You’d think a guy who claims to have calculated every variable in golf would’ve figured out links courses by now, right? Well, we have news… Bryson DeChambeau—who’s tamed the US Open twice (2020 and 2024), and came close to winning the PGA Championship on back-to-back years (2024, 2025)—is sorry to say (read: show) that he’s got a massive blind spot when it comes to traditional golf. In fact, the two-time U.S. Open champion’s birdie-free 78 wasn’t just bad—it was historically awful.

A viral social media post from Fried Egg Golf perfectly captured the extent of DeChambeau’s Open Championship misery, garnering over 28,000 views with its stark revelation: “Bryson DeChambeau’s last 7 Open Championship rounds (dating back to 2023 at Royal Liverpool) 74, 70, 74, 73 | 76, 75 | 78 (today).” The numbers tell a brutal story of complete helplessness across three different venues. That’s three consecutive missed cuts and counting, with Thursday’s 78 representing his worst Open round to date. Meanwhile, his overall Open record reads like a comedy of errors—just one top-10 finish in seven starts, with three missed cuts total. But why the struggle?

It’s fairly simple. The 31-year-old has admitted multiple times over the past few years how the weather has been a major curveball. Last year, after a bout of wind and rain in the opening round left him shooting 76, followed by a 75, DeChambeau lamented, “I can do it when it’s warm and not windy.” But Mother Nature is never one to obey orders, is she? And so continues the 31-year-old’s struggle to tame the place that is largely the opposite of his warm-weathered hometown of Clovis, California.

“Trying to ride the wind is something that’s pretty simple to talk about but sometimes difficult to execute when it’s a unique scenario, depending on where the hazards are and the bunkers are and trying to get a certain shot to a certain place, just being a little more strategic. I just need more reps in a sense,” DeChambeau said as per Golfweek. Yet, amid these wise words seeming optimistic enough, the statistics reveal just how badly he has struggled throughout the windswept Northern Ireland course.

Golf analysts have pointed out the fundamental flaw in DeChambeau’s approach to links golf. His high ball flight and robotic swing methodology work brilliantly on controlled parkland courses, but crumble against the unpredictable variables of links golf. “I don’t see him hitting as many left-to-right shots when there’s hard right-to-left wind. If you can’t fight the crosswind, you’re very limited on what you can do coming into the green, especially if there’s a hole location on the windward side. It just requires a lot of nuance and savoir faire, just playing an Open Championship under windy conditions, and especially so, I would argue, at Portrush,” Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee said.

Notably, Thursday’s round hit new lows. DeChambeau managed zero birdies across 18 holes, something that’s happened only twice in his entire major championship career. He started decently with three straight pars, but everything unraveled on the fourth hole. An air shot from thick fescue contributed to a double bogey that set the tone for his nightmare. The damage mounted relentlessly—five bogeys and two double bogeys later, he limped home with a 78 that left him tied for 144th out of 156 players.

The statistics reveal just how badly he struggled throughout the windswept Northern Ireland course. DeChambeau lost more than four strokes to the field on approach play alone. His iron game, typically a strength, abandoned him completely when Royal Portrush’s winds demanded precision over power. By day’s end, he sat 11 shots behind the five-way tie for the lead and facing near-certain elimination with Friday’s projected cut line at +2 or +3.

Golf analysts have pointed out the fundamental flaw in DeChambeau’s approach to links golf. His high ball flight and robotic swing methodology work brilliantly on controlled parkland courses, but crumble against the unpredictable variables of links golf.

The analytical approach that brought him two U.S. Open titles becomes a liability when courses demand creativity over calculation.

Fans React to DeChambeau’s Latest Links Golf Debacle

Fan reactions on social media revealed the harsh reality behind DeChambeau’s continued Open Championship failures. “I love Bryson but when conditions get tough and he needs to flight the ball or take spin off, he struggles,” observed one supporter, perfectly identifying his technical limitations.

Another fan sarcastically asked, “which equipment will he blame today?” highlighting DeChambeau’s pattern of equipment changes after poor Open performances. This criticism hits particularly hard, given his history of switching drivers, balls, and even putter lengths after struggling with links golf. Meanwhile, one observer noted “Too many variables to compute!” capturing the irony of his analytical approach failing against nature’s unpredictability.

The most telling reaction came from a fan who stated, “I do like Bryson. But I also like that he can’t figure out The Open.” This sentiment reflects a growing consensus that DeChambeau’s power-based methodology doesn’t translate to traditional golf courses. The contrast becomes stark when comparing his Open struggles to his dominance at controlled venues like Winged Foot and Pinehurst.

Perhaps most damning was the comment that DeChambeau isn’t “on same level as scottie, rory, Rahm” when conditions demand adaptability. The numbers support this harsh assessment—while those three players have combined for multiple Open victories and consistent contention, DeChambeau remains winless in golf’s oldest championship. His decision to skip media duties after Thursday’s debacle only reinforced the growing narrative that he may never solve the puzzle of links golf.