ESQUITE, Nev.-TheshowwasoverforBrysonDeChambeauby1: 45 p.m.onTuesdayattheWorldLongDriveChampionships.AfterabriefautographsessionfollowingDeChambeau'sdazzlingopeninground,thecrowdhadbeguntodispersearoundhimattheMesquiteSportsComplex.Fansslowlyfiledbackinthedirectionoftheevent'sthreemainattractions: thebarbecuetruck, thebleachersandtherange.BrianZiegler, DeChambeau'scaddie, scoopeduphisboss'sthingsandmadetheshortwalkbacktothecar.ButDeChambeaudidnotfollow.Hewas50yardsahead, yukkingitupwithagaggleoflargehumanbeings.Bryson Show oli lõppenud, mis tähendas, et tõeline etendus oli algamas.
TenfeetinfrontofBrysonstoodthelongdriveking, KyleBerkshire.Berkshireissixfeet, withthickshouldersandbrownhairthathangswellbelowhisshoulders.Otherwise, hestandsoutamongthelongdrivecircuit'scastofsuper-villainlookalikesforhisregular-guyvibe-hästi, untilyouseehimhitagolfball.Berkshireisamemberofthelongdriveworld on "220club" -thegroupofplayerscapableofreachingballspeedsatorgreaterthan220mph.Hisswingisablur, hisclubwhippingwellbeyondhisheadandbackthroughagainwithimpossibleforce, reachingeven-vähem believabledistance.
DeChambeau päev sai läbi, vaid ainult konkurendina. Kuidas saaks ta lõpuks ära jätta võimaluse oma parima sõbra tegude vaatamiseks?
DeChambeauandBerkshire'srelationshipisoneborneoutofintrigue.AsDeChambeau'sbegantobulkupinlate2019, hereachedouttoBerkshire, thenewlymintedWorldLongDrivechamp, aboutbestpracticesforaddingspeed.Quickly, thetworealizedtheysharedsimilarapproachestogolf, andsimilaroutlooksonthegame.Theysoonbegantrainingtogetherandafriendshipblossomed. "Wecanbouncethingsoffeachother, weunderstandwhateachotherdealswith" Berkshiresaid. "Ilmselgelt everythinghedoeshedealswithisfarmoreintensethanme, butIcanstillhaveanideaofit.Itreasureourfriendshipgreatly, andIthinkhedoes, too.Andit'sdefinitelyaverygenuineone, too.Thisisn "See on lihtsalt midagi, mida me kaamera jaoks teeme."
Berkshire'i jaoks oli DeChambeau ideaalne uurimus – mängija, kes on piisavalt andekas, et võistelda programmi kõrgeimal tasemel, kuid kes on valmis pühenduma kauguse ja kiiruse lisamiseks. DeChambeau jaoks oli Berkshis midagi palju enamat.
"Notmanypeopletodealwithwhatwedealwith, especiallywithwhatBrysondealswithonsocialmedia, andjustingeneral" Berkshiresaid. "Ithinkit'sreallycatharticforustohavethatoutletoftalkingtoeachotherand, youknow, workingthroughthingsandkindofdiscussingthings." Thetwospeakfrequentlybyphone, andtheytraintogetherinthelead-uptoPGAToureventswheneverBerkshirecanattend.HewastheoriginalarchitectofDeChambeau'shighlypublicizedspeed-trainingprogram, andmorerecently, hasservedasemotionalcounselthroughsomeofDeChambeau'shigh-profilestruggles.
"Ithinkthat'sthemostimportantthing, we'rereallygoodforeachotherwhenitcomestodealingwiththepsychological, thementalstuff" Berkshiresaid. "Peopledon'tunderstandwhenyou'reinthespotlight, thepsychologicaleffectthathas.Itcangettoughwhenyou'reseeingpeoplesayhorrendousthingsaboutyouoverandoverandover.Itgetstoyou.Soit'sgoodtobeabletotalktopeople." OnTuesday, DeChambeauandBerkshirecaughtupforafewminutesbeforeBerkshire'sfirst-roundsession, sharingafewlaughsandaquickphoto.AsBerkshirewalkedoverto "thegrid" DeChambeautrailedclosebehind .Teeala jrgmine DeChambeausmiledasBerkshire 409-jardisel autosõidul lihtsalt selle viienda hooga, varjates peaaegu oma üldist parimat.
Nad veedavad enne nädala koos rohkem aega, vahetades kahtlemata paar sõjalugu oma esimesest ametlikust sõbralikust võistlusest. Enamasti ajavad ja räägivad kaks golfi kõige pikemat lööjat.
Golfist, elust ja kõige raskemast vahemaast, mida on võimalik vallutada – nende vahel.
"Ma arvan, et see on mõlemale inimesele suurim kasu," ütles Berkshirs oma suhte kohta DeChambeau'ga. "See on kindlasti hea."