Golf: Slimmed-down DeChambeau savouring solid start to PGA Championship

ROCHESTER, New York : Bryson DeChambeau ditched his bulked-up look in favour of a slimmer physique and the decision is paying off as the LIV Golf member outperformed the game's top players to grab the clubhouse lead at the PGA Championship on Thursday.

DeChambeau underwent a remarkable body transformation in 2020 in a bid to generate more clubhead speed and hit golf balls farther than anyone but has decided the extra weight could lead to health issues and so decided another change was in order.

Turns out DeChambeau, whose overpowering ways did help him land the 2020 U.S. Open and for a stretch made him one of the game's biggest draws, was carrying not just added muscle but water weight as well.

According to DeChambeau, he learned that he was allergic to things like corn, wheat, gluten and dairy, and after cutting them out of his diet lost 18 pounds in 24 days.

"It was crazy. It wasn't fat. It was all water weight," DeChambeau told reporters at Oak Hill. "You know how I looked before. I was not skinny."

DeChambeau made an ideal start to the year's second major as he fired a four-under-par 66 that left him in the clubhouse with a one-shot lead over world number two Scottie Scheffler and Canada's Corey Conners.

It may only be one round but it was the kind of performance the 29-year-old American has not been able to string together at a major in quite some time.

"It's been a while. So nice to come back and start to finally figure out what's going on with my golf swing," said DeChambeau, who missed last year's PGA Championship while recovering from hand surgery.

"As I've told you guys before, I've struggled with my driving. You see me out there on the range. That's something I don't want to do. I don't want to be out there all night,