Reporting from Augusta, Ga. — Bryson DeChambeau’s day at Augusta National went from impressive to bizarre in two swings Friday.
One shot off the lead of his playing partner, Jordan Spieth, as they stood on the 18th tee in the Masters, the reigning U.S. Amateur champion pulled his tee shot into the left trees. Left with an unplayable lie in a bush, DeChambeau took a penalty stroke, re-teed and it another ball left.
This time, he was up against a fence that backed a concession stand, and he was able to take a free drop — at least 45 yards to the left, where there is a wide walking corridor for spectators.
DeChambeau hit a wood to short of the green and chipped up to eventually make a triple-bogey 7 that dropped him into a tie for eighth at even par.
The 22-year-old who is turning pro at the tournament seemed hardly flustered.
“Not tough at all,” he said of the end. “It’s just a golf shot. People think, ‘Oh my gosh, he was nervous.’ No, I wasn’t nervous. I pulled two shots. It’s a disappointing factor. But that’s golf. You’ve got to learn from that and play your best tomorrow.”
DeChambeau, best known for his clubs all being the same length, still has a shot at becoming the first amateur champion of the Masters.
Watson says farewell
As the fans surrounding the 18th green cheered, Tom Watson tapped his chest and pointed at them. Before he lined up his first putt, he wiped tears from his eyes.
Then, 66 feet above the hole — a number that matched his age — he aimed his roll well left and watched as his ball crept down to within inches of the cup. With a tap-in par, Watson’s 43rd and last Masters came to an end.
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Danny Willett of England walks along the 15th hole during the final round of the Masters on Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Jordan Spieth gathers his thoughts on the 18th green before finishing the final round with a one-over 73.
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Jordan Spieth presents Danny Willett the winner’s green jacket Sunday evening at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Augusta National chairman William Porter Payne presents American Bryson DeChambeau with the trophy for being the top amateur at the Masters during the awards ceremony Sunday evening.
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Masters champion Danny Willett gives the thumbs-up sign to fans after the awards ceremony at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Jordan Spieth gets a pat on the back from caddie Michael Greller on the 18th hole after finishing second at the Masters.
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Jordan Spieth takes a second drop on the 12th hole after one of the two times his shots landed in Rae’s Creek while hitting approach shots there during the final round of the Masters tournament.
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Jordan Spieth plays his second shot on the 11th hole from the trees during the final round of the Masters on Sunday.
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Danny Willett reacts after making a putt at No. 14 on Sunday during the final round of the Masters.
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Hideki Matsuyama of Japan chips onto a green during the final round of the Masters on Sunday.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays a shot out of the bunker during the final round of the Masters.
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Lee Westwood of England reacts after making an eagle on the 15th hole during the final round of the Masters.
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Jason Day of Australia reacts after playing a shot Sunday during the final round of the Masters.
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Patrons leave Augusta National Golf Club after the third round of the Masters.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays a shot onto the 16th green during third round of the Masters.
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Bernhard Lange tips his cap to the crowd after putting out at No. 18 during the third round of the Masters on Saturday.
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Jordan Spieth walks out of the trees along the 18th fairway after hitting a recovery shot during the third round of the Masters.
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Jordan Spieth hits out of the rough along the 17th fairway Saturday during the third round of the Masters.
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Hideki Matsuyama of Japan plays his second shot on the 12th hole during the third round of the Masters.
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Rory McIlroy reacts to a missed birdie putt on the 17th green during the third round of the Masters.
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Sergio Garcia of Spain lines up a putt on the 13th green during the third round of the Masters.
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American Scott Piercy creates a splash of sand as he hits out of a bunker during the third round of the Masters.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays his shot from the 17th tee during the first round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy hits out of a bunker on the 18th green during Round 1 of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Ian Poulter, of England, reacts after missing a putt on the first hole during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Danny Lee, of New Zealand, hits a drive on the second hole during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Mike Weir of Canada hit out of a bunker on the second hole during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Jason Day, of Australia, watches his drive on the second hole during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Charl Schwartzel, of South Africa, hits out of a bunker on the fourth hole during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Patrons walk along the first fairway before the start of play during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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A scorekeeper peers through a hole from behind a board during Round 1 of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Martin Kaymer of Germany down the fairway on the fifteenth hole during the first round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Australia’s Steven Bowditch putts on 1st hole during Round 1 of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in April. (DON EMMERT / AFP/Getty Images)
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Rickie Fowler hits out of the rough off the first fairway during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Jordan Spieth hits on the second fairway during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Victor Dubuisson of France and caddie Leonard Francois walk up the third fairway during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Amateur Bryson DeChambeau tees off on the third hole during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Jordan Spieth lines up a putt on the first hole during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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A scorekeeper places numbers on a leaderboard during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Jack Nicklaus waves before hitting a ceremonial first tee shot before the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Steven Bowditch of Australia celebrates after chipping in a birdie on the first hole during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Lee Westwood of England chips on the second hole during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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A sign bearing the names of the honorary starters Gary Player of South Africa, Jack Nicklaus of the U.S. and Arnold Palmer of the U.S. before they ceremonially open the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player together on the first tee at the ceremonially opening of the first round of the 2016 Masters Tournament.
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Patrons wait for the gates to open near the first fairway before the start of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Patrons file onto the course after the gates are opened near the first fairway before the start of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Spectators line a fairway to watch the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
(David J. Phillip / Associated Press) He shot 74-78 and at eight over missed the cut by two shots.
“It was a great walk in the southern Georgia pines one more time,” Watson said.
The two-time Masters winner and eight-time major champion noted that after a good drive at 18 he needed to hit five-wood into the green.
“I’m so happy I don’t have to play 18 anymore,” he said with a laugh. “The reality is that the golf course is too big for me.”
The other Watson
The good news for Bubba Watson: He made the cut.
The bad news: He made the cut.
Watson took a second straight beating at Augusta, shooting a three-over 75 with six bogeys. He figured he was toast when he met with the media in the early afternoon. But thanks to some ugly scores, the cut moved to six over, which means the course could bludgeon him again Saturday.
“The golf course beat me this year,” the two-time Masters champion said, “so I’ve just got to improve, try to get better around this place.”
He bristled at a question about his confidence level, saying: “I was fourth in the world, and I’m still fourth in the world, so, yeah, I feel good. I don’t know if you’ve ever been fourth in the world, but you have pretty good confidence; there’s only three guys better than you in the world.”
They’re gone
With shots into the water at 15 and 16 to make double bogeys, Phil Mickelson scored 40 on the back nine, carded 79 and missed only his third cut in 24 Masters. “This is the worst I’ve managed myself around this golf course,” Mickelson said. “I don’t know what to say. I love this tournament so much, and I’ve been playing so well … to come in and make some of those mistakes and the doubles and stuff that I made today is very disappointing.”
Ian Woosnam, the 1991 Masters champion, said after shooting 82-81 that he would retire from the tournament. The Welshman, 58, said a persistent back problem won’t allow him to continue to walk Augusta’s hills.
World No. 5 Rickie Fowler followed an 80 with a 73 and missed the cut at nine over.
