You can’t argue with science. Bryson DeChambeau earned his first career PGA Tour win on Sunday at the John Deere Classic silencing all of his critics in the process. The 23-year-old Mad Scientist is known to beat to his own drum, using single-length irons combined with countless points of data with the sole purpose of minimizing variables in the golf swing. All of his tinkering has finally paid off.
DeChambeau turned the back nine of TPC Deere Run into his own scientific laboratory carding six birdies en route to a final round 65, including this one on the par-5 17th where he hammered a fairway metal out of a poor lie on to the green in two, setting up an easy tap-in birdie. Then, he followed it up with another 18 which proved to be the game winner celebrating with an emphatic fist pump and a look up to the sky.
“I think that’s the true meaning behind what I try and do is I show everybody that look there’s plenty of ways to do it and I like doing it my way and I feel comfortable doing it my way. Whatever way you want to do it out there, you can do it.” DeChambeau said after the round discussing his unorthodox approach to the game.
It’s been a tough road for DeChambeau in 2017 going back to when the USGA deemed his side-saddle putting stroke illegal, which was followed by eight (!) straight missed cuts. The SMU grad righted the ship in the last few weeks, ultimately culminating this week in the Quad Cities. The win earns him a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour, as well as a trip to this week’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
54-hole leader Patrick Rodgers finished runner-up but couldn’t quite get the job done on Sunday, however, proved his short backswing is a force to be reckoned with. Wesley Bryan and Rick Lamb finished in a tie for third while hometown heroes Steve Stricker (who fired a fairly standard 7-under 64) and Zach Johnson end up in a tie for fifth.
Here’s a look at the final round highlights and results from the 2017 John Deere Classic:
The next stop on the PGA Tour is The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale GC, Southport, England.
— — —
Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest goings-on in the world of golf by following the SwingxSwing Clubhouse on social media. We share stories, stats and breaking news on Twitter, keep the fun going off the course on Instagram and share any and all golf-related topics on Facebook.
Never be the odd golfer out when your friends are talking about the latest or funniest happenings in golf. Sign up for the SxS newsletter today!
