Golf
Phil Mickelson shows true feelings about LIV Golf star Bryson DeChambeau
Phil Mickelson has detailed his true thoughts on LIV Golf rival Bryson DeChambeau.
DeChambeau, 30, is still basking in the glory of his dramatic win over Rory McIlroy at the US Open. Having led by two shots at Pinehurst with just five holes left to play, McIlroy’s shocking final round saw him drop three bogeys in the last four holes, clearing the way for Californian-born DeChambeau to steal the major from right under his nose.
One of the key moments came when he executed a sensational 50-yard bunker escape that he hailed as “the shot of my life” on the final hole. He consolidated that effort by following it up with a four-foot putt.
That DeChambeau to surpass McIlroy and scoop up his second US Open trophy. Mickelson, who boasts six majors over the course of his long career, admitted he always finds himself learning something new when he watches him.
Reflecting on the US Open during an interview with LIV Golf’s official YouTube channel, Mickelson said: “So, I played terrible and I went back home and watched it and it was riveting. I think Bryson is the most charismatic and fun player to watch in the game today. He comes at the game in such a different way.
“He’s exciting because he hits it so far, but he’s also exciting because he connects with the fans and he has this great energy and I’ve always seen this in him and enjoyed being around him. I learn a lot when I’m with him. So watching him play and come down the stretch and seeing the way he attacked that golf course and dominated it was really impressive.”
While DeChambeau was brilliant, Mickelson had a tough time at Pinehurst, reports the Express. The golfing star clocked up a round littered with bogeys on the Thursday and also endured a desperate Friday round.
Mickelson was not able to score a birdie and finished with a scorecard featuring a quartet of bogeys and a double bogey on the 18th hole. Having missed the cut just seven times prior in his career, he was disappointed with his early exit.
Despite his struggles at Pinehurst, the interviewer claimed that DeChambeau is doing exactly what Mickelson did in the early stages of his career. “I’ve come at the game in a different way as well. But not as scientific as Bryson,” Mickelson argued.
Insisting that it’s different for every individual, he continued: “I learn a lot when I talk to him and I really enjoy listening to him. As a player you have to decide, ‘Does this apply to my game or not?’
“There’s a lot of ways to be successful, there’s a lot of ways as long as you’re going north and as long as you’re working forward, there’s a lot of paths to get there. What you don’t want to do is keep going sideways like, ‘Oh, I’ll try this and I’ll try that’.
“You want to stay on your path and go that way. So my path was always a little bit different, but I stayed on it and had success. Bryson’s path is very different and he’s staying on it.
“He’s having tremendous success and there are a lot of paths that will get you there. But you need to stay on your own personal path. He’s so exciting because it’s so different and unique from everybody else in the game.”