It took only a few minutes and a few hundred yards for a new front to open in the battle between Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy at the Masters. After last year’s Sunday showdown – and all the sniping since – golf’s mad scientist had stoked the fire ahead of this latest trip around Augusta.
Earlier this week, he talked up their rivalry and said he hopes to ‘beat the living you-know-what’ out of the defending champion. So it was rather amusing who crossed his path on Thursday morning.
Shortly after 10am local time, DeChambeau stood in the first fairway and lined up his approach. A few yards away, in a pedestrian walkway, a handful of observers were having a catch-up.
It was innocent enough but they were making a bit of a racket – enough for a few angry women to turn around and loudly shh.
Among the guilty party? McIlroy’s father, Gerry. DeChambeau didn’t appear too fazed by the noise. He certainly didn’t wobble – the American found the green and made a simple par to start his round.
Instead, he unraveled a couple of hours later. His foe this time? Not a chipper Northern Irishman but a nasty greenside bunker. Oh, Bryson. It was painful.
Bryson DeChambeau shot an opening-round 76 at the Masters on Thursday
The American made a triple bogey on the 11th and never recovered after that
The LIV star – one of the bookies’ favorites for the green jacket – had reached Amen Corner at even par. Not in much style, admittedly. But he was in the fight. Then his approach to the par-four 11th found sand and the carnage began.
Twice DeChambeau failed to hack it out of the bunker. He reached the green with try No 3 but, by the time the ball finally disappeared into the cup, DeChambeau had made triple bogey.
Just like that, steam was coming out of his ears and his hopes of a green jacket had gone up in smoke. At least that is what the numbers say. And DeChambeau knows his numbers. He knows his history, too – the American prepares for Augusta by watching tape of old legends smoking it around this place.
So no doubt he will know what the record books suggest: he is toast. At each of the last 20 Masters, the eventual champion has shot no worse than 72 in their opening round. After his meltdown on 11, DeChambeau stumbled his way back towards the clubhouse, where he carded a four-over-par 76 that leaves him nine shots off the leaders. Including McIlroy.
To add insult to injury? The Northern Irishman had outmuscled him off the tee, too. DeChambeau’s average driving length – 338.7 yards – was good enough only for fifth.
That wasn’t his undoing, though. DeChambeau revealed earlier this week that he is building new irons and a new driver. He said he ‘takes pride’ in his thirst for innovation and improvement. He also revealed that he had been trying out new wedges. ‘I figured a couple of cool things out,’ the 32-year-old said. ‘Hopefully it helps this week.’
Amen Corner had different ideas. Whatever DeChambeau learned, whatever wedge was in his hand on the 11th, the result was grim. His first effort from the sand splashed up and landed a couple of yards away. His second rolled back towards him and ended up further from the hole. His third dribbled out and settled 15ft short of the hole. His double bogey putt rolled 4ft past. Mercifully, the ball eventually dropped for a seven.
It was a nice reminder for everyday hackers that even the best and brightest can be humbled around here.
The captivating American now faces a real fight to make the cut and play this weekend
But if this it for 2026, if DeChambeau remains towards the foot of the leaderboard, if he – God forbid – misses the cut, then this tournament will be poorer for it. He is a brilliant watch and – as DeChambeau said himself – his rivalry with McIlroy is a treat.
By the end of this opening round, the American looked beaten. His shoulders sagged and, in truth, his scorecard didn’t do justice to his struggles.
The American reached the turn with one birdie, one bogey and at least one fewer ball in his bag. Shortly after his brush with McIlroy Snr, DeChambeau struck a tee shot into the trees and dropped a shot at the second. He repaired the damage immediately and reached the 11th in level par after a series of missed chances and mis-judgements. At the par-three sixth, his tee shot flew left and smashed a fan on the forearm.
DeChambeau apologized, shook his hand, and gave him a ball. A few holes later, Augusta offered no such sympathy when that bunker put a stake in DeChambeau’s round.
He flirted with more trouble at 13 and 15 and 16. Eventually it cost him. At the par three, DeChambeau three putted from 56ft. He shook his head and trudged off. Not even a birdie at 17 could improve DeChambeau’s mood. Because at 18, he found sand off the tee en route to dropping another shot.
Perhaps not all the you-know-what has been knocked out of him yet. On this evidence, though, that brush with Gerry might be the closest DeChambeau comes to a McIlroy all week.
