It's been a rough ride for Bryson DeChambeau at the PGA Championship. The former U.S. Open champion stumbled out of the gate at Aronimink Golf Club, carding four bogeys on the back nine in his opening round. If he hopes to hoist the Wanamaker Trophy, he'll need a serious turnaround.
DeChambeau's struggles come on the heels of his recent comments about prioritizing his YouTube channel over a return to the PGA Tour. In an interview before the tournament, he said, “I’d love to grow my YouTube channel three times, maybe even more. I would love to do a bunch of dubbing in different languages, giving the world more reason to watch YouTube. And then I’d love to play tournaments that want me.”
But his on-course performance suggests that his focus on content creation might be bleeding into his golf game. The 11th hole, in particular, exposed his lack of touch, and fans were quick to pounce.
Social media erupted with jokes about his slow start. One fan quipped, “After a poor Masters performance and a woeful opening round at the PGA Championship, Bryson DeChambeau has officially slid down the YTGR (YouTube Golf Rankings).” Another wrote, “Bryson Dechambeau is currently playing out the ‘what if they let a weekend golfer play on the PGA Tour’ hypothetical.”
The criticism didn't stop there. “When are they going to stop inviting YouTube golfer Bryson DeChambeau to these major events?” a third fan sarcastically asked. And a fourth added, “Bryson Dechambeau needs to focus a little less on breaking course records and more on making the cut at a major.”
The 11th hole at Aronimink has historically been a beast, but DeChambeau's struggles were self-inflicted. His lack of sharpness around the greens was glaring, and it's clear that his preparation might have been split between the course and the camera.
DeChambeau's post-LIV Golf life has been a mixed bag. While he's enjoyed success on the YouTube circuit, his major championship results have been disappointing. After a poor showing at the Masters, this start at the PGA Championship raises questions about his priorities.
The first round is being televised on ESPN until 7 p.m. ET, and all eyes will be on whether DeChambeau can claw his way back up the leaderboard. But for now, it looks like his YouTube ambitions are getting in the way of his golf game.
