DeChambeau holds off An, Stanley
Columbus, OH- Bryson DeChambeau (-15) won The Memorial Tournament after fending off Kyle Stanley and Byeong Hun An in a playoff, claiming the second PGA Tour victory of his career. After Stanley was eliminated after failing to make par from the rough on the first playoff hole, DeChambeau rolled in a birdie on his third trip down 18 on Sunday to win Jack’s tournament and relegate An, who shot in the 60s all four days, to second place. The course, which is typically one of the tougher tests on tour, was tamed a bit by consistent bouts of rain throughout the week, but the rough showed its teeth, making for a nervous finish for those at the top of the leaderboard.
On a Sunday when the tee times were pushed up because of the threat of severe weather, fans saw several players rise near the top of the leaderboard, only to come crashing down to earth again. Stanley was five shots behind the leader standing on the 14th tee, then his putter caught fire. He birdied four in a row before making bogey on 18. Other contenders included Patrick Cantlay (-14) who just missed out on the playoff after shooting a disappointing 71 and Peter Uihlein (-13) who shot an impressive final round 66 to sneak into solo 5th.
The Memorial, hosted by Jack Nicklaus at his Muirfield Village Golf Club in Columbus, Ohio features one of the stoutest strategic tests on tour, and boasts one of the strongest fields of the year. While the week was highlighted by a typically strong field featuring the likes of Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Jason Day, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed, and five time champ Tiger Woods, not all of the stars shined as brightly as they would have hoped.
Jordan Spieth’s struggles continued as he shot +3 Thursday and Friday and missed the cut comfortably. While Tiger Woods put on an absolute ball striking clinic, his short game left a lot to be desired. While he ranked at the top of the field in strokes gained tee to green, he came in near the tail end in strokes gained putting.
After a frustrating first two days, Rory McIlroy shot 64 on Saturday to get himself back in the conversation. He shot 69 on Sunday and finished T8 with some of the field’s other thoroughbreds, namely Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, and Patrick Rodgers. Even with many of the game’s top names failing to contend, other players showed why professional golf is in such a good place right now.
After a top 10 finish at Colonial last week, 19-year-old Joaquin Niemann showed why many people think he’ll take the Spieth route to full-time status on the PGA Tour. He entered the final round tied for the lead with Stanley but failed to keep pace during his up and down round in which he carded two double bogeys. Regardless, the former world number one amateur showed why he is a threat to win sooner rather than later.
Bryson DeChambeau What’s In The Bag
Driver: Cobra King LTD Pro 8.5° (Project X HZRDUS T1100 75X)
Fairway Woods: Cobra King LTD 14.5° (Project X HZRDUS Black 85X)
Cobra F8+ Baffler 17.5° (Project X HZRDUS Black 85X)
Irons: Cobra King Forged One Length 4-PW (True Temper Dynamic Gold X7)
Wedges: Cobra King V Grind 50°, King WideLow Grind 55°, 60° (True Temper Dynamic Gold X7)
Putter: SIK tour prototype
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B X
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