Bryson DeChambeau, 'probably around 80 percent right now,' couldn't pass up the Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Bryson DeChambeau walked down the third fairway at Augusta National during his Sunday practice round for the 86th Masters and saw Tiger Woods strolling up 17. The two acknowledged each other, with mock air high-fives from a distance, then went on about their preparation. As for interaction with one of the other biggest names in golf, Phil Mickelson, who remains in exile amidst backlash over his comments about the breakaway Saudi Golf League, DeChambeau admitted he has tried in recent weeks to connect and has heard nothing.

«I've tried to reach out, but he's gone dark,» DeChambeau said. «There's no contact.»

Mickelson, a three-time Masters champion is not competing this week for the first time since 1994. He is on a break from golf following his controversial comments in an excerpt from author Alan Shipnuck's upcoming book. In it, Mickelson called the Saudis «scary motherf------s» but that he was willing to look past their history of human rights violations to challenge the PGA Tour. DeChambeau's name had long been linked to the Saudi Golf League, but he announced in February that he was staying with the PGA Tour.

DeChambeau, though, arrives at Augusta National with bigger concerns than the absence of Mickelson, who last year became the oldest major winner in history by winning the PGA Championship at age 50. On Monday, DeChambeau detailed the full extent of his injuries and that he had returned to competitive golf against the advice of his doctors.

«They recommended that I don't come back for a while,» he said.

The wear-and-tear that comes with the trying to gain distance, which DeChambeau has done since remaking his body and his game since 2019, took its toll. He said he was recovering from hairline