In the past couple weeks, Bryson DeChambeau had been hitting it well, just not scoring.
On the 10th hole Thursday at LIV Golf Adelaide, it was the opposite.
DeChambeau caught his drive a little thin – some would say topped – his ball diving into a front teeing area, getting some help from the cart path and traveling only about 240 yards.
“It was a great line drive into the tee box and bounced it off the cart path,” DeChambeau said. “I had a nice scuff mark. Some kid has a nice scuff marked ball out there.”
The worm-burner left DeChambeau 287 yards into the green at the 529-yard, par-5. Yet, DeChambeau recovered nicely, launching a 3-wood nearly pin high to set up a two-putt birdie from 27 feet.
The birdie was one of seven for DeChambeau on the day. He birdied three of his final four holes to shoot 6-under 66 and share the first-round lead with Marc Leishman. Dustin Johnson and his new 4Aces teammate Anthony Kim are both a shot back, followed by Jon Rahm, Joaquin Niemann, Abraham Ancer and Graeme McDowell at 4 under.
Surprised by DeChambeau’s top? Well, he’s done it before, he says.
“Last time I did that was 2021 Players Championship off the fourth tee box, and it cost me The Players,” said DeChambeau, though on that occasion, he topped a hybrid.
“But that shot [today] was more of a thin shot. I just hit too far down on the ball. I actually struck it nicely. It was a perfect strike right into the tee box. It was awesome. Got to make sure I don’t hit it with too negative an attack angle next time.”