2021 Travelers Championship: Top 10 power rankings at TPC River Highlands

Bryson DeChambeau was on top of the world for a moment Sunday at Torrey Pines. He was bogey free early on the back nine and leading the U.S. Open in his title defense.

The wheels came off down the stretch as he ultimately fired 77 to fall to T-26th.

It’s interesting how this slip-up will affect DeChambeau. At times, he looked like he was going to win with even his ‘B’ or ‘C’ game. His power was useful at a big ballpark like that, but it ultimately led to some wayward shots.

DeChambeau was in a bit of denial about what happened, claiming things would have perhaps gone different with some better breaks.

“I didn’t get off the rails at all. It’s golf,” DeChambeau was transcribed by ASAP Sports. “People will say I did this or did that, and it’s just golf. I’ve had plenty of times where I hit it way worse than today and I won. It’s just one of those things where I didn’t have the right breaks happen at the right time.”

The positives to take are a Friday 68, Saturday 69 and the opening of Sunday’s round.

DeChambeau now comes to the Travelers Championship where he’s 5-for-5 making the cut with three straight top-10s since 2018 and no finishes worse than T-47th.

The former SMU Mustang has recorded 14 straight rounds of par or better at TPC River Highlands. Twelve of them were in the 60s.

DeChambeau ranks first on the PGA Tour in strokes gained off the tee (1.142) while aso slotting in the top 50 in SG approach (.373, 45th) and SG putting (.424, 37th).

The 27-year-old’s also 13th in birdie average (4.26) and 23rd in proximity from 125-150 yards (21’2″).

DeChambeau enters with eight straight made cuts, which includes his Arnold Palmer Invitational win and T-3rd at another Pete Dye course, TPC Sawgrass.