Michael Reaves/PGA of America
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. Moments after losing his afternoon fourball match to conclude a disappointing Friday at Bethpage Black, Bryson DeChambeau lamented how, “Luck is on their side right now,” in reference to his European opponents. Many golf fans may have rolled their eyes at a two-time major champ saying that following a day in which he lost twice, but DeChambeau had a point. At least when it comes to his matches.
DeChambeau’s day had actually started with great promise, crushing the Americans’ opening drive in morning foursomes and pouring in the event’s first birdie putt moments later. However, there weren’t enough other highlights for DeChambeau and Justin Thomas as the two fell, 4 and 3, to Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton.
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DeChambeau returned for afternoon fourball, this time with Ben Griffin as a teammate. Once again, the LIV star got off to a 1-up lead with a rare birdie on the difficult fifth hole and kept that edge until the back nine against Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose. But the Euros took charge from there, putting the Americans away 1 up with a birdie on 18 after DeChambeau’s birdie on 17 kept the match alive.
So where does luck play into this? Well, DeChambeau played better than his 0-2 record indicated. A LOT better.
According to Data Golf, DeChambeau ranked third among the event’s 24 players in strokes gained overall for Friday and first on the U.S. team. Among those who played twice, his +2.8 total put him only behind Rory McIlroy, who went 1-0-1 on Friday.
“I played good golf, just not good enough,” DeChambeau said. “And they made everything.”
Again, he’s not wrong. In the foursomes session, Hatton and Rahm both ranked in the top seven of strokes gained/putting. And in fourballs, Lowry and McIlroy ranked fifth and sixth in that stat. (DeChambeau ranked fourth.)
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It’s here where we should mention that DeChambeau’s afternoon partner, Ryder Cup rookie Griffin, finished dead last in strokes gained during the fourball session. And Thomas was last in that stat during morning foursomes.
Even more unlucky for DeChambeau is that Thomas turned things around in the afternoon and finished third (one spot ahead of DeChambeau)when he played with Cameron Young instead.
So, the vagaries of match play were hard at work against DeChambeau in both sessions. There’s only so much you can do to help your teammates and there’s no playing defense in golf, but Bryson had this to say about what he hopes to do better on Saturday.
“Hit my irons better and roll in a couple more putts,” he said. “I felt like I was clutch when I needed to be, but the putt on 16, putt on 14, there were so many putts that just didn’t go in for us that went in for them.”
Maybe so, Bryson, but you’re closer than you think. And probably a lot closer than many looking at the scoreboard realize.
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