Bryson DeChambeau had the media waiting for him on Wednesday at Bay Hill. As he walked up to the par-5 6th tee, he knew why everyone was there. “It’s too into the wind today,” he told them, smiling.
DeChambeau’s gallery was due to what he said earlier this year, when he told GOLF.com he plans to take a heroic line at the green during this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational. The hole is a 555-yard dogleg around a lake, but it’s about a 350 carry to the green directly over the lake.
“If I play this year I will definitely do it,” Bryson told GOLF.com. “No. 6 at Bay Hill is one of those I’ve been eyeing. I think I can do some pretty cool things on it.”
DeChambeau added that wind would be a factor, and that was the case on Wednesday.
“I don’t know if it’s doable today, unfortunately,” he said, standing over his golf ball. “It’s too into the wind.”
DeChambeau took a mighty cut but failed to carry the water. “Too much spin; too much wind,” he said. “If it’s not into the wind I can get there.” DeChambeau gave it another go and fell short again, guessing his second was about 15 yards shy.
“Thought I would attempt to carry the 6th hole today (340 with the carry),” DeChambeau tweeted later with a video. “Wind was brutal and I came up short (only gave it a few tries), but might be something I go for if the conditions are right. We’ll see.”
The wind on Wednesday was a slight cross wind and blowing into DeChambeau at about 15 mph. The forecast for Thursday calls for winds at 9-13 mph to the north and northwest, and Friday will be 7-14 mph to the north and northeast. A northeast wind would be ideal for DeChambeau’s plan to drive the green.
DeChambeau’s opening round begins at 8:17 a.m. ET off the 10th tee on Thursday. Will he try the aggressive line again on the 6th? We’ll wait and see. Full tee times are here.
