Bryson DeChambeau can now count himself as a two-time major champion. That helps the 30-year-old golf star feel as confident as ever that he can close out on the biggest stages in the game. DeChambeau said he's feeling "very confident" ahead of this week's Open Championship at Royal Troon in Scotland. The LIV Golf member was asked Tuesday what the key differences were between his two major titles -- his breakthrough at the 2020 U.S. Open and his second win five years later at the same championship. "Well, there was a crowd in 2024, and that was fun," DeChambeau said, alluding to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in 2020. "I think they were just different in their own right. 2020 was a bit of showing that I could do it, and obviously not winning a major, it's difficult to get that first win, first major championship win. "Then the second one was more of -- for me personally, it was more cementing my own comfort levels of I know I can do it again and again, and I can give myself more runs at numerous majors. Obviously I've played well in a lot of the majors this year, but I pulled it all together for the U.S. Open. "So just giving myself that comfort and knowing that I can do it pretty much with any type of game I have is really cool." DeChambeau opened major season by tying for sixth at the Masters, his best career finish at Augusta National. Then he gave Xander Schauffele a run for his money at the PGA Championship, sinking a clutch birdie putt at his 72nd hole, but lost to Schauffele by a single stroke. At the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, DeChambeau stayed the course while Rory McIlroy bogeyed three of his final four holes to give up a two-stroke lead. DeChambeau saved par at the final hole for a one-shot victory, which he celebrated without reservation. "I think I've always been who I've been," DeChambeau said. "I've definitely matured a lot. It's been a growing process for me over the course of time. (Creating content on) YouTube has massively helped, I can tell you that, being able to just release the emotions in the way that I know I can. When I was a kid, I was super emotional obviously, but I got frustrated on the golf course. I got really excited on the golf course. "Then when I got on (the PGA Tour), it was like everybody had to (say), ‘Hey, no, come on, just be in control. Control yourself. Control yourself.' There were times where I got frustrated, but also times where I realized, ‘Hey, no, I should be expressing my emotions because that's me. I don't want to be someone that I'm not.'" It remains to be seen if DeChambeau's bomb-and-gouge strategy is a match for Royal Troon, a true links course that will experience difficult weather conditions during The Open. The course does have the longest hole in The Open rota -- the par-5 sixth hole, measuring 623 yards -- but it's also the home of the famed "postage stamp" hole, the 123-yard, par-3 eighth hole where getting the ball to stay on the green is a win in itself. "It can be diabolical for sure," DeChambeau said of No. 8. "Don't know too much about it other than hit the center of the green and I'll be good. Every day, that's going to be the goal this week." DeChambeau also spoke to the usual flight of his golf ball off the tee, saying launch angle was important to his strategy when dealing with the wind on the Scottish coast. "For me it's going to be about controlling that height through just length of backstroke for me this week," he said. "It's going to be tough. It's always tough, right to left into the wind, left to right into the wind, and down. It's very diabolical, and just trying to keep it low underneath the wind is key for me this week." --Field Level Media
Jul 16, 2024; Ayrshire, SCT; Bryson DeChambeau, the 2024 U.S. Open winner, during press conference at the Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Troon. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY Sports