ANNA WHITELEY MEETS
Let me introduce a man who has undoubtedly made his mark on the amateur scene over the last 12 months , and is now looking to do just that on the PGA tour , Bryson Dechambeau !
Anna : Bryson , what a year you ’ ve had , you ’ ve recently just turned pro and this is your first major championship as a professional . Describe to us what it ’ s like to be here at Oakmont for the US open ?
Bryson : it ’ s an honour . It ’ s my second US open and I didn ’ t know if I was going to be back this year . I knew it after the amateur , but I knew turning professional was going to change things . So it was nice to turn professional and be back playing with the best players in the world .
As you say , as reigning US amateur champion you achieved exemption into the US open , but you chose to give that up and re-qualify as a pro . Was that a bit of a risk or did you always have the confidence to do that ?
I thought that playing on the PGA tour as a professional rather than as an amateur would allow me to potentially play on the PGA tour by the end of this year . It was either that or stay as an amateur and play as an amateur in these 2 events , and not making any money from the events that I ’ ve played in .
Well it ’ s not just the US amateur championship that you won last year , you also claimed the NCAA championship . That ’ s put you on a very small list of elite plyers such as Tiger and Nicklaus who have achieved just that . How does it feel to be part of such a prestigious group of golfing legends ?
Well it ’ s something you can ’ t fully describe . You are in golfing history where not very many people have done that . That ’ s something I will take to the grave , and I am very proud and honoured to be a part of that group . They have obviously done some amazing stuff , and I am just trying to do my absolute best for the game of golf .
Well , let ’ s talk about the Masters , your first major where you made the cut . You earned yourself the silver cup as low amateur - what an amazing week ,! Can you try and describe it to us ?
It ’ s an honour , it ’ s something that I ’ ll never forget and will always remember as being the highlight of my amateur career . One thing that is underrated is the amateur dinner . That ’ s something incredibly special that not many people get to go to , as is staying in the crow ’ s nest . That ’ s another aspect that most people don ’ t ever get to do . That was something I ’ ll never forget and it was quite a treat .
You turned pro a couple of days after that . At your first event at Hilton Head , you only went and finished fourth ! That was a fantastic result . Were you expecting such a successful week ?
Well , I knew that I could be right up there . I know that I have the game to win every single week . It ’ s just about putting a formula together and executing the formula . If you get a
14 | YOURCADDY MAG - ISSUE 10