NAPA, Calif. – All year-long, Bryson DeChambeau has been claiming he’s not one of golf’s slowpokes and he’s sticking to his story.
DeChambeau is leaving the Safeway Open field in the dust through 36 holes, opening up a three-stroke lead after an 8-under 64 on Friday.
Yet it is his pace of play that has been called into question on multiple occasions, including by World No. 1 Brooks Koepka. It came to a head at the Northern Trust where DeChambeau was caught on tape taking more than 2 minutes to hit a putt. The Twitter firestorm that followed led to hurt feelings, and DeChambeau called it a difficult few months while saying he’s trying to turn over a new leaf with the new season.
SAFEWAY OPEN: Scores |Tee times, TV info | Photos | Updates
“I’ve had some struggles, sometimes with difficulty and people saying this, people saying that. I’ve done some things I shouldn’t have, but it’s about growing up and learning how to be a true professional,” he said. “That’s what I think I’m doing and will keep striving to do. That’s what’s most important out here is doing your absolute best and that’s what I’m trying to do.”
But DeChambeau then doubled down on his claim that he isn’t one of the slower players.
“There’s data out there now that shows that I am not the slowest player at all by any means,” he said.
When asked to elaborate on the data he was referring to, DeChambeau was less than forthcoming.
“Well the PGA Tour has it. I’ve seen it. I don’t know if I can disclose any of it,” he said. “But I’m definitely not in the top 10 percent. I’m not close to that. That’s from Shotlink data. We have that. So, I can say that, I know I can say that without a shadow of a doubt.”
