Bryson DeChambeau’s week at Augusta National had a heartbreaking end, but two weeks on he is back in action and leads the way after the opening round at LIV Mexico City
11:35 ET, 26 Apr 2025Updated 11:35 ET, 26 Apr 2025
Bryson DeChambeau bounced back in Mexico(Image: Getty Images)
Bryson DeChambeau’s heartbreak and controversial comments at the Masters appears to be well and truly behind him after the Crushers GC captain burst into the lead at LIV Golf Mexico City on Friday.
DeChambeau – who was denied a maiden green jacket at the hands of Rory McIlroy – finds himself eight-under-par through 18 holes, after taking advantage of the high altitude at Club de Golf Chapultepec with his big hitting off the tee. Starting in style on the second hole, DeChambeau went eagle-birdie-birdie-birdie to take control early on.
Two more birdies then followed at the seventh and 12th, with his power serving him well in the thin Mexican air, having averaged a whopping 367 yards off the tee in round one with his 14 drives.
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His one and only blemish for the day came at the par-four 15th, before he responded with back-to-back birdies to get himself to seven-under for the day. Finishing on the second, DeChambeau had time for one more huge tee shot, driving the green before two-putting for a final birdie to sign for a 63.
Unsurprisingly, it was a round the two-time major champion enjoyed. “Yeah, it was a lot of fun today hitting the driver. I was hitting it well and was pleased with how I was hitting it. Drove it well,” the 18-hole leader told reporters of his day one showing.
“Yeah, look, the golf course is gettable, but it’s diabolical, as well. There were a lot of moments where I felt like I was going to get it to nine, 10-under, and there were moments where I’m like, man, I could be three-under or two-under easily if I don’t get my act in shape, so it’s a teeter-totter golf course.
Bryson DeChambeau leads the way in Mexico(Image: Getty Images)
“You can hit a drive down by the green, but it depends on the lie, depends on the flag, depends on if you can make some six, seven-footers out here. It was a grindy round, a lot of fun. Felt like I gave a good performance out there today.”
It will have been the response DeChambeau was looking for, having missed out on winning the Masters two weeks earlier. He headed into the final round at Augusta two shots behind McIlroy, before taking command in a flash, coming off the second green in Georgia as the man in top.
What followed, however, was a tough watch for any DeChambeau fan, as a number of errors from the fairway saw him fall away before ending the opening major of the year in a tie for fifth. Talking up his improvements on Friday, he commented: “Drove it well at Augusta, didn’t have my irons.
“Worked on my irons, feel like they’re a little bit better. Chipping around the greens was stellar today. Made some clutch putts. But all in all, it was fun to finish off with a nice bang on the last hole.”
