One year after earning his maiden PGA Tour title at TPC Deere Run, Bryson DeChambeau withdrew during the opening round of the John Deere Classic because of a shoulder injury.
DeChambeau struggled to get his title defense off the ground, making bogey on three of his first nine holes. He appeared to tweak his shoulder or neck while hitting a par-3 tee shot early in his round, then could only muster a one-handed finish after his tee shot on the par-3 16th. Already 3 over on his round, he withdrew from the tournament without hitting another shot:
Bryson DeChambeau has withdrawn from the @JDClassic with a right shoulder injury. pic.twitter.com/VjI7QrToqJ
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 12, 2018
After visiting the player performance trailer upon leaving the course, DeChambeau emerged to talk to reporters with his right shoulder in a large wrap.
“On 2 I hit the shot out of the rough on the right, and I just didn’t feel great after that,” DeChambeau said. “I probably overloaded the muscle, my delt. And that’s something I’ve got to work on in the future, get it a little stronger so that stuff doesn’t happen.”
DeChambeau is in the midst of the best season of his career, with a playoff win at the Memorial serving as the highlight of five top-5 finishes since February. He currently holds the eighth spot in the U.S. Ryder Cup standings, with the top eight after next month’s PGA Championship qualifying automatically for Paris.
DeChambeau withdrew from the Valspar Championship in March because of a back injury, but he told Golf Channel that he had not experienced previous issues with his shoulder.
“I think I’ve just got to take care of my body a little bit better,” he said. “I’m learning more and more each year, almost every month, pretty much.”
Ranked No. 22 in the world, DeChambeau is exempt for The Open next week at Carnoustie. He missed the cut last year at Royal Birkdale in his Open debut after earning the final spot in the field thanks to his John Deere victory.
DeChambeau plans to consult with a doctor Thursday to diagnose the injury and doesn’t expect to arrive at Carnoustie until early next week.
“If I can get three or four days of good rest in, when I get there Monday night I’ll evaluate it and see how I feel,” he said. “Hopefully by next week I’ll be ready to go.”
