Bryson DeChambeau fires back at Faldo criticism with strong Open Championship start

Bryson DeChambeau silenced his detractors on Thursday with a crisp opening-round 67 at Royal Birkdale.

What happened at the 2026 Open Championship?

DeChambeau carded six birdies against just one bogey to sit one shot behind early leaders at the 150th Open Championship. His round included 16 pars and a single dropped shot at the par-4 18th, where he missed the fairway. The 32-year-old American arrived under heavy scrutiny after missing the cut in all three majors so far in 2026.

Why the criticism before the round?

Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee accused DeChambeau of shifting focus from chasing Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy to chasing YouTube creator Grant Horvat. Sir Nick Faldo piled on, telling Monday viewers that DeChambeau has zero clue of strategy on links layouts. Those remarks dominated the pre-tournament narrative.

How did DeChambeau respond?

He declined traditional media interviews but answered R&A in-house questions. His replies dripped with sarcasm. “I feel like I did a really good job today of being incredibly strategic and focused,” he said. “I placed the ball in some good areas. I just need to hit more fairways.” The jab at Faldo landed hard-DeChambeau used “strategy” and “strategic” repeatedly.

What’s next for DeChambeau?

He’ll tee off again Friday, looking to build on a round that silenced doubters. His fitness tech deal with Google Health-announced earlier this week-adds another layer to his off-course pursuits. But on-course, he needs more fairways and fewer headlines about his strategy.