Bryson DeChambeau meltdown throws Masters hopes into disarray on very first day

Kylee HansenThu, April 9, 2026 at 7:13 PM UTC

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Bryson DeChambeau struggled to find the green at Augusta National during the first round -Credit:Getty Images (Getty Images)

Bryson DeChambeau suffered a meltdown in bunker as he made a triple bogey that threw his Masters hopes into disarray on the first day at Augusta National Golf Club.

The LIV Golf and YouTube star needed three shots to get out of a greenside bunker on hole 11, as the two-time U.S. Open Champion is hunting for his first-ever green jacket. He addressed his rivalry with Rory McIlroy ahead of the tournament and his determination to go one better after last year's final round shoot-out didn't go his way.

DeChambeau is making his 10th Masters start in 2026 and he earned low amateur honors in his tournament debut in 2016, while he’s finished inside the top six in each of the past two years at Augusta National but had a difficult time during the first round, with one disastrous hole proving his undoing.

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DeChambeau was at even par through 10 holes and hit his drive onto the fairway. He hung the approach shot and it drifted into the bunker, and kept the ball in the sand the next two shots, too.

Finally, he found the green and two-putted for triple bogey. The score was his seventh ‘7’ or higher at the course and left him with a massive uphill climb to play his way back into contention ahead of the weekend.

“It's a lot of learning,” said DeChambeau earlier this week referring to Augusta National.

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“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. So there's always something new that we're trying to figure out, whether it be a second shot -- excuse me, the 2nd hole, first shot, there's a tree on the left that's kind of moved over into our frame of view off the tee, and it's different.

“So it's really cool to see the golf course move and adapt and us have to attack the golf course in unique and different ways.

“I think over the past couple years it's really come down to the equipment that I have as well as a lot more patience. Since I have gratitude just being here, no matter if I'm contending or trying to make the cut or whatever it is, it just really is such an honor for me to get after this golf course and try to learn more.”

DeChambeau achieved back-to-back individual golf titles on the Saudi-backed circuit this season, including Singapore after the star fell into a bunker and sent a tee-shot into the water.

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“I think it's the willingness to always try to improve,” said DeChambeau referring to what he’s doing differently at the Masters.

“There's this nature that I have about myself where innovation is a habit of mine, and I really find and take pride in that ability to learn, even through failure, even through making a bad decision or a good decision, what I can get from that.

“South Africa I was trying wedges. So I was going quite a bit down a rabbit hole there and figured a couple cool things out. Hopefully it helps this week. Then I am working on irons, building irons, building a driver. So 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 now.”

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Source: “AOL Sports”