MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 12, 2024

Bryson DeChambeau

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome back to the interview room.

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Thank you.

THE MODERATOR: You're the leader in the clubhouse following a 6-under total for the first two rounds. Really different conditions today. Very windy. Can you describe the day today and how it went for you?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Yeah, I've never experienced Augusta National in these conditions before. Being able to stay patient and place the ball in the correct locations and just allow myself to be okay with not so great shots out there was a key aspect of me playing well.

Q. This is not necessarily round related, but I'm curious about your irons that you brought into play here, and it's drawn some attention obviously. What is it about the whole 3D concept, and what attracted you to them and what do they do for you?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Well, I designed them with someone from back home, and they have just got a different curvature on the face than other equipment. Most equipment is flat. These have a different curvature on the face that allows me to have my mis-hits to go a little straighter sometimes.

Q. This will be a new spot for you going into the weekend here, being right there at the lead. What's your level of excitement for that?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: I'm very excited. I get an opportunity to show my skill set, and hopefully it's good enough to do something special this weekend. I feel like the game is in a great spot. Mindset is in a solid place. Caddie is keeping me in check. We're joking out there, having fun in some tough conditions.

So I feel like everything is lining up pretty well. Just got to make sure my lag putts are doing well and striking it well off the tee. That's all that matters. If I can do those things, I think I'll put myself in a good place.

Q. You haven't really had a chance to go head-to-head with Scottie since he's been playing the way that he has. Is there a part of you that's relishing that opportunity?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Yeah, extremely. Extremely. It's different, obviously, not being able to play most of the same events and seeing how successful he's been out there. He's obviously the best player in the world, and it's going to be a lot of fun competing and seeing what he can do compared to what the rest of the field can do, what I can do.

I'm looking forward to it, I really am.

Q. Can you talk us through what happened there on 13 and just what was going through your mind when you lifted --

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Yeah, I picked up the signpost. I was trying to direct people. Trying to get people to go to the restrooms or (chuckling) -- I don't know, I mean, look, for me, it was the only option, pretty much the only option. I was looking at an opportunity to hit it back into the 13th fairway, and look, it would have only led me 200 -- a hundred yards in probably, something like that, and I knew I could hit one around the corner down 14 fairway and have 140 to 150-yard shot in.

So I decided to do that, and the Patrons were nice enough to move over to the side to make sure it was wide enough so if I hit one errant, nobody would get hit by the ball. I hit a great shot around the corner and was able to take advantage of a pretty open entrance to the green at that back right flag and made a nice birdie putt.

It was definitely -- for me I was trying to draw it around the corner, the wind gusting the way it was today. I did draw it, but it just, I mean, had no chance to hook around the corner. Luckily got into a place where I could chip it up 14, and was very fortunate on that hole to have that happen to me.

Q. Seems like you're attacking this golf course differently than you have maybe in the past. What's an example of a hole that you're playing differently than maybe you did four, five, six years ago?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: I wouldn't say I'm playing it differently necessarily. I'm able to hit the golf shots exactly -- well, for the most part, where I want them to go, and I'm a little bit more conservative in certain situations. For example, 7, today, normally I'd be like, all right, let's hit one really close to the flag, but there's just really no place to land it by the hole. You have a four or five-yard area, and, you know, G-Bo was like, "Dude, hit it left, take a 20-footer and knock it in."

That was one of the first times in my professional career where I stood up there and I said, I'm going to hit it over here and I'm going to make a 20-footer, and I did it. He was really proud of me, actually, at that moment. He's like, "Dude, look at you, hitting away from a flag," which is not normal for me.

That would be one of the scenarios where I'm playing it strategically a little different and making sure I'm using slopes when I can and trying to take in as much information as I can with the wind and use what I've accumulated with the past few years.

Funny enough, G-Bo was in the final round in 2019 with Tiger and Tony Finau. He knows pressure and understands the situation and having me kept calm is always a good thing, and he's able to do that really well.

Q. Is there anything other than your caddie that maybe has convinced you to play this golf course more conservatively than you have in the past?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Yeah, the golf course (laughter). The golf course.

Q. I talked with Greg Norman today, and he said that he thinks you're playing more happy; that you feel more happy.

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Yeah.

Q. What's your reaction in hearing that?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Yeah, you've seen me in a lot of good moments and in a lot of bad moments. I was even struggling over at LIV when I jumped over there and wasn't playing my best golf. So he's seen some up and downs, as well as Mr. Nelson over here. There's been a lot of people that have seen up and downs.

And I think getting some equipment in my hands that works for me, also getting a little bit older, hopefully a little bit wiser, has just allowed me to calm down and be comfortable in my own skin and enjoy the moments because it's not going to be here forever. Might as well enjoy it while you're here.

