OPINION: Bryson Thinks He’s Above the Rules

It’s not really a secret, but the guys on the PGA TOUR hit the ball far.  Like really far. Especially this guy Bryson DeChambeau.

Maybe you’ve heard of him, but in case not, he swings the driver in the low 130 MPH range—about 15 MPH faster than the PGA TOUR average speed.  Using TrackMan math, that’s about a 35 yard difference in carry between Bryson and the other guys.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Bryson DeChambeau (@brysondechambeau)

And with power comes responsibility, unless you’re Bryson.  You see, with this rapid, newfound gain in strength and speed, Bryson has refused to accept the responsibility that comes with launching golf balls at over 200 MPH into crowds 300-350 yards away. 

Indeed, Bryson got a LOT of flack from colleagues during the 2020 U.S. Open for not yelling “fore” after hitting wayward tee shots.  And despite the criticism, Bryson still refuses to yell fore and warn the crowds of incoming friendly fire.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Bryson DeChambeau (@brysondechambeau)

Adding insult to proverbial, sometimes actual injury, Bryson is now taking aim taking aim at other Pros without any concern for their safety.

The range at Torrey Pines, host of the Farmers Insurance Open, isn’t long enough to contain some of the longer guys, many of whom are competing this weekend.  Think DJ, Brooks, Rahm. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Bryson DeChambeau (@brysondechambeau)

As a result, some guys have been finding car windshields rather than the end of the range.  And some (cough*Bryson*cough) are just outright refusing warnings that they’re putting people in harms way. 

One anonymous volunteer commented on the situation, and stated:

“I was working on Monday and Bryson was hitting on this [North side] down to the other end. I was receiving radio calls that he was actually flying it to the line down there [on the South end]. We asked him to cease using his driver, and rather than doing that and complying, he was aiming for the ninth hole on the North Course and hitting it over the fence into the fairway.”

Source on the ground informs us that Bryson shattered two caddies’ cars windshields when he started “shipping balls over the fence.”

Caddies cars were parked in dirt lot shown here to the west of the range. pic.twitter.com/e6X2VceyJP

— TheShotgunStart (@TheShotgunStart) January 27, 2022

We can all bicker, moan, and b*tch about rule breaking during competitive play, but there isn’t much to debate when someone is putting other people in harm’s way, especially after they’ve been warned.

I appreciate that this is their jobs, and it’s important to have a quality pre-round warm-up before kicking things off, but Bryson’s apparent disregard for others cannot (and should not) go unchecked.  I mean, it doesn’t matter who—patron, volunteer, etc.—could get hit, but you could imagine the Brooks v. Bryson feud would be the last of Bryson’s problems if he accidentally hit a caddie or another professional.

Hopefully the TOUR will take some action, whether it’s a strongly worded warning or a fine.  But something should be done immediately.

Cover Image Via Instagram