Bryson DeChambeau’s noisy week ended with a whimper Sunday at Royal Birkdale.
Entering the final round of The Open four off the lead, DeChambeau closed in 2-over 72 to finish at 4 under, tied for 14th.
DeChambeau’s week at Royal Birkdale began with controversy, through no fault of his own. Three-time Open champion Nick Faldo publicly criticized DeChambeau’s links strategy (“zero clue”) prior to the start of the championship.
DeChambeau then opened in 67 and, when speaking to an R&A representative, repeated “strategy” multiple times in his comments.
DeChambeau appeared to follow that with a 66 on Friday but was docked a two-stroke penalty after his round for “inadvertently improving the area of his intended swing” from thigh-high fescue on the fifth hole. What followed was a circus act that aired for hours on television, deep into the night, involving DeChambeau going with officials to the site of the incident. He huffed and puffed and threatened to withdraw, but eventually signed for a 68 — three back instead of one — and said via social media that he’d be competing over the weekend.
His peers didn’t care one way or the other – they just wanted to know their tee times. The R&A withheld the release of Saturday’s pairings while the DeChambeau drama unfolded. Rory McIlroy said after his third round that it felt like DeChambeau was holding “the tournament hostage.” (Among other pointed comments regarding Bryson.)
With all eyes on him over the weekend, DeChambeau bogeyed his final hole in Round 3 to shoot 1-under 69. Needing some positive dramatics Sunday, he didn’t make a birdie until the 13th hole, by which he had already made one bogey and a triple at the 11th, where he lost a ball. He finished six shots behind winner Ryan Fox.
As for what’s next for DeChambeau? He didn’t speak to the media (again), but LIV Golf is scheduled for an event this week at JCB Golf & Country Club in England.