DeChambeau back in another Masters hunt entering weekend - ESPN

AUGUSTA, Ga. — After opening the 89th Masters with a 3-under 69, which left him four strokes behind leader Justin Rose, Bryson DeChambeau hit another 150 balls or so at Augusta National Golf Club's practice area Thursday.

Since arriving at the course Tuesday, DeChambeau has hit more than 800 balls during practice sessions — about three times as many as Rory McIlroy and four times as many as world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.

«It was just my iron play, trying to get my stock draw in there,» DeChambeau said of the Thursday session. «Felt like I was leaving the face open a little bit, so [I] worked on some sequencing stuff, some face angle stuff.»

At one point Thursday, DeChambeau was doing an upper-cut exercise that resembled a topspin shot in ping-pong.

«That's just what I want to feel in my golf swing,» he said.

The reigning U.S. Open champion finally felt that sensation on the fifth hole of his second round Friday, which helped him post a 68 that left him one stroke behind leader Rose with a 36-hole total of 7 under.

On the par-3 fourth hole, DeChambeau pulled his tee shot into a left greenside bunker. He holed out from 36 feet for his second birdie of the round.

On the par-4 fifth, DeChambeau ripped a 359-yard drive down the right side of the fairway. He knocked his approach to 8 feet and made another birdie to move to 3 under.

The LIV Golf League captain made another birdie by reaching the par-5, 570-yard eighth hole in two and two-putting from 20 feet.

«On the fifth hole, I said to myself, 'I've got to feel something that's a little different,'» DeChambeau said. «And lo and behold, I think I just started to integrate more of an up-and-down motion, and that just felt more comfortable to me.»

DeChambeau carded seven