Since the PGA Championship moved to May, British Open Championship gave the world’s best golfers one last shot at major championship glory. Everyone on the field wants to end the major league season on a high note, but no one feels more pressure to accomplish something in his week at Royal Birkdale than Bryson DeChambeau.
DeChambeau entered the 2026 major championship season with the world in front of him. After a dominant start to the LIV golf season, with three top-10 finishes in majors in 2025 and a spot in the world’s top four alongside Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm, he looked poised to win his third major title at some point in 2026.
He arrived at April’s Masters 10-1 on the pre-tournament odds sheet, third favorite behind Rahm (19/2) and ahead of eventual winner McIlroy (13-1). He left Augusta National on Friday night feeling frustrated after a disastrous double bogey from a greenside bunker on No. 18 cost him the cut.
Missing cuts in the majors is nothing new for DeChambeau, and he was expected to bounce back quickly. He’s had ups and downs for most of his major career, but he started this year by finishing in the top 10 or missing out on eight consecutive majors.
2026 Open Championship players, odds: Expert predictions, favorites from Royal Birkdale field
patrick mcdonald
Unfortunately for DeChambeau, this year has been all down and no boom. His PGA Championship flamed out early, but he never sniffed the weekend at Aronimink. He thought the US Open, a major tournament he has won twice, was the perfect place to turn things around, but after a strong start, he faltered on Friday and missed out on the cut again.
He is preparing for his ninth British Open Championship appearance, but is largely absent from the conversation. He’s no longer mentioned alongside front-runners Scheffler and McIlroy, or even second-tier candidates. He is currently 66-1 at BetMGM, tied with the likes of Jordan Spieth, Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka. These three former major champions are similarly looking to find relevance again in the biggest events.
It’s hard to pinpoint the exact reason for DeChambeau’s slump in 2026, but several factors appear to be at play. Changes in equipment are constant, and one wonders whether the “scientists” have gone crazy in search of a gaming panacea, when the game needs to be worked on to overcome its weaknesses. This affects his confidence on the golf course and he quickly becomes at fault for the equipment and loses confidence in his ability to execute the shots he wants.
There is also uncertainty about his future, which may be affecting his focus on the course. Rumors of LIV Golf’s demise began around the time of the Masters, when golf’s soon-to-be free agent and biggest player suddenly didn’t have the options he had hoped for. In Nick Faldo’s words this week, he may just not understand how to stay at the top of his game because he has “no idea” how to strategize on the golf course.
One of the reasons major championship golf is so appealing is that, at its best, it always challenges players’ mental and physical stamina. DeChambeau has failed that test three times this season, for whatever combination of reasons listed above. If he does it again this week, achieving golf’s version of the Golden Sombrero and missing out on a spot in all four majors, he will have to wait another eight months for a chance to change the narrative that he is no longer among golf’s elite.
That’s not time DeChambeau has to waste considering his status as a free agent, which makes this week at Royal Birkdale more important to him than any Open Championship he’s ever played. DeChambeau’s game is by no means ideal for the British Open, which is why he has largely gotten away with not competing for the Claret Jug in the past. As Faldo candidly explained, links golf is about playing according to the demands of the course and having the humility to think your own way. Don’t try to overpower the course or bend it to your will.
Humble is a word rarely attributed to DeChambeau, but missing the cut three times in a row must have been soul-shaking for DeChambeau, who was a two-time major champion before arriving at Royal Birkdale. He only needs to look back a year to see how he can adapt his game to the links golf demands. DeChambeau opened with a 78 at Royal Portrush and quickly learned his lesson, firing three straight rounds in the 60s from there and finishing with a sensational Sunday 64 — sneaking into T10.
Perhaps that experience, combined with a humble 2026 major season, will bring out the best in DeChambeau in time for this year’s revenge and avoid what seems like an even longer wait for the 2027 Masters.
