DeChambeau chasing Open breakthrough in 'thick wind'

Bryson DeChambeau chuckled when he said it last year but there's no denying the difference between plan and execution when playing in challenging conditions that are typically par for the course in The Open Championship.

DeChambeau missed the cut with 10 bogeys in 36 holes at the Open in 2024 at Royal Troon, where he made the comment he can do it when conditions are "warm and not windy." In 2023, he got in all four rounds but tied for 60th at 7-over.

Of course, perfect isn't in the forecast for the first round of the 153rd Open Championship with temperatures at Northern Ireland's Royal Portrush expected to reach 70 degrees with rain and 18 mph wind gusts.

DeChambeau, 31, has come to appreciate the Open challenges -- part mental, part physical and a double dose of balancing flammable emotions.

He said on Tuesday it's "pretty simple to talk about but sometimes difficult to execute" the perfect approach in this tournament.

For starters this week, DeChambeau wants to keep it simple: avoid bunkers and putt better than ever.

"Just try to be as strategic as possible and put the ball in a place where I can give myself good chances for birdie but also not give myself too many difficult places to play from is the goal," DeChambeau said.

With a top-10 in the Open at St. Andrews in 2022 on his record, DeChambeau knows he can contend if he executes that plan.

Recent performances on the LIV Golf circuit in windy conditions at Miami and at Real Club Valderrama in Andalucia last week add more confidence, but DeChambeau was quick to point out this week's conditions will be different.

"Heavy wind is a great way to describe it. It's thick," DeChambeau said of the Northern Ireland gusts.

"It just -- OK, I'm not going to say that. You know, it's one of those situations where you're in the environment and you go, 'All right, this feels like a 15-mile-an-hour wind.' And all of a sudden it plays like a 30-mile-an-hour wind, and you're like, what the heck? So I think that's the trick of it. If you grew up here, you play a lot of golf over here, you get quite comfortable and knowledgeable about that. I just need more reps in a sense.

"Hopefully I've had enough reps to be able to do that. I played well in some windy conditions. Andalucia was a good test last week in the first few days. Played well. But again, the wind is different from there to here. We'll see how it goes this week. Hopefully it stays warm and my body stays warm."

A big finish in Ireland, coupled with top fives at The Masters and PGA Championship, would likely solidify DeChambeau's spot on Keegan Bradley's roster for the 2025 Ryder Cup.

DeChambeau said he's highly aware of the Ryder Cup decision -- he is currently ranked 15th in the Official World Golf Ranking -- but he is counting on the self-applied pressure to bring out his best this week.

"I feel pressure every week to play good for not only Keegan but myself, and the people that I love online and everybody that's watching me. I absolutely feel pressure," he said.

"I put enough pressure on myself already. For my country, for the game of golf, I do ... but I'm excited for the challenge. It makes me more excited. When I feel those nerves, I'm like, OK, let's go. It's like I'll walk through the fire rather than run away from it for me."