Bryson DeChambeau displayed his frustration with a cameraman on Saturday after botching a bunker shot on the seventh hole during the third round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
DeChambeau threw his club into the sand, then took issue with the cameraman following him closely to the green as he proceeded to mark his ball. He holed out for bogey before confronting the camerman.
“He was literally watching me the whole entire way up after getting out of the bunker, walking up next to the green," DeChambeau said, according to Golf Channel's Will Gray. "And I just was like, ‘Sir, what is the need to watch me that long?’
“I mean, I understand it’s his job to video me, but at the same point, I think we need to start protecting our players out here compared to showing a potential vulnerability and hurting someone’s image. I just don’t think that’s necessarily the right thing to do.”
The 26-year-old understands that attention comes with the territory, but he asked that golfers be given some space during moments of frustration.
"As much as we’re out here performing, I think it’s necessary that we have our times of privacy as well when things aren’t going our way," DeChambeau said,
"... I feel like when you’re videoing someone and you catch Tiger (Woods) at a bad time, you show him accidentally doing something, or someone else, they’re just frustrated because they really care about the game. It could really hurt them if they catch you at a potentially vulnerable time."
DeChambeau shot a 5-under 67 in the third round and is at 16-under for the event. He sits three shots back of leader Matthew Wolff, who shot a 64 on Saturday.
The five-time PGA Tour winner continued to show his improved power with an average driving distance of 348.5 on Saturday, and a 374-yard drive on No. 13 highlighted his day.
