
Louis Oosthuizen
Talor Gooch
Matt Jones
Graeme McDowell
Kevin Na
Andy Ogletree
Turk Pettit
Charl Schwartzel
Hudson Swafford
Peter Uihlein
James Piot
Chase Koepka
Shaun Norris
Justin Harding
Sam Horsfield

We will update this post as more names join the series.

NEWSLETTER

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The post The pre-round drill this U.S. Open champ uses to sync-up his putting stroke appeared first on Golf.

The post The pre-round drill this U.S. Open champ uses to sync-up his putting stroke appeared first on Golf.

It’s something pros work on a lot before each of their rounds, and especially early in the week, before the action gets underway.

Think of it like a quick engine check on a car. Without it, golfers could start pulling putts left, for instance, without knowing they’re doing it. They could think they’re mis-reading putts — so they start aiming more right, which means they have to start pulling putts more left to start the ball where they actually want. It’s one small problem that creates multiple bigger ones that take hard work to undo.

Which is why they try to prevent it before those problems start piling up. They work on it in a variety of ways, usually with some combination of a string, chalk line on the ground, and a line on their golf ball. One drill along these lines that caught my eye, while roaming the ground of The Country Club on Monday came from 2020 U.S. Open champ Bryson DeChambeau.

Bryson was one of the most recent players to defect to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Tour, a move he described purely as a “business decision.” But on the practice putting green ahead of the 2022 U.S. Open, it was business as usual. He was practicing the same sync-up drill he uses before he does before each of his rounds.

Once he’s all setup, he simply starts rolling putts. He’s looking for the line to roll end over end, down the line on the ground. The ruler you see is a separate tool he uses measure his backsroke.

“It just allows me to calibrate my start line, so I know the ball is rolling off the face the way I want it to,” he says.

And it’s a drill simple enough for you to use at home, too.

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