‘I respect the course!’: Bryson DeChambeau defends 2020 comments saying Augusta National is a par 67 for him as LIV Golf star prepares for contentious Masters
Bryson DeChambeau has made frivolous his widely publicized claim that Augusta National has a par 67 for him for the 87th Masters.
DeChambeau made the statement ahead of the 2020 Masters, held in November due to the Covid-19 pandemic and just two months after overwhelming Winged Foot to win the US Open by six shots.
“I consider it a par 67 for me because I can get all the par five in two, no problem. If the conditions stay as they are, then that’s what’s par for me,” he said at the time.
In reality, however, DeChambeau logged rounds of 70, 74, 69 and 73 to finish tied for 34th, placed 46th in 2021 and missed the cut last year.
DeChambeau returns to Augusta as a member of the highly controversial LIV Golf, which has been offering golfers lucrative payouts backed by Saudi Arabia.
Bryson DeChambeau plays his shot off the first tee during a Masters practice round
DeChambeau missed the cut at last year’s tournament and placed 46th in 2021
Augusta National is considered the most prestigious course in all of golf
The series has received a lot of criticism for the quality of the tournaments, especially the strength of the limited fields, although DeChambeau did not back down from his earlier comments on Monday.
“I don’t think I regret anything I do,” DeChambeau said Monday when asked about the comment.
‘What I do understand is that I have a lot of respect for the programme. That statement makes people think that I have no respect for the race. Are you joking?
“This is one of the best golf courses in the world, and if anyone thinks I don’t respect the course, they’d better see who I really am, because that’s not quite right.
“Hypothetically, theoretically, look, if you make 18 birdies, it’s going to be 54, right? Unreachable. Every day a 67, unattainable. It can happen, but is it likely to happen? Probably not.
“With the distance I hit him and hit him, I thought there was a possibility, but that’s only with your ‘A’ game, and I should have phrased that differently.
Long story short, I don’t want anyone taking it out of context. And I obviously shot 12 last year and missed the cut. So I shot like 32 over par. I can joke about it.”