5 things you might not know about US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau

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Bryson DeChambeau won his first major title with a dominant six-shot victory in the 120th US Open at Winged Foot.

Here, the PA news agency looks at five things you may not know about the 27-year-old American.

He wants to live for at least another 100 years

If you’re not a fan of DeChambeau’s big hitting, slow playing and complaining about cameramen “damaging his brand” by filming his tantrums, you’re in for some bad news. In a recent interview with GQ, DeChambeau revealed his ambition to be around for a very, very long time to come. “I’m always trying to add more value to my life in general,” he said. “I mean, my goal is to live to 130 or 140. I really think that’s possible now with today’s technology. I think somebody’s going to do it in the next 30 or 40 years.”

Chris Paisley saw this coming (possibly)

DeChambeau was still an amateur when he played in the European Tour’s Abu Dhabi Championship in 2016 and finished in a tie for 54th, but he hit the headlines on day one with an eight-under-par 64 to lead by one from Henrik Stenson, with Rory McIlroy another stroke back. Playing partner Paisley described DeChambeau as “quite possibly the most impressive player I have ever seen”.

His attention to detail is incredible

The physics graduate describes himself as a “golf scientist” and modified his irons so that they are all the length of a six iron. “I chose this variation on the Golfing Machine (a book by Homer Kelley) where it allowed me to swing on the same plane and when I did that, I realised I couldn’t do that with a wedge and a three iron, I would be changing body motions,” he explained. “And I said that doesn’t make sense, let’s make them on the same lie angle and same length.” DeChambeau has also been known to use water and Epsom salts to establish which of his golf balls are slightly flawed (he says about four per dozen) so they can be discarded.

He is notoriously slow

DeChambeau vowed to improve his pace of play after coming in for
stinging criticism from fellow professionals over an incident during last year’s Northern Trust after video emerged of him taking two minutes and 20 seconds – the limit is 40 seconds – to hit an eight-foot putt. Eddie Pepperell labelled DeChambeau a “single-minded twit” – although he later apologised – while Ian Poulter implied that the world number five was one of the players who “continually disrespect their fellow pros and continue to break the rules without a conscience”. DeChambeau and Matthew Wolff took four hours and 27 minutes to complete Sunday’s final round.

His autograph is the most unusual on the PGA Tour

Although he is right-handed, DeChambeau can sign his autograph backwards with his left hand. “If I wanted to learn Arabic or Russian, I could. Or tie my shoes in a new way, I could. Why? Dedication,” he told Golf Digest in 2016. “I’m not really smart, but I’m dedicated. I can be good at anything if I love it and dedicate myself. And I love history. I love science. I love music. I love golf. I love learning. I love life. I love trying to be the best at anything and everything.”

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