Lessons learned from the 2024 PGA Championship: Bryson DeChambeau embraces joy, Scottie Scheffler walks away wondering, ‘What if?’

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – After making a long birdie putt on the 17th hole Sunday afternoon, Bryson DeChambeau put a new golf ball into play. It was fitting that after marking his new ball with permanent ink, he brought it close to his lips and blew on it. DeChambeau played with fire and got caught on fire in the final round of the 2024 PGA Championship.

No one does it better than Sunday. No one plays with more joy in life. No one is more beloved by Louisville fans at Valhalla Golf Club than Bryson DeChambeau. Wait. What?!

How did we get here? How did Bryson, who was largely ridiculed for much of his time on the PGA Tour, suddenly become the golfer everyone on the block was rallying behind as he tried to win the championship? His second biggest?

There are probably a few different answers to that question, but at least one of them — I can’t believe I’m typing this — is YouTube. DeChambeau’s YouTube channel hosts videos with titles like “random wheel of chaos golf challenge” and “can I break 50 with a long-distance driving champion?”

The content is engaging and engaging, and it’s clearly resonating with golf fans. DeChambeau even addressed this issue after his runner-up finish at the PGA Championship, where he briefly shared the all-time scoring record until Xander Schauffele passes and beats it one way.

“Yeah, it’s really funny, YouTube helped me understand [being a showman and celebrating big moments] a little more,” he said. “When the time comes, knowing what to do, what to say, how to act is really important. You know, when I was little, I didn’t understand what it was.

“Yes, I would throw great celebrations and things like that, but I didn’t know what it meant and what I was doing it for necessarily. Now, I’m doing it a lot more for my fans and those around me and try to be an entertainer and occasionally play good golf.”

An entertainer who is occasionally good at golf.

DeChambeau is a professional golfer. Sure, the medium is different, but the message is the same. Sixty or seventy years ago, golfers often supplemented their meager winnings with exhibition matches and trick clinics for the paying public. Their recreational activities and competitive golf may not have interacted, but they certainly accomplished both tasks, which certainly had an impact on each other.

The basic skills in each arena are different, but they definitely come together. Being a great golfer will help one thrive when creating YouTube videos. And learning how to make good YouTube videos will help one thrive when performing in public on Saturdays and Sundays.

This is now the intersection of DeChambeau, and like many others, I found it very interesting. Part of the reason why Bryson has always had a bit of a difficult time — in terms of fandom — is because he’s always seemed confused about when he’s supposed to compete and when he’s supposed to entertain. Currently? He has an outlet to do both.

DeChambeau still has his silly moments like trying to win majors with 3D printed irons (which he used again this week like he did at the Masters), hitting the ball in the ball evening at major championships and recorded the second-lowest score in the 164-year history of the majors with what he called his “B” game. But it’s all in the patterns, and with the right dosage, it can be loved.

That’s right, DeChambeau is somehow a fan favorite these days. I wouldn’t believe it if I didn’t see it with my own eyes, but it’s true. He always considered himself an innovator and a pioneer. What he probably didn’t know was that. despite modern means, he is much more like the golfers of old than he ever imagined.

Viktor Hovland is back

I don’t believe in what Hovland brings to the negotiating table on Sunday. I think the feeling he finds will melt under the pressure. Instead, it went the other direction. It got better. This was unimaginable even a week ago. Hovland himself said he considered withdrawing from the PGA Championship. And yet, he looks like he’s on the verge of winning his second major in 2024.

Why the quick turnaround after being lost in the woods and finishing outside the top 10 in every start this year before this tournament? Returning to coach Joe Mayo is probably a big reason.

“When I went to see Joe earlier in the week, we had dinner and I said, ‘You don’t look very worried,’” Hovland revealed Saturday. “He gave a feeling that, as soon as I kept doing it, things would get better immediately. And I thought this would probably be a small project and take maybe six, eight weeks earlier.” I will see immediate improvement.

