Watch out for Bryson

CHARLOTTE (AFP) — Bryson DeChambeau credits the confidence boost he took from last year’s 72nd-hole PGA Championship loss for helping him win last year’s US Open and making him a better major threat.

The 31-year-old American is among the favorites at this week’s 107th PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, arriving off a LIV Golf victory two weeks ago in South Korea.

“I’m feeling good,” DeChambeau said. “This is exciting times. I’m playing some good golf. Hopefully that continues this week. “Figured a couple things out with my golf swing. Putting really well.”

DeChambeau faltered in last year’s final round at the Masters and shared sixth but found his form at the PGA at Valhalla, battling to the end before losing to Xander Schauffele’s birdie on the 72nd hole.

A month later, the 2020 US Open winner added the 2024 US Open crown with his own 72nd-hole heroics, getting up-and-down from a bunker from 55 yards to edge Rory McIlroy by one stroke.

“A little bit of fortune but also paired with a lot of skill over 72 holes of golf. You have to combine all that together to have a chance to win,” DeChambeau said.

“That’s what Xander did so well last year. I didn’t get the job done because of one or two shots. Just is what it is.”

This year, DeChambeau led in the final round of the Masters but stumbled to a closing 75 and shared fifth.

“I felt like at Valhalla, especially after Augusta, that was the second time that I played well in a major and it kind of gave me confidence that I could just keep moving forward with that at every major and keep hammering down on majors.

“I feel like I’m moving in the right direction with giving myself a lot of multiple chances to win these major championships.”

DeChambeau has worked on his irons for this week, hoping they can make a difference.

“So far I’ve been driving it well this season. Hopefully it continues. Greens are tricky. Got to have great irons. It’s a full test of golf this week, and I’m certainly excited for the challenge,” DeChambeau said.

DeChambeau has drawn more support from spectators in part thanks to his YouTube video efforts.

“It’s good to see all the fans out there, supporting, yelling my name and talking about the latest YouTube video our team put out,” he said.

“It’s quite fun, and it really gives me perspective when I’m under intense pressure and somebody yells out, ‘Let’s do a Break 50,’ or ‘I loved the video with John Daly,’ or whatever. It really sets me back into a positive mind frame of I know why I’m doing this.”

DeChambeau was invited to a US Ryder Cup candidates meeting last week. He missed the dinner but joined remotely and hopes to keep his current qualified position on points.

“It was awesome. It’s an incredible honor,” he said. “Unfortunately we had massive storms that morning that delayed me 3 1/2 hours, and I couldn’t make it to the dinner. But I saw it on Zoom and also talked to the captain about it, and I was step in step with him. We had a great conversation after.

“I’ve got to keep playing good golf and hopefully I can make it on points alone. That’s the goal.”