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BMW Championship: Top 10 power rankings at Olympia Fields

By Mike Randleman

OLYMPIA FIELDS, IL - JUNE 15: A general view of the final putt on the 18th green during the final round of the 2003 US Open on the North Course at the Olympia Fields Country Club on June 15, 2003 in Olympia Fields, Illinois. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
OLYMPIA FIELDS, IL - JUNE 15: A general view of the final putt on the 18th green during the final round of the 2003 US Open on the North Course at the Olympia Fields Country Club on June 15, 2003 in Olympia Fields, Illinois. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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OLYMPIA FIELDS, IL – AUGUST 23:Bryson DeChambeau holds the Theodore A. Havemeyer trophy after beating Derek Bard 7-6 during the final match of the U.S. Amateur Championship at Olympia Fields Country Club August 23, 2015 in Olympia Fields, Illinois. (Photo by Jeff Haynes/Getty Images)
OLYMPIA FIELDS, IL – AUGUST 23:Bryson DeChambeau holds the Theodore A. Havemeyer trophy after beating Derek Bard 7-6 during the final match of the U.S. Amateur Championship at Olympia Fields Country Club August 23, 2015 in Olympia Fields, Illinois. (Photo by Jeff Haynes/Getty Images) /

Casual or non-golf fans have really gotten to know Bryson DeChambeau after his massive summer bulk-up resulted in a recent slew of top-10s. His theatrics and personality are also a factor in his notoriety.

But it was back in 2015 when he truly entered the golf radar. It was the summer of Bryson while at SMU. He won the NCAA individual championship in June and two months later stormed through the field at Olympia Fields to win the U.S. Amateur.

That run made him look like a soon-to-be star as a pro. DeChambeau quickly graduated from the Korn Ferry Tour in 2016 and after a short but steep learning curve on the PGA Tour. Once he got into a groove, he quickly won in 2017 at the John Deere Classic.

Three years later, and he’s a five-time winner on the PGA Tour with another on the European Tour to boot. Two of those came in the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

Despite a missed cut at last week’s The Northern Trust, the arrows are pointing up for Bryson.

He’s at a familiar venue, for one. His U.S. Amateuer win saw him finish 23rd in stroke play before catching fire.

DeChambeau stormed through the 64-man bracket without having to play the 17th (or 35th, in the finals) hole. He beat current pros Matthew NeSmith, Maverick McNealey (in the BMW Championship) and Paul Dunne before polishing off Derek Bard 7&6.

“You’ve got to be able to hit it in the fairway and hit your greens,” DeChambeau was quoted by ASAP Sports in 2015. “Make a couple putts — it’s just like any golf course.

Despite his quirky methodology, his course management was fairly reasonable at the time. The course for this week’s BMW Championship is relatively right in front of players.

Will DeChambeau go to the strategy that helped him in 2015, or continue his current aggressive style?

It’s hard to go wrong with either. Prior to the MC at TPC Boston, DeChambeau contended at the PGA Championship at T-4th. His streak of seven top-10s dating back to February culminated in a win at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

The 26-year-old ranks first in strokes gained off the tee (1.174 per round). His wedge play has left something to be desired, but the putter makes up for it. He’s seventh in SG putting (.729) and money from inside 10 feet (2nd, 90.78%).

He played a ton of golf in June and July. More rest has come his way in August, so I like him to be recalibrated and ready to contend again.

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