Augusta, GA
Bryson DeChambeau, matured in both game and attitude, opens with 65 to lead the Masters
Bryson DeChambeau walks on the 17th green during the first round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
AP
AUGUSTA, Ga. — It took Bryson DeChambeau four years and 13 rounds to finally break par at Augusta National.
His par.
Or at least, what he once proclaimed to be his par.
DeChambeau birdied his first three holes Thursday, made five more over his last seven, and opened with a 65 to take the early lead at the Masters. It was his best round ever in the season’s first major, and only his second in the 60s since the once-brash, always-outspoken DeChambeau ruffled a few feathers among the green jackets.
Back in 2020, a bulked-up DeChambeau declared his power had rendered the par-72 layout a par 67, because he could reach Augusta National’s four par-5s in two and the short, par-4 third hole was reachable off the tee.
The comment came off as arrogance run amok, and DeChambeau got some comeuppance when he tied for 34th that year.
The former U.S. Open champion admitted Thursday that he has taken plenty of flack for it.
“For me,” DeChambeau said, “I have a level of respect for this golf course that’s a little bit different than a couple years ago, and clearly today was a great test of golf, and I was able to conquer a very difficult golf course today.
“Regarding the 67 comment,” DeChambeau continued, “you know, you mess up. I’m not a perfect person. Everybody messes up. You learn from your mistake, and that was definitely one.”
To be sure, DeChambeau is older and wiser — a whole lot richer, too, thanks to his jump from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf — than he was four years ago. He has overcome injuries, including a fractured bone in his left wrist, and struggled with tweaks to his swing as he shed some of that muscle for a more lithe, athletic build that just might hold up better over time.
Things finally clicked again for the 30-year-old last year in the LIV event at The Greenbrier, when DeChambeau shot 61-58 on the weekend to win going away. He won again later in the year at Rich Harvest Farms near Chicago.
Tiger Woods celebrates after a birdie on the first hole during the first round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
AP
“The thing about Bryson — people don’t talk about it — he’s always been one of the best putters in the world,” explained Gary Woodland, who played with him Thursday. “When he drives it like he did today — I mean, he drove it really good — and he makes putts, he’s obviously very good. It was a clinic. It was impressive. He didn’t get out of position hardly at all.”
As well as things are going on the course for DeChambeau, they seem to be trending in the right direction off it.
“He’s one of the smartest people I know, and one of the most talented players I know, and probably one of the hardest working,” said Phil Mickelson, who plays with him frequently on the LIV tour. “He has found a way to play golf that is different and unique from anybody I’ve ever seen play it. He believes and knows that it gives him opportunities and advantages, and he has got the commitment and the self-assurance to not care what anybody else says.”
People do care what DeChambeau has to say, though.
He was among the first wave of PGA Tour stars that chased guaranteed Saudi money with LIV Golf, and he remains one of the breakaway league’s biggest cheerleaders. But he also realizes the resulting schism within professional golf has been detrimental to the sport, and he’s joined Rory McIlroy and others in pressing for some sort of reconciliation.
Scottie Scheffler celebrates after a birdie from the bunker on the 12th hole during the first round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
AP
“Look, how do we make this work for both sides? How do we make this work for the fans?” DeChambeau asked. “I personally think that we could figure that out quickly if we just sit down and hash it out for a week.”
Leave it to the golfer nicknamed “the Scientist” — a deep thinker deep in confidence — to believe such a complex problem can be solved so easily.
“I was always different growing up,” DeChambeau admitted, “and I learned pretty quickly not everybody is going to agree with you or like what you’re doing. And when somebody doesn’t agree with me, I respectfully say, ‘OK, appreciate that, but I think it’s this way, and we’re just going to agree to disagree.’ And that’s kind of the way I’ve taken it over the past —- well, my whole life.
“You can’t figure everything out,” DeChambeau added with a smile, “and you’re not always going to be right. Respecting that, respecting Father Time and understanding that — enjoy the ride. Smell the roses.”
Jordan Spieth lines up a putt on the second hole during the first round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
AP
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Senate candidate Derek Dooley made several visits to the area on Friday.
Dooley had stops in both Lincolnton and Augusta on May 29 and was joined by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp for his “Georgia First” tour. He spoke about one of the issues he finds in politics.
“But the other piece of it is the corruption. People sit on these committees. They have access to information that none of us have. And then you look up 2 or 3 years down the road and their wealth is just skyrocketing,” Dooley said. “You’re outperforming every investor out there. And I think it’s shameful. I think it erodes trust. It’s something that I will never do.”
“Politicians were out there getting paid. They were coming back home. They’re raising money and campaigning while the government shut down,” Kemp said. “What Derek’s saying, if he’s up there, we’re not going to allow legislators to get paid. We’re going to take away their benefits. That way, you won’t ever have another shutdown again.”
Dooley is facing Congressman Mike Collins in a runoff for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.
The winner of the Republican nomination will face incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff in November.
Photojournalist credit: Regynal McKie
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A man has been arrested after he was accused of hitting two women at Piedmont Hospital in Augusta.
The incident happened on May 14 around 12 a.m.
According to arrest warrants, Bruce Bland struck one victim with a closed hand several times in the face. Bland also threw a garbage can at the victim, hitting her in the head.
The warrant states the victim suffered a bruise on her face.
Bland also hit another victim with a closed hand on her mouth, according to the warrants. She suffered swelling and a bruise on her mouth.
Bland is charged with battery and simple battery, according to the warrants. Both charges are misdemeanors.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A luncheon Thursday gave business and community leaders more information about data centers coming to Augusta.
Georgia Power and QTS representatives attended to help people understand what the project is and how it will impact Augusta. The QTS data center is planned for land near the Haynes Station neighborhood.
They cited the Public Service Commission’s rule that data centers have to pay for 100 percent of their energy usage and upgrades to local grids.
“We heard earlier today about some of the great things that Georgia’s been doing in being able to provide that reliable and affordable power,” said Khara Boender, director of state policy for the Data Center Coalition. “And the data center industry is committed to paying for their full cost of service for electricity, including paying for some of those upfront costs when it comes to those grid build-outs.”
The experts said the main thing drawing data centers to Georgia is the availability of land and power. They called Georgia the number one state for data centers.
Kerry Bridges, Georgia Power’s region executive, said the state’s low energy rates — 15% lower than the national average — contribute to that draw.
Bridges said the bill for usage and upgrades to electrical systems go 100% to the data center company and nearby neighbors should not be affected.
“The future looks like a growing Georgia, an economy where everyone across the state can participate, lower utility bills across the country because our wonderful partners are coming to town, they’re bringing the dollars, they’re investing in the electric grid,” Bridges said.
QTS, the company building the data center in Augusta near the Haynes Station neighborhood, said they are building a closed loop system. Each center requires an Olympic-sized swimming pool amount of water to start, but then it recycles that water for the rest of its time in use.
Jeff Greene, senior manager at QTS Data Centers, said QTS now only builds these closed loop centers.
Greene said they plan on each of their six buildings using 18,000 gallons of water a day just for flushing toilets and using sinks after the system is up and running.
“It just stays, it’s like a giant radiator, it will just keep cycling through, the water is heating and cooling constantly over and over again. And that’s a very different water consumption use than what typically used to happen, which was evaporative cooling. QTS went away from evaporative cooling in its data centers back in 2018,” Greene said.
Residents have pushed back against data centers in meetings, questioning how they would affect nearby neighbors. There is currently the QTS data center being built in Augusta, two data centers under construction in Columbia County and one in McDuffie County.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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