For a few hours on Thursday at the U.S. Open, the clouds parted for Bryson DeChambeau. After two straight missed cuts at the Masters and PGA Championship, the Crushers captain looked like he found his major mojo again, shooting an even-par 70 at Shinnecock Hills that could have been even better if not for two late bogeys. Unfortunately, on Friday DeChambeau reverted to his new norm, carding back-to-back double bogeys on Nos. 3 and 4 en route to a dismal 75. DeChambeau now faces a tense wait as he watches where the cut line will fall, hoping to avoid missing three straight major cuts for the first time in his career. To many, DeChambeau’s recent downturn in form is a shocking development … but not to the two-time U.S. Open winner himself

In an interview with Flushing It Golf following LIV Golf Andalucia earlier this month, DeChambeau admitted that he “might miss all four” major cuts this year, turning to an old platitude as a means of explanation:

“That’s just golf.”

There’s a myriad of ways to read DeChambeau’s comments. Perhaps he was trying to lower expectations and take pressure off himself. Perhaps he was acknowledging the various distractions off the course this season, including the turmoil surrounding LIV Golf and a yet-unspecified incident that left him in tears after his LIV Golf South Africa victory. Or perhaps, deep down, DeChambeau just knew his game wasn’t sharp enough. He wouldn’t be the first great golfer to suffer a blip year (or three) and he certainly won’t be the last.

RELATED: ‘Not proud of it’—Joaquin Niemann on the club throw that cost him two shots

Whether DeChambeau misses another major cut or sneaks into the weekend remains to be seen, but either way it will be seen as a disappointment by fans and pundits who expected Bryson to rekindle the form that lead him to seven major top-10s—including a triumphant U.S. Open victory at Pinehurst in 2024—over the last three seasons. Maybe we should have listened to the man himself, however. No one knows a player’s game better than the player themself, so DeChambeau’s bearish comments should have come as a reminder that when it comes to major golf, especially major golf at Shinnecock, you should always hope for the best … and expect the worst.

MORE GOLF DIGEST U.S. OPEN COVERAGE

U.S. Open 2026 Power Rankings: The entire field ranked at Shinnecock Hills

U.S. Open 2026 prize money: Here’s the record payout each golfer will earn at Shinnecock Hills

The Shinnecock greens are so tough Alex Fitzpatrick is practicing with … a VR headset?

Why players were strategically skipping practice rounds on Monday

Tommy Fleetwood has made Open history that irks the hell out of him … and makes him proud

A worst-case weather scenario is brewing at Shinnecock Hills. Here’s how the USGA is already addressing it

The USGA delayed its rollback plan to save golf from something much worse

Follow Golf Digest Middle East on social media

Instagram

X

Facebook

YouTube

Main Image: Supplied