Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Biggest hitter at Harding Park so far? Not a dialed-back Bryson DeChambeau

dechambeau_1920_pga20_d2.jpg

SAN FRANCISCO – Midway through Day 2 at the PGA Championhip, Cameron Champ and Bryson DeChambeau ranked Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in driving distance.

Philosophically, though, the two were worlds apart on how to play TPC Harding Park.

Although DeChambeau said earlier this week that Harding Park was a course that could be overpowered, he dialed that assessment back on Friday following a second-round 70.

“I can’t really let it rip out here this week,” said DeChambeau, who trails Champ by 4 yards with a 318.3-yard driving average. “I feel like the rough is too penalizing, and I’m trying to keep it in the fairway. Sometimes the risk really isn’t worth the reward.”


PGA Championship: Scores | Full coverage


Some of DeChambeau’s reluctance to unleash the “Kraken” is likely based on his play Friday. He hit just 4 of 14 fairways and struggled to recover when he found the thick rough.

Champ, who rallied on Friday with a 6-under 64 to move into a tie for fourth place, had a much different outlook.

“I’m a lot more committed over it versus trying to hit a little low-cut driver,” said Champ, who was more proficient off the tee during the second round, hitting nine fairways and leading the field in strokes gained: off the tee. “Usually whenever I swing harder it goes straighter, and today kind of proved that.”