Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Wednesday 29 august 2018
Behind science of DeChambeau is a tireless worker

By DOUG FERGUSON Reading. Writing. Notice he
AP Golf Writer didn't mention arithmetic.
PARAMUS, N.J. (AP) — The He smiled.
description of Bryson De- "Well, that's a given, I think,"
Chambeau as a "mad he said. "I do like numbers.
scientist" is appropriate as I'm more of a theoretical
long as this much is under- guy than a data-analytics
stood. guy. For whatever reason,
The scientist is always work- God has blessed me to see
ing, always searching, rare- things in just a unique and
ly satisfied. different way in regards to
DeChambeau, without spatial awareness, if you
question, is a "different want to say that."
kind of cat." Those were his No one followed up on
words last week after he spatial awareness.
shot a career-low 63 to take DeChambeau has found
a four-shot lead into the fi- a practice round partner
nal round, and then missed in Tiger Woods, or maybe it
only two greens and never was the other way around.
let anyone closer than two They both use the same
shots at The Northern Trust. brand of ball, and Woods
It was his third PGA Tour vic- always has been intrigued
tory in a little more than a by a different way of play-
year, moving him to No. ing golf.
12 in the world and, for the During those rounds, Woods
moment, No. 1 in the FedEx has picked up on the es-
Cup. sence of DeChambeau.
He does love his science. "We all know he's extremely
DeChambeau talks more intelligent," Woods said.
about biomechanics than "But his heart, he gives it
birdies and bogeys. Bryson DeChambeau eyes his putt as he places his ball on the green at the 18th hole during the everything he has and is
When he withdrew af- third round of the Northern Trust golf tournament, Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018, in Paramus, N.J. always trying to get better."
ter the first round of the Associated Press It was one year ago when
Valspar Championship in DeChambeau developed
March with an injury, he So this scientist also has a both hands over his face. 14, 15, I started working re- a severe callus on the top
described it the following sense of humor. That doesn't make him dif- ally hard and that's kind of of his finger, an odd place
week as inflammation of his DeChambeau is the NCAA ferent. It makes him a golf- what changed my game." for it. He attributed it to
QL. Perhaps noticing some and U.S. Amateur cham- er. He had another long A physics major at SMU, he having oversized grips, the
blank looks, or realizing not pion who uses single-length range session on the eve was asked if he was an A way he holds the club and,
everyone speaks the same shafts — 37½ inches, or of The Northern Trust. And student in high school. of course, long hours. That's
language, DeChambeau roughly the length of a he worked as long as light Yes. But he had to work for when it was jokingly sug-
explained. 7-iron — in all his clubs. He would allow Saturday after it. gested that he not prac-
"It was because my qua- believes it could be revo- a 63. "I wasn't great at reading tice so much.
dratus lumborum wasn't lutionary in golf, and he "It's half of what I do in my and writing," DeCham- "Come on. You kidding
working," he said. "My il- might be right. He also be- off weeks," DeChambeau beau said. "But I certainly me?" he said. "Every day
liacus, longissimus thoracis, lieves there is more than said. "People don't realize worked my butt off to be that you don't spend prac-
they were all kind of over- one way to skin a cat, even how hard I work to try and an A student. And I'll never ticing is another day some-
working, if you want to get a different kind of cat. get a better understand- forget the first time I got a B body is getting better. That
technical on that. But they Beneath it all is a 24-year- ing of my biomechanics. in high school. I was morti- was a quote I took from
weren't working very well old Californian with a re- I've never really been super fied because I had worked Hogan." Ben Hogan never
and I overworked them." lentless work ethic. talented. People would dis- so hard, and I just wasn't talked much about spatial
More blank stares. That's what makes him tick. agree with that, but I've al- good enough in writing. ... awareness, standard de-
"Pretty much my lower right Video captured him so frus- ways had to work twice as That's been me my whole viation and proprioception.
back was hurting and I rest- trated on the range at the hard as everybody grow- life. I've had to grind and But he knew hard work. Ho-
ed it," he said. "How about British Open that at one ing up. I was never as good work it out and figure it out gan might have liked this
that?" point he crouched and put as a junior. Right around on my own." guy.q

Hail Mary: Tony Romo to try Web.com Tour qualifying

By DOUG FERGUSON ball analyst has entered ateur. Romo shots rounds the eight players who ad- years at the Ellie Mae Clas-
AP Golf Writer the Web.com Tour quali- of 77-82 to miss the cut in vanced to the next stage. sic at TPC Stonebrae. He
Tony Romo received a fying tournament, which the Corales Puntacana The last athlete from an- has missed the cut both
sponsor's exemption to starts Wednesday morn- Resort & Club Champion- other sport who tried to times, including rounds of
play an opposite-field ing at Lantana Golf Club ship in March, the same earn a Web.com Tour card 71-86 this year.
event on the PGA Tour this in Texas. This will be the week as the Match Play was tennis player Mardy Eleven athletes from other
year. His next foray into pre-qualifying stage, the in Austin, Texas. He tried to Fish in 2014. sports have played the
golf is something he wants start of a long road toward qualify for the U.S. Open Golden State Warriors Web.com Tour. None has
to earn. earning status on the Web. a month later, but shot 77 guard Stephen Curry has made the cut.
The former Dallas Cowboys com Tour. at local qualifying in Texas played a Web.com Tour So for Romo, this might be
quarterback and CBS foot- He has entered as an am- and didn't come close to event each of the last two the ultimate Hail Mary.q