Bryson DeChambeau arrived at Royal Birkdale for The Open with bold talk of victory, but three-time champion Sir Nick Faldo delivered a brutal reality check on Monday. Faldo, speaking on the Sky Sports Golf Podcast, declared DeChambeau has “zero clue” of the nuanced strategy required to contend on a true links test.
The LIV Golf star has endured a miserable major season and needs to make the cut at Royal Birkdale to avoid a clean sweep of missed weekends at the year’s biggest tournaments. Yet DeChambeau, the two-time U.S. Open champion, told the Mirror he views anything short of a win as a loss. Faldo, however, dismissed that mindset as ill-suited for links golf.
What did Nick Faldo say about Bryson DeChambeau?
Faldo pulled no punches, telling DeChambeau to his face that his approach is all wrong. “I’d say it to his face — DeChambeau has zero clue of strategy,” Faldo said. “He said last year, ‘I’m going to go out and attack the links.’ Well, I’ve never attacked a links. You thread it, don’t you?”
The six-time major winner argued that conservative play off the tee is the only way to survive firm, fast fairways baked hard by a U.K. heatwave. “The fairway is 20 yards wide,” Faldo added. “Even if you hit it fantastic and it lands on the corner of a divot, you might still miss the fairway.”
Why Faldo thinks DeChambeau is out of his depth
Faldo stressed that links golf rewards precision over power, pointing to subtle slopes and bumps most players overlook. “I always used to look for all the downslopes because you don’t have to hit the driver,” he said. “You can twang your 1-iron or a 3-wood. You hit it on the downslope, it scoots forward, you get an extra 30 yards of run.”
The criticism lands as DeChambeau prepares to tee up at Royal Birkdale, where his Open record falls short of his lofty standards. Faldo’s verdict: DeChambeau’s aggressive style is a mismatch for the challenge ahead.
How DeChambeau is responding to the pressure
Despite the heat, DeChambeau struck a defiant tone on the range on Monday. “I’m not trying to send a message to anybody other than me and myself,” he said. “If I don’t win, I’ll be disappointed. Anything else is a loss, whether it’s second or anything past that.”
The two-time U.S. Open winner insisted he’s figured out the puzzle after a shaky opening round at Royal Portrush last year, when he rallied to finish inside the top 10. Yet Faldo’s words underscore the gulf between DeChambeau’s self-belief and the tactical demands of links golf.
With the fairways firm and the stakes high, DeChambeau faces a stern test of his game — and Faldo’s verdict hangs over his every swing.