The Most Important Question Bryson DeChambeau Left Unanswered By Skipping Media After U.S. Open Crash

Bryson DeChambeau is likely going to miss yet another cut at a major championship. | Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)

Bryson DeChambeau’s miserable year at major championships hit a new low Friday, as he stumbled his way through his second round at famed Shinnecock Hills Golf Club with a five-over 75 which, barring a miracle, will have him missing the cut yet again.

For those keeping score at home, that would make three straight missed cuts at majors this year for DeChambeau, who is at five-over for the tournament. The current cutline is looking like three-over, with it maybe even going to four-over. DeChambeau’s inability to be a factor is mind-boggling considering he’s won two U.S. Opens in his career and should have what it takes to compete on these big stages.

2026 U.S. Open: Live Leaderboard

While he may be able to rack up huge numbers on his YouTube videos, he’s also been racking up the wrong numbers: bloated scores on the first two days of the most important tournaments of the year. Those performances have led to early flights home and lots of questions. Most crucial? He needs to figure out what he wants his legacy to be—a guy who only wants people to smash the subscribe button, or a golfer who wants to be remembered as one of the greats of the game.

DeChambeau didn’t speak with the media in the days leading up to the start of the U.S. Open, and that silence continued after Friday’s round when he declined the opportunity to talk about what had just happened.

Instead, according to ESPN’s Paolo Uggetti, he was seen throwing a few sad high-fives to some young fans before disappearing.

This likely missed cut at the U.S. Open might hurt even more than the painful one he experienced at the Masters in April when a triple bogey on the 18th on Friday put an abrupt end to his week. Why? Because late in his first round at Shinnecock, DeChambeau was at two-under and looked like he had the game necessary to be in contention over the weekend.

I mean, he hit a gosh-darn drive 427 yards on his way to an easy birdie on the 12th hole on Thursday.

3... 2... 1... LIFTOFF! 🚀

Bryson's drive on 12 was already big, then it hit the road and ended up going 427 yards. pic.twitter.com/hqvtZhRu0Z

— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 18, 2026

Then, it all fell apart.

DeChambeau had back-to-back double bogeys on the fourth and fifth holes on Friday. And just like that, he was four-over for the tournament and staring the cutline right in the eyes. He was able to fight back a little after that, making two birdies on the front. But then he had three more bogeys on the back nine and when his birdie putt on 18 just missed going in, his hopes of playing the weekend all but went out the window.

It was a stunning collapse for DeChambeau, who in 2024 hit one of the most clutch shots in U.S. Open history on the final hole at Pinehurst that led to an easy par putt and a one-shot victory over Rory McIlroy.

DeChambeau’s professional life seems to be at a crossroads. LIV Golf, which paid him basically all the money in the world in 2022 to join their upstart league, is falling apart and could be dead by the end of the summer. Even if it survives, without the funding from the Saudis it most likely will look a lot different than it has since it first formed.

A return to the PGA Tour isn’t a sure thing, nor is his desire for that to even happen as he’s said lately that he might just make YouTube videos and play in the majors that he has qualified to play in.

The major championships give DeChambeau four times a year to face the best players in the world. So far this year, they have been monumental failures for him, and it has to sting. Or at least you would hope it would sting.

This weekend should be a fun one at Shinnecock, even if Wyndham Clark will have a big lead heading into the third round. The USGA should have the course fine-tuned for carnage and someone early Sunday evening will put their name on the trophy that will change their lives, and possibly legacies, forever.

Now that’s something we’ll be smashing the subscribe button for.

---