GOLF

Bryson DeChambeau delivers with victory as a favourite in Detroit

6 years ago - Sportingbase

It is not often that a golfer who is the favourite to win on any given week on the PGA Tour becomes victorious. However, that was the case on Sunday for Bryson DeChambeau of Modesto, California, who came away with a win at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit, Michigan, with a three-stroke win over Matthew Wolff of Simi Valley, California.

The scores were mighty low this past weekend in Michigan, as the players recorded numerous birdies with ease. DeChambeau, who was the odds on favourite at 6-1, saved his best round for last as he had a fourth round score of seven-under-par 65 and -23 overall. DeChambeau also had a first round score of six-under-par 66, and then back-to-back rounds of five-under-par 67 in rounds two and three.

So just why was DeChambeau such a significant favourite in Detroit? There are three reasons. Despite not being in the winner’s circle lately, DeChambeau has been in the top eight in his previous six events prior to the Rocket Mortgage Classic. He began the streak with a fifth at the Genesis Invitational. That was followed by a second-place finish behind 2018 Masters Champion Patrick Reed of San Antonio, Texas at the 2020 World Golf Championship-Mexico Championship in February, a fourth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a third at the Charles Schwab Challenge, an eighth at the RBC Heritage, and a sixth at The Travelers Championship.

The second reason is that the course seemed to suit DeChambeau’s game. At the moment nobody is bombing the golf ball off the tee better than DeChambeau. He leads the PGA Tour with an average of 323 yards per tee shot.

The third reason is because DeChambeau has clearly bulked up. He is now at 240 pounds after gaining 20 pounds during the coronavirus pause.

However just because DeChambeau won in Detroit does not mean that he will be the favourite to win the Workday Charity Open in Muirfield, Ohio which starts Thursday. It is very rare to see a golfer win back-to-back weeks on the PGA Tour. The last player to win two straight tournaments was Brendon Todd of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who won the Bermuda Championship on November 3, and then the Mayakoba Classic in Mexico on November 18. However, Todd won two tournaments in three weeks as there was a 10-day gap in between, and the world’s best golfers were not at the Bermuda Championship, as that event took place the same weekend as the World Golf Championship-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, China.