“Yeah, that’s the best case scenario.”

While it didn’t result in a big win this week, Hovland now appears to be back on track to what I thought he would be this year: a major contender and a winner. first championship in the next year and a half.

Another missed opportunity

All was well against Rory McIlroy this week. He has rattled off two straight wins, where his tee-to-green play seems to be much more effective. He got a great draw and got the tournament going on Friday afternoon. However, instead of taking it, he shot 71; it was an uphill climb from there. That’s a big miss for someone who said it felt like he was pursuing his first major all over again.

“Obviously I started the week well and then obviously I played well over the weekend,” he said Sunday. “Like I said, kind of going six holes on the back nine yesterday, not being able to make any shots, I’m probably going to regret that. Then 71 on Friday was clearly not what I was looking for. Clearly I’d gone too far back. Overall, I’m playing well, my game is in good form and I’ve got a week off and then there’s another busy period.”

The silver lining here is that McIlroy filed for divorce on Monday and clearly has a lot going on personally. The counter? He blew away the field at the Wells Fargo Championship just a week ago. McIlroy remains as intriguing to discuss as ever, but with the major drought now nearing 10 calendar years, he is officially out of chances in the prime of his career to add to his tally of four that match.

Stolen shot?

Scottie Scheffler shot The first round went above par in 266 days on Saturdayjust over 24 hours after being handcuffed and thrown in jail for what appeared to be a complete misunderstanding when he tried to drive past the golf course entrance on Friday morning. When he came down from that adrenaline rush, for the first time in his life he looked lost on the golf course. (He also played the third round on Saturday without his regular caddy, who was attending his daughter’s graduation.)

I can’t help but wonder what would happen if Scheffler had a normal week. Especially since I believe Scheffler will win the US Open at Pinehurst — a course set up perfectly for him. If he hadn’t been sent to jail on Friday, would he have shot 66-66 instead of 66-73? Would he have won in Valhalla if not for his insane distraction when captured? Would his Grand Slam bid still be valid if he had a normal four days in Valhalla?

Scheffler won’t be there on Sunday.

“I got arrested Friday morning, and I was here and played a good round of golf,” he said. “So I have done very well throughout my career or I can say I have gotten better throughout my career in terms of leaving non-course distractions at home and keeping a decent personal life. quiet, and this week it clearly was.” not so.

“I’m not going to sit here and say I played poorly. [Saturday] because of what happened on Friday. I just had a bad day on the field and proud of how I went out and recovered today.”

This topic will be discussed long after the dust settles at the 106th PGA Championship. From my vantage point, it was one of the craziest days in the history of major golf, and the impact it had on the world’s best player — and his bid to win all four majors he is — unfortunately, irrational and completely eccentric.

Unfortunately for Scheffler – at least from my vantage point – that is also undeniable.

The growth of Justin Thomas

This week I was impressed with the way JT reflected on his childhood and growing up. Reminiscing like this often brings gratitude, and it seemed to do that for Thomas, who turned 30 over the weekend, too.

“This week has exceeded all my expectations,” Thomas said after shooting 67 in Round 3. “It’s better. More fun. It’s more exciting than anything I really thought or could have imagined. I’m, I’m very, very excited because [Sunday], and it will be fun. I’m quite sad because the week is almost over. Just enjoy [Sunday] as much as possible and see what happens.”

All this follows the emotional reception he received from the city a few weeks ago.

It’s always fascinating to consider the emotional, vulnerable side of the different players. And while we’ve seen that from Thomas — at least from the standpoint of yelling and screaming at Ryder Cups and team events — we haven’t seen it like this from the perspective of gratitude and fun.

This week has been amazing and seems to have had quite an impact on him as a person as his tears on Sunday as he walked off the golf course indicated.

Rick Gehman, Greg DuCharme, Patrick McDonald and Mark Immelman recap the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla. Watch and listen to The First Cut above Apple Podcasts And Spotify.