Bryson DeChambeau laughs when he is asked if he would prefer an extra 5 million followers on social media – or to win another major.
“What a question,” he says. “No, I’d definitely take a third major. But, hang on, if you are offering me 50 million…”
The American stresses he is joking and points out “my words can get me into trouble”. Yet, interestingly, he believes not as much trouble as numbers. “Yeah, statistics honestly do. It’s because I put so much weight and importance on them. I’m a numbers guy and they sometimes have landed me in it.”
The Masters 2020 was a headcase in point and as he prepares for his ninth shot at a green jacket, he has changed his tune on his infamous “Augusta is a par 67 for me” comment.
“I’ve always since said I don’t regret saying that 67 thing, because I learnt from that experience and it made me a better person. But do I wish I hadn’t said it? I do. Really, I do. Because it impacted some people negatively and I don’t want that, no matter how much of a benefit it might have been to me maturing.
“I can see that it was disrespectful to some and I’m sorry for that. Boy, it was a humbling experience. But for me it was simply from a statistical viewpoint and yardages and looking at, if I’m playing well, I could or should be hitting the greens in two or whatever.
“It was motivation for myself and not intended as anything otherwise. I’ve never disrespected Augusta internally. It’s the one I want to win. I stand there on the range and hit shots into the sun as it’s going down and I think to myself, ‘this is heaven, imagine being a part of this history’. And I think I will one day, because I have to think that. If I do, and when I do, it will be the proudest moment of my career.”
Until 12 months ago, the image of DeChambeau squeezing into that cherished garment in the Butler Cabin seemed unlikely, if not unfeasible. After all, as The Incredible Bulk, that blaze of green would surely be seen when he ripped off his shirt, not when it was donned upon his shoulders.
In the three Masters following “67gate” – as, thankfully, it is not known – he finished in a tie for 46th and missed two successive cuts and his best performance remained a tie for 21st as leading amateur in 2016. The merest sniff of those Georgian pines seemed to bring out the Mr Hyde in The Mad Scientist.
However, last year, he fashioned upon what approached the magical mix, shooting an opening 65 (or two-under as they brutally called it) and leading through two rounds, before tying for sixth.
“It was some of the most fun I’ve ever had in golf. I have no problem in saying that 100 per cent I believed I could win when I went out with the lead on the Saturday. I even thought I would win. And if a few things had gone ...
