Bryson DeChambeau leads LIV Golf Valderrama event despite WICKED shank!
Bryson DeChambeau leads the LIV Golf event this week despite troubles on the 13th hole.
Bryson DeChambeau found his way to the top of the leaderboard on Saturday despite a brutal whiff on the ball at the 13th hole of Real Club Valderrama.
DeChambeau, 29, won eight times during his PGA Tour career, including the 2020 US Open at Winged Foot.
However, since joining LIV Golf in 2022, DeChambeau has little to show in the new league.
His best finish to date was seventh at the Tulsa event in mid-May, and he followed it up with a 10th-place finish two weeks later in Washington, D.C.
During LIV Golf's June break, DeChambeau was one of the top finishers from the league at the US Open after tying for 20th.
Now, it seems the Crushers GC captain has found some momentum from the major championship result.
DeChambeau shot a bogey-free 8-under 63 on Saturday during the second round of LIV Golf's Valderrama event for a one-stroke lead over Talor Gooch, who's searching to become the first player to win three times on LIV.
DeChambeau was two-back before an eagle on the par-5 17th - his final hole of the round - bumped him ahead of Gooch and into first with a 36-hole total of 9-under.
WALK OFF EAGLE FOR THE LEAD
@b_dechambeau that is brilliant!#LIVGolf @crushers_gc pic.twitter.com/JhluvhsR8L
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) July 1, 2023
However, his round wasn't as smooth-sailing as the bogey-free scorecard would lead you to believe.
In fact, on the par-4 13th, DeChambeau had an epic whiff on his ball, which only moved a few feet in front of him as a result.
Luckily, he was still able to get up-and-down to save par on the 418-yard hole.
Speaking to reporters after his round, DeChambeau explained exactly what had happened:
"Great, great up-and-down on 13," he said. "So happy that I was able to do that after pretty much almost whiffing the ball. Just caught the tree going back."
He added:
Three strokes back of DeChambeau was Brooks Koepka in third at 6-under par.
DeChambeau's Crushers were tied at the top of the team leaderboard at 10-under par with the Range Goats, which Gooch is a member of.
Behind them was Joaquin Niemann's Torque GC at 8-under par.
