Bryson DeChambeau has apologized for one of golf’s most infamous comments, finally expressing regret over his 2020 claim that Augusta National was a “par 67” course for him.
Speaking to The Telegraph ahead of this week’s Masters, the 31-year-old admitted he wishes he’d never made the remark that turned him into a target for years of criticism.
“But do I wish I hadn’t said it? I do. Really, I do,” DeChambeau said. “I can see that it was disrespectful to some and I’m sorry for that.”
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What DeChambeau Actually Said
The controversy started in November 2020. DeChambeau had just won the U.S. Open at Winged Foot by six strokes, overpowering the course with his new bulk and distance. Heading into that year’s Masters, which had been postponed to November due to COVID-19, he told Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis his game plan.
“I’m looking at it as a par 67 for me because I can reach all the par fives in two, no problem,” DeChambeau declared. “If the conditions stay the way they are, that’s what I feel like par is for me. That’s not me being bigheaded. I can hit it as far as I want to.”
The golf world reacted immediately. Augusta National is considered sacred ground in the sport, and suggesting it could be overpowered struck many as arrogant. DeChambeau had just poked the bear.
Augusta National’s Response
The course delivered its verdict swiftly. DeChambeau tied for 34th at the 2020 Masters, never coming close to his projected 67. In the final round, playing alongside 63-year-old Bernhard Langer, DeChambeau hit drives more than 100 yards past the Champions Tour legend. Langer still beat him, shooting 71 to DeChambeau’s 73.
The next three years got worse:
- 2021: Tied for 46th
- 2022: Missed the cut at 12-over par
- 2023: Another missed cut
Through those years, the “par 67” comment became a punchline. Every missed cut and poor round reminded everyone of his bold prediction.
The Full Apology
In his interview with The Telegraph’s James Corrigan this week, DeChambeau offered his most complete acknowledgment yet that the comment was a mistake.
“I’ve always since said I don’t regret saying that 67 thing, because I learnt from that experience and it made me a better person,” he explained. “But do I wish I hadn’t said it? I do. Really, I do. Because it impacted some people negatively and I don’t want that, no matter how much of a benefit it might have been to me maturing.”
He clarified that his intention wasn’t to disrespect the course. “Boy, it was a humbling experience. But for me it was simply from a statistical viewpoint and yardages and looking at, if I’m playing well, I could or should be hitting the greens in two or whatever. It was motivation for myself and not intended as anything otherwise.”
DeChambeau added something that stands out: “I’ve never disrespected Augusta internally. It’s the one I want to win. I stand there on the range and hit shots into the sun as it’s going down and I think to myself, ‘this is heaven, imagine being a part of this history.'”
Last Year’s Breakthrough
The 2024 Masters showed a different version of DeChambeau. He opened with a seven-under 65, his lowest round ever at Augusta. Five birdies over a six-hole stretch on the back nine put him in the lead after the first round.
He eventually finished tied for sixth, his best career result at the tournament. After 28 career rounds at Augusta, his scoring average sits at 72.75.
When reporters asked if the 65 validated his old “par 67” comment, DeChambeau avoided taking the bait. “I’m going to go out and try to shoot the best score I possibly can,” he said. “It was a perspective I had, and it cost me a lot of slack, I guess you could say. It definitely hurt some things.”
A Different Golfer in 2025
DeChambeau arrives at this year’s Masters in his ninth appearance at the tournament. He’s now a two-time U.S. Open champion after winning again at Pinehurst last June. He’s also become one of golf’s most popular personalities despite joining LIV Golf in 2022, with his YouTube channel reaching 1.8 million subscribers.
His “Break 50” series has brought him to a different audience, showing a more relaxed side than the intense scientist who once thought he could reduce Augusta to a par 67.
The maturity shows in how he talks about his past comment now. The apology isn’t just words. It’s backed by years of Augusta National teaching him respect the hard way.
“And I think I will one day, because I have to think that,” DeChambeau said about winning the green jacket. “If I do, and when I do, it will be the proudest moment of my career.”
Five years after saying Augusta National was a par 67, Bryson DeChambeau has learned what the course has been teaching golfers for decades: humility comes before victory at the Masters.
