Is Bryson DeChambeau the New Tiger?

Not since #TigerWoods bursting on the #golf scene have I witnessed such interest and scrutiny over a Major winner. But like Tiger, #BrysonDeChambeau is no ordinary golfer.

I don't want to get into personalities and I'm not suggesting that DeChambeau will win 15 Majors (but don't rule it out), my comparison with Tiger is with respect to his impact on the game of #golf at every level. Youth development; his Foundation; innovation; health and fitness; fashion and the general commercialization of the sport by Bryson DeChambeau, the brand.

Most notable after his #USOpen win was Bryson's insistence prior to the interview commencing, that he first mention his "Team" by name. His sponsors, his caddie and his "backroom" support of coaches, manager, PR team and of course his Family.

To me this demonstrated a combination of commercial awareness, loyalty and genuine appreciation and gratitude that he couldn't have done this alone, dispelling the myth that it's a one man sport at the highest level. You can check out his team below, including his long-time coach and mentor Mike Schy a stabilizing influence.

The "haters", those wonderfully perfect people that exist in their own internet bubble of envy and negativity, were out in force on social media both prior to and post his historic win and it was interesting and not un-amusing, to see the posts by the cowardly keyboard warriors becoming more vitriolic as victory loomed. Regurgitating alleged misdemeanors or indiscretions of the past and of course making reference to his body transformation or the length of his drives as though they're forbidden, conveniently forgetting that #TigerWoods brought a whole new level of body awareness and fitness discipline to the game which resulted in prodigious power and length and as a consequence transformed the regimes of generations of golfers, both amateur and professional.

I believe that Bryson DeChambeau, like Tiger did, will take the game to the next level.

All the talk right now is about Bryson and I believe that his victory, like Tiger's emergence, transcends golf. Because of this, it's HUGE for the game.

In colleges they'll sit up and take notice and review their golf programs. Tour players will re-evaluate both their regimes and their Teams. Many, already multi-millionaires, will have to ask themselves some serious questions about their own level of desire. They will/should question the people around them; invite challenge; review their own existing physical capabilities; diet; processes and with their chosen Team formulate a strategy to achieve whichever ambitious goals they set themselves.

Life is short and clearly Bryson DeChambeau is intent on making the very most of his time on earth both on and off the course.

So, triumph at #WingedFoot DeChambeau certainly did. But even the sports station anchors, increasingly behaving like the tabloid press, felt they had to preface their begrudging praise, somehow painting his length and his "bulk" (an impressive body transformation exemplifying a level of commitment, focus and belief built with and around a Team implementing a considered strategy to propel one man to the top of his sport) as an unfair advantage. Absolutely incredible.

They need to step back and look at the bigger picture.

In pretty much any sport, speed and strength wins. But his victory at the US Open demonstrated so much more. Strategically he outwitted the field. Off the tee he was as aggressive as any player in a Major, save for Phil Mickelson perhaps. His distance control with his irons was excellent, his wedge play much improved, his touch around the greens even from penal rough was sublime and on fast and sloping greens there was no equal. All this with the pressure of potentially winning his first Major from 3 shots back and fully aware of the nay sayers, showed incredible mental strength.

As the owner of a business I admire his whole approach. Always moving forward, building a strong team he can trust, challenging himself and openly committed to accepting failure as no more than a springboard to greater success.

As #RickyGervais says, "It's better to create something that others criticize, than to create nothing and criticize others".

March on Bryson & Team!

Tony Clark, PlaneSWING Golf, [email protected]

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