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SHEBOYGAN, Wisconsin – Bryson DeChambeau is determined to be a model team player at the Ryder Cup, and he wasted no time on Tuesday proving his point.
« I think this is a team event. I’m focused on helping Team USA win and that’s honestly why I’m here, « said DeChambeau.
Points are not awarded on the basis of words. Even so, DeChambeau used his time to dispel a few distractions that hung over the American team as they tried to recapture the Ryder Cup from Europe in Whistling Straits.
First off, his hands are fine and his motivation is strictly focused on the Ryder Cup.
DeChambeau was quoted in a story on golf.com (with which he has a financial partnership) that his « hands are destroyed » from two-day training for the Professional Long Drivers Association World Championships, the day after the Ryder Cup kick off .
« So when I got some blisters on my hands and destroyed my hands, it was before the FedEx Cup playoffs, » said DeChambeau. “The story came out later. I played pretty well during the FedEx Cup playoffs. … In the run-up to this event, I fully concentrated on this event and I think I’ll be so successful if I get this far. »
This part is hard to contest. DeChambeau won the US Open last September with the lowest score ever at Winged Foot. He won again at Bay Hill by driving almost the green of the sixth par-5 hole that twists around a lake to the left. It’s not number 7 in the world for nothing.
He also said his beef with Brooks Koepka, which has been around for two years, is off the agenda this week and may be running out.
« A lot of this social media stuff was definitely driven by a lot of external factors, not necessarily the two of us, » he said, without specifying what those external factors could be. “We had some great conversations over dinner during the Tour Championship week and then again this week. I sat down last night and had dinner with him and it was fine. »
Whether he’s beating up Drives or wiping out all but his own hand-picked media representatives, DeChambeau has become a must-see in golf. He said his wish was to showcase his game and personality. Now it is important to fit that into a team concept. Sometimes he had to remember it.
The players swarmed across Whistling Straits for the first full day of training, providing a few clues of possible pairings, some of which were obvious.
Jordan Spieth dated Justin Thomas, a partnership that was lost 3-1 in France, while FedEx Cup winner Patrick Cantlay dated Olympic gold medalist Xander Schauffele, close friends and partners at the Presidents Cup.
Sergio Garcia was in the same group as Lee Westwood – they’re 4-1-2 together, while Rory McIlroy was out with Viktor Hovland of Norway, one of three rookies on the European side.
This comes from Team Europe’s latest creative work to inspire a team that keeps winning. Captain Padraig Harrington put together a video he showed his team Monday night to illustrate how special it is to play in a Ryder Cup – just 164 players from that site since 1927, fewer than ever in space or the Have climbed Mount Everest.
He numbered them in alphabetical order – No. 1 was Aubrey Boomer in 1927, No. 164 this year is Bernd Wiesberger – for a video entitled « Make It Count ».
« It is something to be very proud of to be able to wear the clothes with the European team crest, » said Lee Westwood (# 118).
Europe has always relied on unity and timely putting to win nine of the last 12 Ryder Cups.
« There is a lot of continuity in our team and I think that was one of the reasons for our success, » said McIlroy.
With six rookies and its youngest team of all time with an average age of 29 years, the US team is relying on new energy. Spieth, Koepka and Dustin Johnson are the only Americans who have participated in more than one Ryder Cup.
Fans flock to him in amazement at the way he’s pepped up his body to swing faster and hit farther, and that has led to heckling in recent tournaments.
« There are times when it’s not comfortable, but there are also times when it drives me, » DeChambeau said. « I think this week is going to be an amazing example of that, and it’s going to be fun to have the crowd behind us and pump them up and show them what I can hopefully do – and what is more important to us as a team. »
« I’m not going to do this about myself again. This is a team event, ”he said. “I have a brass chest. I took a lot of heat. But I agree and I understand that I am where I am and it will go on like this. »
Maybe a win would help or at least bring in points. He was 0-3 on his Ryder Cup debut in France, and he didn’t win a game in the Presidents Cup (0-1-1).
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