American golfer Bryson DeChambeau has returned from the Covid-19 lockdown period almost unrecognisable, having put on a whopping 9kg of muscle in the last few months.
The man once known as the 'Mad Scientist' – who was a physics major before he became a professional golfer – has been rechristenedby some fans as 'The Incredible Bulk' thanks to his stunning body transformation into a 110kg powerhouse, making him one of the biggest drivers (and talking points) of last week's return of the PGA Tour at the Charles Schwab Challenge in Texas.
Bryson DeChambeau has gone from a medium to an extra large. Photos / Photosport/AP
Over the last year, DeChambeau has worked on adding more muscle and has put on a staggering 20kgs, which has had a big impact on his game.
The world no 13 averaged 345 yards off the tee in round one at the Colonial Country Club – the 2019 PGA Tour average was 294 yards – with his longest drive topping 367 yards.
He consistently outdrove his playing partner Rory McIlroy, the world No 1 who is widely regarded as the best driver in the sport, by about 30 yards.
"I've put on about 20lb [since the lockdown] and about 45lb in the last nine months," the 26-year-old said after Friday's second round.
"My ultimate goal is to get as strong as I can, applying some force and speed to the swing to see what it can handle."
DeChambeau is known for his scientific approach to golf and has in the past experimented with many tactics to improve his game, including a compass on course to calculate angles of shots, using irons with the same shaft length and putting side-saddle like a croquet player.
But his latest approach seems to be having the most drastic improvements.
However, his newfound muscles hasn't helped him on the green, which is where he went cold over the weekend as he fell one shot short of winner Daniel Berger.
"Had I putted pretty well, I would have won by a lot this week," DeChambeau said.
