A sarcastic Bryson DeChambeau hit back at Sir Nick Faldo’s claim he had “zero clue of strategy” after posting his first sub-70 major round of the year on the first day of The Open at Royal Birkdale.
On Tuesday the six-time major winner and last Englishman to lift the Claret Jug in 1992 criticised the approach of the 32-year-old – who is looking to avoid missing the cut in all of golf’s four premier events this year – towards links golf.
“I’d say it to his face: he has zero clue of strategy. He said it last year, I think, ‘I’m going to go out and attack the links’. Well, I’ve never ‘attacked’ a links,” said the three-time Open champion.
Five birdies and two bogeys – one at the last costing him a share of the lead – in a three-under 67 saw DeChambeau sit just one behind Yorkshireman Dan Brown – first-round clubhouse leader for second time in three years – and South Korea’s Sungjae Im.
The American refused to speak to the media for the fifth consecutive major round but did answer questions for the R&A’s in-house channel.
In one 18-second response he used the word ‘strategic’ or ‘stategy’ three times, pointedly stressing the emphasis.
“I think you’ve got to be a lot more strategic out on the golf course. I feel like I did a really good job today of being incredibly strategic and focused super hard on placing it in the right places,” he said.
“Besides 18, I placed the ball in some good areas. I just need to hit more fairways. Other than that, I feel like my strategy was nice today.”
Brown hopes his chances do not go up in smoke after he dealt with the stress of contending again by getting through almost half a packet of cigarettes.
The 31-year-old, who carded a 65 on his major debut at Troon, found his form after five successive missed cuts having taken advantage of ideal early scoring conditions.
And while he set the Southport links alight with his golf he is being extra-careful with his habit on the tinder-dry course.
Asked whether there had been any request not to light up, he said: “I haven’t been told otherwise, but I’ve been making sure that they’re out.
“I’m probably on like seven or eight a round; stress levels go up, then probably the more I end up having.
“My dad actually used to smoke and I always told him when I was a kid to stop smoking and then he did stop and then I ended up starting.”
Brown, who almost quit in 2019 after struggling on the third-tier PGA EuroPro Tour, shot to fame in 2024 when he had to endure puns associated with the name of the more famous author of The DaVinci Code but it was not a game he was interested in playing.
“I feel like I can compete in a major and in an Open Championship. I feel like I’m a better player now to what I was back then two years ago,” added the son of a Northallerton pig farmer.
Scotland’s Bob MacIntyre shot 67 to sit alongside DeChambeau in group which also included 2018 champion Francesco Molinari and American Alex Smalley, who led on five under before driving out of bounds at the last.
Defending champion and world number one Scottie Scheffler posted a two-under 68, saying: “Any time you can shoot under par to start a major championship, it’s a good spot to be in.”
