Much hyped coming into Masters, DeChambeau barely makes cut

Bryson DeChambeau bogeyed the final two holes of his second round on Saturday, but survived the cutline on the number at the Masters Tournament.

DeChambeau was tested for COVID-19 on Friday evening after experiencing spells of dizziness and stomach pain. His test results were negative, DeChambeau confirmed, and he completed his second round Saturday morning.

DeChambeau said the dizziness began Thursday evening and continued into Saturday. He shot 70, 74 in his first two rounds, and enters the weekend trailing by nine shots at even par. The cutline was even par.

“I don't know what it is, but these past couple days, I've felt really, really odd,” DeChambeau said. “I just feel kind of dull and numb out there, just not fully aware of everything.”

When asked if he experienced the symptoms before, the reigning U.S. Open champion said, “No, it's the first time. There's something in my stomach that's just not doing well.”

DeChambeau was in the spotlight leading into the 84th Masters Tournament. During Tuesday’s practice round, the bomber who tamed Winged Foot flirted with driving the par-4 third hole at Augusta National. At No. 11 (505 yards), he hit a pitching wedge into the green. On the par-5 13th, he towered a 380-yard blast, leaving a mere 130 yards in.

DeChambeau fueled the hype by saying he viewed Augusta National as a par 67. The par-5s, he believed, were no match for his length, and figured to begin each round at 4-under par. Mix in another birdie and there was his par. A carefree 67.

DeChambeau began on the 10th hole Thursday, and even with no patrons in attendance, club members circled the tee box. Peyton Manning stood nearby with sunglasses and a blue windbreaker. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell watched while holding hands with his wife, Jane Skinner.

“This is exciting,” said Manning, as Bryson prepared to hit.

But on DeChambeau's fourth hole, instead of abusing the par 5’s, he was headfirst in a dormant azalea bush searching for his Bridgestone.

DeChambeau double-bogeyed the 13th, and finished his round 1-under on Augusta’s par 5’s, two worse than 62-year-old Larry Mize. Both Mize, who averaged 247-yards off the tee, and DeChambeau — who averaged 334 — shot 70.

DeChambeau’s second round turned messy when his drive at the third hole missed the fairway and disappeared into the soggy Georgia soil. Bryson was driven back to the tee box, made triple bogey, and when darkness suspended his Friday round, the oddsmakers favorite was on the wrong side of the cutline.

He resumed his second round at 7:30 a.m. Saturday at the same location Thursday’s rollercoaster began — the 13th. This time, DeChambeau two-putted for birdie to return to even par for the tournament. He added birdies on Nos. 14 and 16, but closed his round with miscues at 17 and 18.

As DeChambeau prepared to tap-in for bogey on No. 18, the overcast skies parted ways, and sun beamed above the Jones Cabin, located to the left of No. 10 fairway. Once DeChambeau lifted his ball from the cup, the sun vanished again.

“Wet ground and water has always been my nemesis for some reason,” DeChambeau said after his second round. “Just can't figure it out. It’s something I've got to work on this offseason.”

Under the Masters new cut rule implemented this year, only the top 50 golfers plus ties make the cut. Sixty players advance to Saturday’s third round.

Mize failed to maintain his Thursday magic, ballooning to a second-round 77 and won’t play the weekend. Fred Couples also missed the cut, ending the fall Masters with 77, 73. Francesco Molinari, who finished fifth at the 2019 Masters after setting a record pace for the first three rounds, failed the November test with rounds of 72, 78.

Other notables who missed the cut were Masters rookie Matthew Wolff and Aiken’s Kevin Kisner.