Bryson DeChambeau has made a career out of annoying golf fans and bending the sport’s unwritten rules.
And he risked the wrath of Masters bigwigs in his younger years when the big-swinging golfer took advantage of his extra practice time at Augusta National before the 2016 tournament.
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Bryson DeChambeau is an LIV golfer now but messed with the Masters’ unwritten rules as an amateurCredit: Getty
DeChambeau, who now plays on the LIV Golf tour and has predicted a ‘great’ week at the upcoming 2024 Masters, was the US Amateur champion in 2015.
Since he had already qualified for the Masters, DeChambeau received an invitation to participate in practice rounds before the official major.
For most super-busy pros, hitting round after round of practice golf at Augusta is impossible while trying to also win trophies on tour.
But for DeChambeau, the open invite for as many warm-up rounds as possible was a dream come true.
In typical DeChambeau fashion, the man who once engaged in a very public feud with Brooks Koepka, he went out of his way to bend the unwritten Masters rule as much as possible.
It is said DeChambeau practiced at Augusta before the 2016 event as many as two dozen times.
He clearly took advantage of an unwritten rule that was supposed to be a generous reward to golfers good enough to make the prestigious Masters field.
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DeChambeau took advantage of a little-known rule to get in a ton of practice time at Augusta NationalCredit: Getty Images – Getty
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Tiger Woods was back on the familiar course and hopes to return to form in 2024Credit: Getty
In the years following, other amateur champions to earn a Masters invite have been informed that they will be limited to just five Augusta rounds before the main event begins.
Thanks to DeChambeau bending the unwritten rules, it appeared that the Masters made the practice regulations official.
Along with Rickie Fowler being forced twice to turn around his backwards hat and old-school restrictions regarding no autographs, cellphones and cameras, the Masters is a special tournament with special rules.
Running isn’t allowed, with walking emphasised throughout the course. Sitting on the green grass is also forbidden, and chairs with arm rests are a no-no.
US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau appears to rile four-time major winner Brooks Koepka during PGA Championship
As for DeChambeau, he once drove golf fans mad by saying that Augusta was a ‘par 67 for me because I can reach all the par fives in two’.
DeChambeau has rarely been able to back up his big words, though.
His best Masters finish actually came in 2016 when he tied for 21st to be the low amateur that year.
Since then, his best is T29 while he has missed the cut in the last two editions.
DeChambeau, 30, does have eight PGA Tour wins to his name as well as 24 top-five finishes and more than $27million in career earnings.
He won the 2020 US Open at Winged Foot to join Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only winners of the US Open, US Amateur and NCAA individual championship.
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DeChambeau once became more known for bulking up than winning big tournamentsCredit: getty
He has also represented the United States in the Arnold Palmer Cup, Walker Cup, Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup.
LIV calls DeChambeau ‘one of golf’s biggest stars’ and highlights the Dallas native for tying the record for the lowest round in elite golf with a 58 in the final round of The Greenbrier in 2023.
DeChambeau is looking forward to playing in the 2024 Masters, where he’ll join Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and more back at an Augusta course that the current LIV golfer knew very well as an American amateur.
“I got equipment that’ll serve me well, as my golf swing is doing well,” DeChambeau told The Mirror recently. “I’m going to have a great week. I’m looking forward to that tremendously.”
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