THE MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY WORKDAY

June 2, 2022

Bryson DeChambeau

Muirfield Village

Press Conference

Q. How did it feel to hit that first tee shot after 55 days?

BRYSON DECHAMBEAU: I hit it down the fairway, I was, like, all right, cool. Still have my game somewhat.

As the day went on, there were some mis-hits and shots that just didn't feel right. With my golf swing, hand felt great. No issues with that.

But it just didn't feel like the old me of 2018 like I used to, and so there's a lot of work I have to do to get back to top form and climb that mountain again. I'm excited to do so.

I've been working so hard to try and understand why the golf swing breaks down. It's not as repeatable. And my time off, I haven't been able to hit golf balls. It's very difficult. You're in your head the whole time. You have this thought process, and you go out there and it's okay, but it doesn't pan out the way you want to.

So really having a positive attitude even though things aren't going great out there is important for me. Now, I've learned that that's what really matters for me. I enjoy the journey again. I've taken enough time off to where I'm comfortable going after it again; whereas before it was tough because it's like, man, I was grinding so hard and I wasn't figuring stuff out. It can just beat you down.

But taking a little bit of time off, unscheduled, it was actually good for my mental health and being able to look back and appreciate the grind and the journey I've always enjoyed going through.

But I was excited to get out there and play golf again and compete. And a bit frustrating, obviously, not playing the way you want, but it's a bit of a warm-up for me. I haven't played golf in a while. First 18 holes that I have really completed without any pain and any thought of the hand in seven months. It's a long process for me, but I'm excited to see where this next part of my life takes me. I'm pretty stoked. I know I'll have a lot of work ahead of me, but I'm not afraid of it.

Q. What were you happiest with out there?

BRYSON DECHAMBEAU: The fact that I was able to enjoy golf again even though I played terrible. I know I have a lot of stuff to work on. Just being able to go out there, start to enjoy what this game has given me. It's great seeing the fans out there, supporting me, pushing me on, even when I'm not doing great. Gives me some comfort that it's fun -- it's fun again.

Q. Safe to say it's the best 76 you ever shot?

BRYSON DECHAMBEAU: You could put it in those terms. I mean, from a golf perspective, no, I hated every minute of it. But from an emotional standpoint, it was nice to finally be back again in a competitive environment, putting well. Felt like I was putting really good. Wedging was not great. It was all over the place.

But I haven't practiced in a while. I've got to go work on that and talk to Chris Como and we'll go figure it out.

Q. Any concern about the quick turnaround with the hand?

BRYSON DECHAMBEAU: No. I don't think so. Considering what happened today, I mean, it may get worse over the next day or two, even if I make the cut, and Saturday and Sunday.

But it's a great test run to keep going, because really my eyes are set on the U.S. Open. That's where I want to be full horse, all horses moving in the right direction. I'm just not there yet with everything.

Q. What's holding you back now that the hand is okay?

BRYSON DECHAMBEAU: Well, the bone's not healed. It takes four months for the bone to heal. I feel pressure in it every once in a while when it jars into the ground, I can feel it. I can do that to it and it doesn't hurt. But there's times when the end of the club just bats into it right where I broke it, or compression fractured it.

It's a little frightening. Once the muscles around it continue to get stronger, it will stabilize it even better. And once the bone fully heals, two more months, it will continue to get better.

But I can't really refracture it. It's a smooth surface now and the bone is stable. As soon as those muscles are strong, working out every day, that's all I can do.

Q. One last thing, you were mentioned as a potential Saudi guy down early on in the process, and after now seeing the field, obviously you're not part of that. How much did you look at being involved with that and how much did this thing that happened with your hand, did that change your mind? What was it that ultimately made you decide not to join?

BRYSON DECHAMBEAU: I think that's mostly -- a lot of it is private. There's not really any conversations that need to be made about that, other than the fact that, like, every person out here has their own opinion on it.

Me, there's obviously a lot of conversation. For me, I personally don't think that at this point in time I'm in a place in my career where I can risk things like that.

I'm loyal to my family that I've created around me with sponsors and everything. And as of right now, the golf world is probably going to change in some capacity. I don't know what that is. Not my job to do so. I'm just going to keep playing professional golf and enjoy it wherever it takes me, play with the best players in the world.

That's really all I've got, that's what I'll do for the rest of my life, because I want to be one of the best players in the world.