Bryson DeChambeau hits a shot on Friday on the 16th hole at the Albany Golf Course.
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Bryson DeChambeau, touting a video this week on his YouTube channel, claims to have “figured out something in my golf swing.” “Fourteen years of research on the golf swing has led me to this moment,” he says in the opening moments. It wasn’t hyperbole. Two rounds into the Hero World Challenge, it’s also led him to the top of the leaderboard. Here are three things you need to know after Friday’s second round at the Albany Golf Course in New Providence, Bahamas.
Outside of a penalty drop, things clicked for DeChambeau on Friday. He birdied four holes on the front nine and six on the back, shot an eight-under 64 and took a one-shot lead heading into the weekend. He’s at 11-under, which is one shot ahead of rival Brooks Koepka, Tony Finau and Collin Morikawa.
DeChambeau’s wayward drive on the par-4 16th, which led to a penalty, kept it close. Finau, who has Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith caddieing for him this week, and Morikawa, who could become the world No. 1 with a victory, each shot 66s. Koepka, who bested rival DeChambeau at last week’s Match, bogeyed just one hole and shot a 67.
What would Koepka think of a potential rematch at the Hero?
“No, I don’t give any thought to it because there should be no part two,” he said. “I mean, I won the online battle, he can’t trash-talk, and I’ve won the golf. So 2-0, it’s tough to come back from.”
Half of the field is within five shots of the lead
Half of the 20-man field is within five shots of DeChambeau.
If half of the 20-man field is within striking distance of the lead, that means …
Only two players are worse than par for the tournament. At one over is Ryder Cupper Harris English, and at three over is defending champion Henrik Stenson.
Nick Piastowski is a Senior Editor at Golf.com and Golf Magazine. In his role, he is responsible for editing, writing and developing stories across the golf space. And when he’s not writing about ways to hit the golf ball farther and straighter, the Milwaukee native is probably playing the game, hitting the ball left, right and short, and drinking a cold beer to wash away his score. You can reach out to him about any of these topics — his stories, his game or his beers — at nick.piastowski@golf.com.