DeChambeau Outlasts Field At Bay Hill Where They Dared To Play The Ball Down Sunday!
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It was a livelier weekend than most at Bay Hill. And in between the Players promos, the Players reminders, Players featured groups, the Players history, gobs of commercials, more promos and a few synergistic aerials of Universal Orlando, we saw some compelling golf even if it took the leaders a stout 4:30 or so to get around in twosomes.
But most impressive of all? On Sunday they played the ball down. Like grownups have managed to do for a few hundred years!
The grit!
The stones!
As I wrote for The Quadrilateral’s loyal supporters, it wasn’t entirely on the up-and-up rules-wise over the weekend and at least Roger Maltbie can still call it like he sees it. But anticipatory preferred lies won’t end well for all involved.
Regarding Bryson DeChambeau’s Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by Mastercard win, it came on a windy final day where the 17th and 18th played unbelievably tough:
Golf.com’s Michael Bamberger on another wild and wacky DeChambeau win:
When DeChambeau smashed a drive on the par-5 6th hole almost within spitting distance of the green, he raised his hands, Rocky-style. When Westwood followed, in spirit but not remotely in length, he raised his hands, too. He was having himself a good time, his girlfriend-caddie smiling beside him. He earned $1 million for finishing second. And that’s rounding it down.
Bryson made that winning putt on 18, and he shook the ground right through his Pumas. The connection to Arnold was complete. How many golfers have won the U.S. Amateur, the U.S. Open, Jack Nicklaus’ tournament (the Memorial) and Arnold’s tournament? TWO! Tiger and Bryson. That’s some club. Bryson said that Tiger sent him a text Sunday morning.
While there was rightful focus on DeChambeau’s drives, his “long” approach play was the difference according to former Golf Channel stats guru Justin Ray:
Runner-up Lee Westwood delivered a fun play on DeChambeau’s Saturday reaction:
But it was Bryson’s second straight insanely bold play at 6 and a few other moments that proved to be the biggest highlights:
