GOLF
Bryson DeChambeau’s new swing, weight loss, muscle gain and move to LIV Golf
Golf’s big hitter is back competing in a major tournament. He is leading the Masters after the low round on Thursday with a slim look and odd-looking swing
DeChambeau looks different. A lot different. He’s thinner, but he’s also stronger. He’s more confident and his swing, well his stance and swing are different too. Effective might be a better word because after round 1 at the 2024 Masters, where he’s 7-under par on a very difficult course.
How did Bryson DeChambeau lose so much weight?
He says he lost that weight in a short amount of time, “I lost 18 pounds in 24 days. It was crazy,” he said after his impressive first round at Oak Hill Country Club in 2023 at the US Open. He had intentionally bulked up in order to hit the ball harder and farther, but he said he regretted that decision.
He discovered he was intolerant to some different kinds of food after taking a Zoomers Food Sensitivity Test, “I was allergic to corn, wheat, gluten, dairy. Pretty much everything I liked, I couldn’t eat. I took that out. Started taking it out in August and over the course of time I’ve lost all this inflammation, lost a lot of fat and slimmed down like crazy.”
DeChambeau committed to changing his diet and taking out alcohol, dairy, carbohydrates and sugars and replacing them with healthier foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and proteins. The main difference in diet is that his calorie intake has gone from 6,000/day to around 2,000.
When did he change his stance and swing?
He has had some injuries over the last couple of years due to the torque on his body caused by his elevated swing speed. He missed the PGA Championship in 2022 due to a wrist injury and has also experienced hip problems in recent years. The weight loss and injuries have inevitably forced him to make some changes.
DeChambeau has been tinkering with his swing for years and seems to have found what works for him. He enjoys analyzing the data behind the golf swing and trying different clubs, lengths, lofts, etc. All of that curiosity may have hurt him in the past, but now it seems to be paying off.
His swing is rigid and more geometrical. He almost looks uncomfortable over the ball. As reported by Golf Digest, DeChambeau found help with swing coach Dana Dahlquist, “Bryson’s trying to keep his wrist angle in what’s called ulnar deviation for longer, and his left wrist uncocked as the handle of the club rises through the golf ball,” he says. As could be seen during round 1 of the PGA Championship, DeChambeau hasn’t lost distance and has definitely gained control, which is key at the tight course in Upstate New York.
Part of his justification for moving to LIV Golf was because he wanted to play less to take some stress off his body.
Why did Bryson DeChambeau move to LIV Golf?
Money, obviously. In June 2022 DeChambeau was sincere about why he left the PGA Tour, “It was a business decision, first and foremost,” he said. “It’s given me a lot more opportunities outside of the game of golf and given me more time with my family and my future family. So for me, that was the decision.”
DeChambeau was reportedly offered a total of $100 million to make the move to the LIV Tour. “There was a lot of financials to it, and a lot of time. I get to have a life outside of the game of golf as well,” he said. DeChambeau told the Golf Channel that he wants to play some PGA Tour events in the future. “I want to play where people can see great entertainment. I want to deliver that anywhere I’m at.”
So far that’s what he’s doing at the 2023 PGA Championship. It’s also no coincidence in the timing that he decided to withdraw his name from the PGA Tour lawsuit. “Bryson wants to solely focus on competing at the highest level week in and week out. He will continue to support the growth of golf and its expansion on a global scale, contributing both on and off the course as a positive influence on the game,” his agent told Adam Schupak of Golfweek.