Bryson DeChambeau got off to a good start on Wednesday at this week’s LIV Golf Adelaide event. The two-time major winner is aiming for a victory thanks to his opening round, but it was his worst shot of the day that attracted the most attention.
That’s because DeChambeau, one of the greatest golfers in the world, completely outpaced a drive in competition on Wednesday. But somehow that drive ended up in the fairway a whopping 245 yards from the tee.
Here’s what you need to know.
Confused DeChambeau at the top of the drive: “Did I hit the ground?”
This week’s LIV Golf Adelaide event will be played at the Grange Golf Club in Australia. It was Wednesday at the 10th hole of the Grange where DeChambeau’s shocking miss occurred.
The 10th is a 529-yard par-5, so when he stood on the tee, DeChambeau had eagle in mind. To make an eagle, he had to do what he does best: bomb a drive as far into the hole as possible.
But when DeChambeau waved away from the tee, something went very wrong. His club appeared to make contact with the ground before impact, sending his ball screaming forward, just three feet above the ground.
The TV cameras caught the ball trickling down the middle of the fairway as a stunned DeChambeau watched from the tee.
The two-time US Open champion then turned to his caddy and asked, “Did I hit the ground with that or did he just knuckle?”
Watch the recording below.
Members of the LIV TV broadcast seemed even more surprised than Bryson. While David Feherty stated: “There’s something you don’t see every day. Stone Cold.”
Incredibly, DeChambeau’s ball still traveled 200 yards down the fairway. From there, he made a 288-yard approach that landed safely on the green. A two-putt led to an unlikely birdie.
But the news is getting better for Bryson fans. His red number on the 10th was one of seven birdies he made in Round 1. That left him level with Marc Leishman at six under with three rounds to play.
Kevin Cunningham
Golf.com editor
As senior managing producer for GOLF.com, Cunningham edits, writes and publishes stories on GOLF.com and manages the brand’s e-newsletters, which reach more than 1.4 million subscribers each month. A former two-time intern, he also keeps GOLF.com humming along beyond news stories and service content from our reporters and writers, and works with the technical team to develop new products and innovative ways to deliver a compelling site to our audience.
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