If trends mean anything, DeChambeau’s the one this week at the Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. – The trends are lining up in Bryson DeChambeau’s favor entering this week’s Masters. 

A year ago, he tied for fifth, his best result in his nine previous starts at Augusta National. At one point early in the final round, he even held the solo lead. The previous year, he opened with his lowest career Masters round, a 7-under 65, and was the leader after 18 holes and co-leader after 36, eventually tying for sixth. 

He’s obviously beginning to figure out the complexities and nuances of this treasured course. 

“The more I put myself in those positions, the better opportunities I’m going to have to win,” he said. “It’s just been a gradual learning process.” 

RELATED: Tee times | Power Rankings | Reasons why Bryson will win 

He’ll tee off Thursday in terrific form, having claimed the last two LIV Golf tournaments, each via playoff. It’s the first time since 2018 that he’s won in consecutive starts – and it’s also an indication he’s close to finding his self-described “Sphere of Dominance” in which he’s in complete control of his game. The last time that happened was three years ago at LIV Golf Greenbrier when he shot 61-58 (21 under) in the final 36 holes to win. 

Of course, arguments can be made that winning three straight tournaments of any kind – much less a major on the back end – offer extremely long odds. On pure form, though, the Crushers GC captain says his game is sharper than two years ago when he won the U.S. Open for the second time, stating “my game’s in the best place of its career, outside of maybe Greenbrier.” 

Explained DeChambeau: “I feel like I’m getting closer to when I shot 58 at Greenbrier. That’s what I’m striving to get back to. … It was the greatest swing performance of my entire career. I just remember being able to step up on the tee and not even think about anything and it would do exactly what I was seeing. It was like a video game to me for a while.”

And then this Sunday when the green jacket is presented inside Butler Cabin to the Masters winner, DeChambeau’s age will be 32 years and 208 days. Compare that to the average age of the first 89 winners – 32 years and 192 days. Eerily similar. 

In fact, no other player in the 91-man field comes closer to hitting that average age mark. 

“If that’s the way the stats line up and they work in my favor – fantastic,” DeChambeau said. “I don’t try to look too much into that.” 

Trends, however, don’t guarantee titles. The golf gods can be finicky and unpredictable when it comes to deciding whose time has come to win a major, particularly at Augusta National. There are no direct paths to success. 

Even DeChambeau knows that whatever advancements he’s made in course knowledge the last two years may be negated by an untimely gust of wind, an unfortunate bounce, a bad break, or just the slight cosmetic tweak that forces a gameplan adjustment. 

Consider the tee shot at the 585-yard par-5 second. DeChambeau noticed during a practice round this week that a tree on the left-hand side had been shifted into the frame of view off the tee. 

“This place every year it seems like it changes just fractionally. Just enough to keep ahead of us players that are trying to learn the golf course,” he said. “So, there’s always something new that we’re trying to figure out.”

Getting his irons and wedges dialed in will be huge – it’s the part that’s hindered him the most at Augusta National. Will a shot spin or will it knuckle? The second shot at the par-4 seventh has always perplexed him; his goal now is simply to find the green and be content with par. Birdie’s just a bonus. 

And instead of carrying the fairway bunkers at the 350-yard third, he’s now opting to lay up, hoping to lean on his irons from a full distance instead of a wedge shot with no favorable landing area. 

Speaking of wedges … when DeChambeau won LIV Golf South Africa in a playoff over Jon Rahm last month, he tried out some new wedges, part of an entire set that he’s building himself. Comfortability with his equipment is always one of the key factors in how he performs; his 58 at Greenbrier, if you recall, was fueled by a change in driver that week that maximized his confidence level in that club. 

Making his own clubs could eliminate any of the second-guessing he’s had with previous products. It also means he’s entirely responsible for their performance. He’s willing to accept that tradeoff. 

“I was going quite a bit down a rabbit hole there and figured a couple of cool things out,” DeChambeau said. “Hopefully it helps this week. Then I’m working on irons, building irons, building a driver. We’ll see where it goes; we’ll see where it takes me. 

“All I could say now is, if I don’t put them in the bag, it’s my fault.”

Last weekend, DeChambeau offered comfort to fellow California native Asterisk Talley, the 17-year-old poised to win the prestigious Augusta National Women’s Amateur title until a back-nine breakdown left her in tears. 

He told her that the outcome would not define her – just like last year’s final-round 3-over 75 at Augusta National won’t define him. The gesture was sincere, and the karma could be favorable this weekend.

“I was unfortunately in that same sort of position last year, and I was able to give her a little bit of perspective on that,” he said. “She’s going to be a star.”

DeChambeau, of course, already is a star, the world’s most popular active golfer by a multitude of metrics. 

But numbers … trends … indicators … that’s pre-tournament conversation fodder. The real work begins Thursday when elements such as nerves and emotions come into play.

In South Africa, DeChambeau was fueled by the support of the revved-up fans seeing him in their country for the first time, as well as some personal matters that left him sobbing as he was hugged by his Crushers teammates. It was the end of a three-week stretch that took him and his LIV Golf competitors to Hong Kong, Singapore and Johannesburg, and he came away with two victories.

“Awesome and emotional,” he described it. “It was a long week, a long three weeks. You’re on the road for three weeks. And back-to-back wins. There was a lot that went on that week. It was cool to feed off of that. 

“Hopefully I can pull some of that in this week and feed off of that.” 

Oh, and in case you need any more convincing that this could be Bryson’s week … 

Bib numbers for the iconic white jumpsuits that caddies wear at the Masters are assigned in order of when players arrive and register at Augusta National (the defending champion always gets No. 1). In the tournament's history, the most successful caddie bib numbers are 6, 12, 52 and 89 with three wins each. 

This week, DeChambeau’s caddie Greg Bodine will wear No. 12. 

But maybe don’t get too excited about that omen. Last year, Bodine wore No. 89. 

Top image: Crushers GC Captain Bryson DeChambeau plays a shot from the No. 8 tee during a practice round prior to the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on Tuesday, April 07, 2026. (Photo courtesy of Simon Bruty/Augusta National Golf Club)