DeChambeau posts 67 at Open, responds to Faldo criticism

Bryson DeChambeau recorded a 67 on Thursday at Royal Birkdale, placing him among the leaders after the first round of the Open Championship. The 32-year-old posted a three-under-par total with five birdies, his only under-par round at a major this year.

DeChambeau declined on-site interviews, opting to answer pre-submitted questions from tournament officials. He said his performance reflected a more strategic approach, noting he focused on placing the ball in advantageous positions and needed to hit more fairways.

"I think you’ve got to be a lot more strategic out on the golf course," DeChambeau said. "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."

His remarks appeared to answer criticism from Sir Nick Faldo, who recently suggested DeChambeau lacked a clear strategy. Faldo responded on Sky Sports, implying DeChambeau’s comments were a defensive reaction.

"He’s basically stuck, you know, ‘Faldo, I do have strategy.’ I’m taking claim that I switched on the strategy play," Faldo said.

After his round, DeChambeau interacted with fans near the putting green, signing autographs and offering advice on increasing driving distance through wrist strength and grip work. He also referenced his YouTube channel, which has millions of subscribers.

Fellow competitor Tyrrell Hatton, who shared the same group, said DeChambeau’s strong ball flight and lack of errant shots should not be surprising given his talent.

"His ball flight today was really good. He didn’t really hit many bad shots," Hatton said.

The round marked a notable improvement for DeChambeau, who had made 14 bogeys or worse in the opening rounds of the season’s first three majors. Analysts noted that missing the cut in all four majors in a single season is rare for multiple-major winners, last occurring in 1998.