Q. Any thoughts on that drive on 17? I think that was --

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: I smoked it. I smoked it. Was it the longest?

Q. I believe it was the longest.

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Yeah, I'm just glad I hit the wedge shot good. That was not an easy wedge shot downwind with it gusting like that. I knew could I get it down past the trees on right if I didn't hit my best. I aimed at the right-hand side, hit a bit of a draw down there and hit it really well, left myself a great opportunity. Unfortunately didn't capitalize.

But that's the golf course out here. You're going to take some good breaks, and you're going to get some bad breaks. And, you know, it is what it is. And especially with the windy conditions out there, there was a lot of guesswork. But G-Bo helped me have some good educated guesses out there.

Q. Almost referring to what my friend next to me said, you seem to be a lot happier on the golf course. And apart from 13, you also did a very exaggerated police movement on the third hole for the players to go. What has prompted this new kind of mindset of Bryson DeChambeau?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: I don't -- I don't really know, to be honest with you. Other than feeling like I'm a little bit older and I've got some equipment that makes me feel really comfortable out there.

Finally able to kind of express some positivity that I know I had as a kid and I know that I have right now to its fullest. I think that's just all part of it. It's just part of the equipment, part of getting older, and enjoying this beautiful golf course. It doesn't get much better than Augusta National.

Q. You said yesterday that the feeling of kind of tilting your shoulder and swinging inside out is a really important kind of key for you. Why is that, and how much are you thinking about it on a golf course like today where the wind is just gusting and you having to do so many different things?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Yeah, that's my key thought process in every single shot. Besides that, I'm trying to manage it with the wind where it is, where I can miss it. It's a lot of, where can you miss it out here on the golf course today. I'm focused on it after -- or just pretty much on every shot.

And what do you mean, do I feel -- what do you mean by that?

Q. I guess I mean, the wind, you have to play the wind in so many different ways and hit different shots right. Is it hard to divide the technical side of things versus the -- what the wind is giving you?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: It does, but it's a lot of sensation for me. It's a lot of like shoulder motion, how do my hands feel through impact relative to where my head is. It's just a big feel thing. If I need to hit a cut, I change my path. If I need a bigger draw, I swing it more inside out.

And that's really all I focus on. It's not much more than that. The tilt just allows me to get into a position where I can throw my hands through, rotate my hands through and move through it without feeling like it's going to miss way left.

So, I don't know.

Q. You touched on this a little bit, but how down to the wire was it getting your irons approved, and just how many people were involved in that process of getting them over the line?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: I have to say, it was pretty close. I'd say Monday, we -- well, early Tuesday is when I finally got the full set approved and conforming. And I started practicing from then on out and felt comfortable with them Tuesday and Wednesday, had no issue.

But I had been practicing with them quite a while before that. Last week I found out that they were, unfortunately -- we didn't really think it was going to be non-conforming, but they were, just the groove edge was just too sharp. Carter Rich was super helpful, and I have to thank him for getting those approved and going through the right process.

But last week, we found out literally Thursday afternoon that they were non-conforming from the USGA. And then we worked on them all over the weekend, and finally Tuesday morning we got them to where they were in a place where they were conforming and was ready to go.

Q. That was kind of my question, but when did you come up with the concept for the irons?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: I've had this since 2020. Thought about it since 2020.

Q. Couldn't find a manufacturer to do it?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: I'm not going to speak much more on that but I've had this idea for a long, long time. Especially with the driver.

Q. Same thing on the irons. Are they 1 of 1? Are they a backup set?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: There is no backup set.

Q. What is the backup plan?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: I have got some PING i330s or something like that. I've been using them since July -- no, no, early last year. I shot 58 with them. So they do pretty well.

Q. I'm curious, like how they are holding up?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: The backup set --

Q. The set that you're using.

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: The set I'm using are great. They are fantastic. Not having any issues with them, and looking forward to a good weekend.

Q. Will you please reflect on the finish today, and then also talk to us about the key piece of information that you are carrying into the weekend based on where you are placed and your two rounds?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Look, I felt like could I have finished birdie, par and been at 8-under. Didn't happen. That's in the past.

Playing great golf. Golf swing is in an awesome place. Putting is in a great place. Chipping is in a great place. Just have to be smart around this place and give myself an opportunity come the back nine on Sunday.

Q. What did you learn about yourself over the last two days?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: What did I learn about myself? Well, I've always known that I could play good golf. I've learned that I'm a little bit better of a wind player than I thought I was maybe.

And I don't know what else to say other than that. I feel like the wind was just a difficult test of golf that I'm usually not really good at. I'm pretty poor at wind, wind golf. But getting some equipment has really helped me settle in and be comfortable with certain shots.

And yeah, that's about it. I don't know what else to say.

THE MODERATOR: Well, thank you, Bryson. Best of luck this weekend.

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Thanks.