Bryson DeChambeau has major admission about brutally tough Oakmont course

The 31-year-old was one of the players in the morning wave and put on a decent show at the start, considering the bruising challenge the field faced. However, he signed for a 3-over 73, leaving him seven shots behind early pacesetter JJ Spaun, who carded a flawless 66. Unlike Rory McIlroy, who decided not to speak to the media after his first round, the LIV Golf star spoke to the media despite being just a single stroke better than his rival at the first round of the U.S. Open.

Putting woes and Oakmont’s challenge

DeChambeau admitted he struggled with the rough at Oakmont Country Club after missing the mark with both his trademark driving and putting. 

“Just didn’t get anything out of it,” he told reporters. “I kept it 1-under through 7, through 8, perfect drive on 9, and this golf course can come up and get you pretty quick, and you’ve just got to be on your game, and it got me, and I wasn’t fully on my game.”

The defending champion said he felt disappointed with his performance but added that he wasn’t far off. “Pretty disappointed with how I played. It’s not too far off. Just got to get the putting a little bit more dialed, and I’ll be right there because 3-over could have easily been 2-under today.”

“For whatever reason, just couldn’t get the speed of the greens dialed in,” he said concerning his putting. “I was in the collar a couple times, just three-putted on those holes, and three three-putts and doing whatever happened on 12, then No. 9, three-putting there, too. I mean, it could have been a couple-under round pretty easily.”

DeChambeau confident ahead of second round

Despite posting five bogeys in his first round, DeChambeau remains confident going into the second round and believes he has a good chance of making the cut. The 31-year-old also thinks that 3-over could still be the winning score come Sunday evening.

“If it doesn’t rain on Saturday then there is probably a decent chance,” he said. “But I’m looking to shoot under par [tomorrow] and give myself a better chance going into this weekend… It was tough. It was a brutal test of golf. But one that I’m excited for tomorrow. If I just tidy up a couple of things and get some momentum going my way, we’ll see where it goes.”