'Golfing scientist' looking forward to mixing it up with the world's best

Dubai - I'm here to play some golf and do my best, whether that's a win or a Major championship, doesn't matter, says DeChambeau

Rising golfing star Bryson DeChambeau said that shooting low scores in the UAE has given him the confidence that he can be in the mix along with the world's best and added that he was eagerly looking forward to rubbing shoulders with them again.
The 22-year-old, who won both the NCAA and the US Amateur titles last year to join an illustrious company that included the great Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson and Ryan Moore, to win both titles in the same year, has had a stunning start to his maiden sojourn in the Middle East.
The amateur had fired an opening round 64 at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship to surge into the lead earlier this month before conjuring a seven-under at the Abu Dhabi Invitational a couple of days ago.
Despite coming up with the best score of 65, DeChambeau was not eligible to win the Abu Dhabi Invitational, which included the likes of Rory McIlroy, because of his amateur status. He went on to win the Pro-Am title along with Emirati professional Ahmad Al Musharrekh.
What he did though is serve notice to the golfing world that he was a star of the future.
"It's great confidence, no doubt, to shoot a low number like that, and I know I can do it. It's just a matter of staying in the moment and staying in your rhythm and getting your job done, right. You have to go out there and execute," DeChambeau said on Tuesday.
And DeChambeau gets another chance to show his talent when he makes his appearance in the 27^th edition of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, dubbed the 'Major of the Middle East,' at the Majlis Course of the Emirates Golf Club this weekend.
"I know Ernie's (Els) won it; Rory's McIlroy) won it; Henrik's (Stenson) won it. There's been a lot of great champions that have played here and done very well," he said of the Dubai Desert Classic.
"So I'm looking forward to putting my game up against the best in the world and seeing where I kind of fit in right now. And from that experience, I'll definitely learn where I am and where I need to be for the Masters. So it's kind of a great preparation for the Masters, too," he added.
It is not the low scores that has the golfing world's attention. DeChambeau, a Physics Major, just might be starting golfing revolution with his precious set of clubs. After a lot of hard work and pouring through vast data on two computers about each swing and what not, DeChambeau has hit the 'sweet spot,' so to speak.
All his golfing clubs are of the same length, that of a 7-iron which is 37.5 inches. And quite interestingly, they have the same shaft, grip, lie angle and bounce.
The thinking behind it is to get that identical swing with each and every club, without him having to sift through his golfing bag, each and every time.
And because of that, he has come to being called the 'golfing scientist.' And what's more, some of his more illustrious peers like McIlroy have tried to have a peek at his secret weapons.
"I'm just a person. I just look at myself as, hey, I'm here to play some golf and do my best, whether that's a win or a Major championship, doesn't matter. It's about learning every singling day. In regards to being the most interesting person in golf, look, I just like being different I guess, and if people say that I'm that, then it's fun. It's fun. I guess it's cool," he said.
Winning both the NCAA and the US Amateur titles and joining some big names up there may have given rise to more expectations. But DeChambeau is focusing on the process and the journey.
"Pressure is put on yourself. It's something that I try not to do. It's obviously a great feat (winning the NCAA and the US Amateur titles) but I'm not focusing on that. I'm focusing on the journey, the process, every single shot I'm trying to hit the next best shot, right," said DeChambeau.
"And so if I can only focus on that, then the rest will take care of itself. But if I think about, oh, wow, I've done this, I've done that, and I want to do this, and I want to do that, I'm going to lose sight of what's really important and that's playing the next golf the next shot at hand," he added.
james@khaleejtimes.com
 
 
 

• Dubai Desert Classic 2018