Affectionately, for the most part, known as 'The Scientist' due to his impressive analytical and strategic golfing capabilities, Bryson DeChambeau quickly rose to prominence during his early years in the professional game.
He joined the paid ranks immediately after the Masters in April 2016 and, since then, his career has gone from strength to strength and he truly came of age in 2020, when he won the US Open.
DeChambeau's final round score of 67 was the low round of the day by fully three shots, allowing him to overtake Matthew Wolff, who had held a two stroke lead after 54 holes.
During the course of 2020, DeChambeau had become the longest driver on the PGA Tour after picking up around 40lbs of muscle.
This is kinda nuts.
— LKD (@LukeKerrDineen) April 21, 2020
2018 Bryson vs. 2020 Bryson pic.twitter.com/qpP6XDXf3L
This transformation preceded his astonishing US Open victory and is an example of how seriously he takes his preparation for golf tournaments.
DeChambeau's clubs are custom-made and are known for their thicker than normal grips and consistent length across all of his irons.
His preferred length for irons and wedges is 37.5 inches (95.3cm). His clubs have the same lie and bounce, but varying lofts.
In June 2022, DeChambeau joined the Saudi-backed LIV Golf and won his first tournament on that tour in August 2023.
In May 2024, DeChambeau missed out of the PGA Championship by one stroke, but swiftly returned to claim his second US Open title at Pinehurst in June 2024.
Amateur career
At the age of 16, in 2010, DeChambeau won the California Junior State Championship. This was a sign of what was to come for the rising star as he would go on to maintain a consistently high level of success in the years that followed.
DeChambeau emerged victorious at the Trans-Mississippi Amateur in 2013 as well as at the 2014 American Championship and the 2014 Erin Hills Intercollegiate.
DeChambeau was particularly successful in 2015 as he became only the fifth player to win both the NCAA and US Amateur titles in the same year.
Jack Nicklaus was the first in 1961 and DeChambeau joined illustrious names such as Phil Mickelson (1990), Tiger Woods (1996) and Ryan Moore (2004) in matching the feat.
He also won the NCAA individual championship in June and the US Amateur title in August.
DeChambeau appeared in the US Open as an amateur that same year in what was his first Major Championship appearance, but he missed the cut by four strokes.
Nevertheless, the foundations had been laid for a player who would go on to become a major champion.
Turning professional
DeChambeau signed a long-term deal with Cobra-Puma Golf in 2016 and finished fourth in his first professional appearance at the RBC Heritage in South Carolina, pocketing in excess of $259,000 as a result.
DeChambeau earned his first PGA Tour win in 2017 at the John Deere Classic, finishing with an 18-under-par 266 over the 72 hole course. He beat Patrick Rodgers, his fellow American, by one stroke.
2018 was particularly successful for DeChambeau, the year when he broke into golf's elite.
In June, he won the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village, successfully navigating a sudden-death playoff against Kyle Stanley and Byeong Hun An.
He followed this by winning The Northern Trust and Dell Technologies Championship back-to-back during the FedExCup Playoffs.
He also participated in his first Ryder Cup, in Paris, but went 0-3-0, losing to Alex Noren in his singles match.
DeChambeau US Open win
The 2020 US Open had initially been scheduled for June, but was postponed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Hosted by the Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York, there were no spectators allowed on-site and it was the first US Open played in the month of September for 107 years.
DeChambeau had poured immense energy into bulking up between late 2019 and the return to action post-lockdown.
His size, fueled by weight training and a huge increase in his consumption of calories, was the hottest subject in the sport throughout the summer, as was his consequent new-found ability to hit huge drives.
His plans drew admiration from some, for his complete commitment, but there was also plenty of criticism. Many considered that the approach could only be short-termist and risked injury, others felt it was an outright attack on golfing principles.
Utilizing an unusually aggressive strategy from the tee box, DeChambeau confounded the critics to force his way into solo second after 36- and 54-holes before he blew away the youthful frontrunner Matthew Wolff in the final round.
DeChambeau was the only player under-par in the final round and his three-under 67 turned a two shot deficit into a six shot obliteration of the field.
In March 2021 he faced another tough set-up at Bay Hill in the Arnold Palmer Invitational and once again it suited his game. He went head-to-head with Lee Westwood in the final round and emerged triumphant to claim an eighth PGA Tour title.
Injury problems wrecked his start to 2022. A missed cut at the Masters was a fifth in a row and he then took time away from the course.
In June 2022 it was confirmed that DeChambeau had made the switch to LIV Golf.
DeChambeau second US Open win
DeChambeau was unlucky to miss out hsi first US PGA Championship in May 2024. He shot 20 under par but was beaten by a shot by Xander Schauffele.
However, a month later he lifted his second US Open crown at Pinehurst.
He took a three-shot lead into the final round, but was caught and passed by Rory McIlroy before an extraordinary finish in North Carolina.
McIlroy, who briefly held a two-shot lead after four birdies in five holes from the ninth, bogeyed three of the last four holes and missed from a combined distance of six feet, three inches for par on the 16th and 18th.
That left DeChambeau needing to par the last for victory and he conjured up a superb bunker shot from 55 yards to set up the winning putt.
Speaking after a closing 71 and six under par total left him a shot ahead of McIlroy, with Patrick Cantlay and Tony Finau on four under, DeChambeau said: “I want to say Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there.
“Unfortunately my dad passed a couple of years ago and this one is for him.
“Also to Payne Stewart. He’s the reason I went to SMU (Southern Methodist University, Stewart’s alma mater), the reason I wore the peaked cap.”
Personal life
DeChambeau was born in Modesto, California, on September 16, 1993, to John Howard Aldrich DeChambeau and Janet Louise Druffel. The family moved to the city of Clovis, in Fresno, when he was seven.
He reportedly started dating Instagram model Sophia Phalen Bertolami in 2018, and she was among those who congratulated him after his US Open victory.
In June 2024, he was reportedly dating Lilia Schneider.
DeChambeau is known for a diet that is said to be extremely high in protein.
It took him less than a year to go from 195 to 240lbs according to golfchannel.com. The same website claims that he uses up to seven different protein shakes.
Acacia Wright, a nutritionist and dietician for Orgain, which makes DeChambeau's protein shakes, was quoted as saying that DeChambeau does not have an average individual's diet, but rather one that is specifically geared to help him put on muscle.
Bryson DeChambeau's net worth
DeChambeau is reported to be worth could be around $100million, but the value of his LIV contract has not bene made public.
Shortly after winning his first major, DeChambeau and DraftKings announced a long-term partnership, meaning he would become the first golfer to don a sports betting logo.
DeChambeau is also sponsored by Bridgestone, alongside Tiger Woods, who is the highest-profile name to use Bridgestone golf balls due to his own partnership with the company.
