PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Following his win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Sunday, Bryson DeChambeau was asked if he had any plans to take a different approach to his height at this week’s Players Championship, as he did by hitting the driver across the lake on the par-5 sixth hole at Bay Hill.
“I’ve been thinking about going left into 9 sometimes at 18,” said DeChambeau, referring to avoiding the lake that hugs the left side of the narrow 18th fairway. where you can hit it just a little long and it will always be fine.The cover (carry) is like 310 [yards], but we’ll see. I will look at all options if there is an advantage there. But if not, I’ll just hit a 4-iron on the fairway and hopefully an 8-iron or 7-iron in the green. ”
On Tuesday morning, DeChambeau said he planned to “probably give it a try, but it probably won’t happen.”
On Tuesday afternoon, the PGA Tour issued a statement with a newly created local rule prohibiting players from hitting to the ninth hole of the 18th tee.
“In the interest of safety for spectators, volunteers and other personnel, the Players Championship Rules Committee has installed an internal out-of-bounds to the left of the lake for playing hole 18. Similar cases of internal out-of-bounds for security purposes have occurred at The Open Championship (hole 9) in 2017, the 2021 Sony Open in Hawaii (hole 13 and hole 18), and most recently the 2021 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard (hole 6). ”
Since DeChambeau was almost certain he wouldn’t try that shot in competition, the whole exchange was quite humorous.
After his win on Sunday, when asked about tournaments that attempted to change jobs for him the way they used to make them ‘Tiger-proof’ to fight Tiger Woods ‘height, DeChambeau said,’ I don’t think you’ll see Bryson- proof. a golf course. ”
However, a Bryson rule is in effect this week.