Bryson DeChambeau
AUGUSTA, GA (April 8, 2016)—No amateur has ever
won the Masters. 79 tournaments, 79 professionals
have been victorious. That could all change this
weekend and the man that could do it is 22-year-old
Bryson DeChambeau (E). After the opening 36-holes of
competition DeChambeau is just four-stokes off the
pace set by leader Jordan Spieth (-4).
Of the six amateurs in the field the only other to
make the cut was Frenchmen Romain Langasque.
Augusta National Golf Club played extremely tough
during the first two rounds as strong winds whipped
through the famed pines causing some of the best
players in the world to miss the 6-over-par cut. Some
of the more notable players to finish outside the cut
line are Phil Mickelson (+7), Zach Johnson (+8), Ernie
Els (+9) and Rickie Fowler (+9).
Here is a look at some of the highlights for the
amateurs in this year’s field:
Bryson DeChambeau (E-T8): Oh what could
have been for DeChambeau. The young amateur
playing in his first career major had the round of the
day going at 3-under-par when he stepped onto the
18th tee. After striking the ball beautifully all afternoon
long DeChameabu inexplicably pulled his drive way left
into an unplayable lie, then he did it again, fortunately
the second ball was findable. However, the ball was
resting against what appeared to be a storage bin,
which prompted DeChambeau to march closer to the
9th fairway, then the 18th to take his drop.
"(It's disappointing) I mean you don't want to
finish with a triple but at the same time it is what it is,"
DeChambeau told ESPN's Tom Rinaldi following the
round. "I'm playing some great golf out here and I am
really looking forward to the weekend. I made the cut."
Following the drop it was nearly 280-yards to the
green and by now DeChambeau was already hitting his
fourth shot. A spectacular shot left the 2015 NCAA
champion just short of the left green side bunker and
after a nifty chip he had a makable putt for double-
bogey. The putt just slid by leading to a tap in for a
closing triple-bogey. When the dust settled
DeChambeau went from one-stroke back and in a T2 to
T8 and four behind.
The disappointing finish does not in anyway take
away from the fireworks DeChambeau was able to
provide through his first 17 holes. On the first hole
DeChambeau chipped in for birdie to jump start an
opening nine 2-under-par 34. The strong play
continued on the back nine with birdies on 11, 12 and
15 offsetting bogeys on 10 and 16. It appeared as if
DeChambeau had dodged the final potential bullet
when he made an impressive up and down for par on
No. 17 but then the 18th happened.
"I didn't really have that many expectations
coming in," DeChambeau continued to tell Rinaldi. "I
knew I could play really well (but) at the same time I
was just looking to hit everyone of my shots to the best
of my ability and I was able to do that for a long time
today. Unfortunately, 18 happened but your not going
to hit every shot perfect, that is golf."
ROUND ONE RECAP: DeChambeau was 1-
under-par on the front nine after a birdie on the par-5
second. He moved back to even-par after his only
bogey of the day on the par-5 15th. With the strong
winds today the famed 15th played into the wind and
over-par, a rarity.
Romain Langasque (+3-T33): The British
Amateur champion will be around for the weekend after
scores of 74-73. This is the second time that
Langasque has made the cut at a major. He previously
made the 36-hole cut at the 2015 British Open finishing
T65. Langasque got as low as 1-under-par for the
tournament after an eagle on the uncharacteristically
difficult par-5 15th. Unfortunately, back-to-back
bogeys on 16 and 17 dropped Langasque back to 3-
over-par. It was the second straight day he bogeyed
the 16th and 17th holes.
ROUND ONE RECAP: Langasque had a
busy scorecard during his first round at the Masters. He
opened with an even-par front side after a pair of
birdies and a pair of bogeys. The birdies came on No. 6
and No. 8. Langasque struggled a bit on the homeward
nine with bogeys on No. 16 and 17.
Derek Bard (+9-T69): A junior at
Virginia, Bard began the day with a chance to make the
cut and after a birdie on No. 10 he was just 1-over-par
for his round and hovering near the cut line. However,
on a tough day to play Bard stumbled down the stretch
finishing the day 5-over-par with a 77. He was able to
finish on a positive note with a birdie on the closing
hole.
ROUND ONE RECAP: Bard held his own on
the first day at Augusta National. Bard birdied two
holes and bogeyed six. The highlight of his round came
via his birdie on No. 12. The 12th played tough on
Thursday, thanks in large part to the swirling winds
throughout the day. With a good round tomorrow Bard
could be around for the weekend.
Cheng Jin (+13-T81): The Asia-Pacific
champion wasn’t able to avoid the big numbers once
more but he certainly has shown the golfing world that
he has the potential to be a force. After birding four
holes yesterday Jin tallied five more on Friday. His
highlight stretch was 12 and 13 when he birdied the
holes back-to-back. Jin also birdied 2, 8 and 18.
ROUND ONE RECAP: On day one Lin had
numerous highlights as he carded four birdies. His birds
came on 2, 5, 10 and 14.
Sammy Schmitz (+12-T79): The U.S. Mid-
Amateur champion had a very nice showing in the
second round of the Masters firing a 3-over-par 75.
Schmitz birdied three of the four par-5’s during his
second round. He birdied No. 2, 8 and 13. In total
Schmitz birdied five holes this week.
ROUND ONE RECAP: It was a quick start
for Schmitz as the Cinderella story of the event made
his Masters debut. Schmitz began his round bogey-
birdie-bogey and then birdied No. 6 as he shot even-
par on the front. Unfortunately, things spiraled out of
control on back nine but it was certainly a front round
to remember as his name for a time was at the top of
the leaderboard.
Paul Chaplet (+21-89): Experience is
what Chaplet was hoping to gain during his trip to
Augusta and he did just that on Thursday and Friday of
the Masters. He also registered a couple of birdies to
file in the memory bank on Friday. Chaplet, the Latin
American champion, didn’t birdie a hole yesterday but
picked up a pair on holes 2 and 9. Without a doubt
some nice memories for the youngest player in the
field to head home with.
ROUND ONE RECAP: Just 16-years-old
Chaplet came to the Masters with the hopes of catching
the eyes of college coaches. After finishing T4 at 4-
under-par in Wednesday’s Par 3 Contest Chaplet is
likely doing just that.
ABOUT THE
The Masters
One of Golf's four professional majors
traditionally invites amateurs who have reached
the
finals of the US Amateur, or won the British
Amateur
or
the US Mid Amateur. Also included are
the winners of the relatively new Asia Pacific
Amateur
and Latin American Amateur.
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