Bryson DeChambeau tabs T-4 finish at PGA Championship ‘super-validating’

DeChambeau earned his best finish in a major, finishing T-4 behind winner Collin Morikawa at the PGA Championship.

Northern California native Bryson DeChambeau fell short of his dream of winning his first major championship in his backyard at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, but not without putting up quite a fight.

DeChambeau bashed 11 drives of more than 300 yards Sunday, including a 359-yard blast at No. 10, en route to shooting 4-under 66 and finishing in a tie for fourth place, his first top-10 finish in a major.

“Finally was able to finish in the top 10, top 5 I hope in a major, and that’s an awesome accolade,” DeChambeau said. “Next step is to win. I feel like my game is good enough.”

DeChambeau birdied three of his first four holes to grab a share of the lead and climbed to double figures with another birdie at No. 7. But then he missed the green to the right at the long par-3 8th hole and fluffed his chip for his first bogey. He 3-putted from 54 feet at the ninth to drop back to 8 under.

DeChambeau flexed his muscles at the par-5 10th, crushing a drive 359 yards. But he missed the green with his second shot, chipped to 5 feet and lipped out his birdie effort. It was a missed opportunity and despite DeChambeau making two birdies on the second nine – Nos. 14 and 16 – it was too little too late as Collin Morikawa separated from the pack to shoot 65-64 on the weekend and win by two strokes over Paul Casey and Dustin Johnson.

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DeChambeau, a six-time Tour winner, shot a pair of 66s on the weekend to shoot 10-under 270. His previous best result had been a T-15 at the 2016 U.S. Open. DeChambeau also notched his ninth top 10 of the season, tied with Justin Thomas for the most on Tour.

While DeChambeau didn’t seal the deal this time, it provided further confirmation that the Bryson Experiment – his brawny physique and rapid yardage gain – can work at the biggest events and not just the Rocket Mortgage Classics of the world. DeChambeau led the field in Strokes Gained: Off-the-tee, gaining more than seven strokes to the field.

“It’s super validating. I don’t know how else to put it. Very excited for the future for me,” DeChambeau said. “Look, my driving I think is only going to get stronger and farther, golf-course dependent, obviously. But I hope in due time there’s going to be an advantage that’s out there that, you know, hopefully – I don’t know how else to put it in a nicer way, but gives me a really distinct advantage that helps me win a lot out here.”

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