PGA Tour Installs Internal OB At Sawgrass To Prevent DeChambeau Drive

Bryson will not be allowed to play down the 9th hole from the 18th tee at TPC Sawgrass

Internal OB At Sawgrass
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Bryson will not be allowed to play down the 9th hole from the 18th tee at TPC Sawgrass

PGA Tour Installs Internal OB At Sawgrass To Prevent DeChambeau Drive

The PGA Tour has stopped any chance of another crazy Bryson DeChambeau driving strategy this week at the Players Championship.

There was talk of the Golfing Scientist playing down the 9th hole at TPC Sawgrass from the 18th tee, but that is no longer possible thanks to a new internal out of bounds.

“In the interest of safety for spectators and other personnel, the Players Championship Rules Committee has installed an internal out of bounds left of the lake for play of hole 18,” the PGA Tour said in a statement.

Bryson said he would "probably give it a try," in his pre-tournament press conference but the option has been taken out of his hands.

Instead, he will likely hit a 4 iron off the tee to leave himself an 8 or 7 iron into the 462 yard finishing hole.

WATCH: DeChambeau hits 377 yard monster drive on Sunday at Bill Hill

"I'll probably give it a try, but it's most likely not going to happen," he said on Tuesday, prior to the Tour's statement on the new internal out of bounds.

"If there's stands, I haven't seen it yet, but if there's stands there there's really no reason to go for it, when I could just drive it 100 yards from the green if I get a good wind normally.

"It's not really that big of an advantage, but taking the water out of play and having an easier second shot, it may be easier, I don't know."

DeChambeau originally raised the idea of going left on 18 in his post-tournament press conference after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Sunday.

"I have thought about sometimes on 18 going left into 9," he said.

"But we'll see, with the stands and everything, if it's even worth it.

"It just gives you a better shot into the green, I think, personally, where you can just hit it a little long and you're always going to be okay.

"Considering if you try and hit the fairway out to the right, it's probably not worth it.

"I mean, the cover's like 310, but we'll see.

"I look at all options and hopefully there's an advantage there.

"But if not I'll just hit 4-iron down the fairway and hopefully an 8-iron or 7-iron into the green.

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!

Elliott is currently playing:

Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV