Bryson DeChambeau has revealed the reason he kept going at The Open despite a tough start to the first round on Thursday. The LIV Golf star opened the tournament with a disappointing 78 in the first round, but returned on Friday with an impressive 65. That 13-shot improvement was crucial, enabling him to make the cut.
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DeChambeau Reveals How His Father’s Advice Helped Him Bounce Back
DeChambeau put in a forgettable performance in the first round. The 31-year-old later admitted that he had considered withdrawing from the tournament entirely. However, instead of leaving, he regrouped, stuck to his strategy, and trusted his game. He went on to record seven birdies and just one bogey on Friday, producing one of the best rounds of the day.
“I woke up this morning and I said you know what, I can’t,” DeChambeau said in his press conference after the second round. “I can’t give up. My dad always told me never to give up. Just got to keep going and that’s what I did today. I was proud of the way I fought back. Really, really, persevered through some emotionally difficult moments and to hold myself together and slam clubs and throw things and all that like I wanted to. I’m very proud of myself.”
DeChambeau currently sits at +1 for the tournament, nine shots behind the leader. While he faces a steep climb to contend for the title, his second-round performance has kept him in contention and given him renewed momentum heading into the weekend.
DeChambeau Wants To Be A Good Role Model
DeChambeau has also revealed that he’s working on himself to become a good role model for kids. The 31-year-old was asked how he managed to control his emotions after a difficult first round, and he admitted that although he sometimes fails, he’s still getting better at handling his emotions.
“I want to be a good role model for kids,’’ he said. “I struggled with that earlier in my career and I want to be different now. That’s the reason why I do it, it’s because I want to be a good role model and sometimes I fail at that and I’m getting better and better each time. And I think today and yesterday was a good testing moment for me to really showcase myself and do the right thing no matter how hard and no matter how dumb some of the breaks and bounces are out here.”
DeChambeau’s maturity showed clearly on Friday. Despite being one of the worst performers in the opening round, he delivered a world-class response under pressure.
Main Photo Credit: © Mike Frey-Imagn Images
