Bryson DeChambeau to reporter at US Open: "Thanks for the salty balls question"

Bryson DeChambeau has confirmed he floats his golf balls in a saltwater solution before each round to ensure they're balanced.

DeChambeau, 30, currently leads the US Open by three shots heading into the final round. In his search for a second major championship, he ensures that every piece of equipment he uses is in ideal condition. 

The long-hitting LIV Golf star is renowned for his experimental equipment tinkering and made headlines recently for using the first-ever set of 3D-printed irons. 

His alternative equipment choices don't stop there, though; the former Cobra ambassador also uses single-length irons and an unconventional armlock-style putter. 

Without wanting to leave any stone unturned in search of fully optimising his setup, DeChambeau also has a peculiar routine he completes with his golf balls to ensure his shots fly straighter. 

His manager, Connor Olson, now performs the unconventional practice, which involves soaking each of his golf balls in a saltwater solution to ensure they are perfectly balanced.

Following a third-round 67 at Pinehurst No.2, DeChambeau spoke to the media and was questioned about the routine. 

Here's what he had to say:

"Thanks for the salty balls question. I appreciate that. Yeah, I put my golf balls in Epsom salt. I'm lucky enough that Connor, my manager, does that now. I don't have to do it. But essentially we float golf balls in a solution to make sure that the golf ball is not out of balance.

"There was a big thing back in the day where golf balls are out of balance, and it's just because of the manufacturing process. There's always going to be an error, especially when it's a sphere and there's dimples on the edges. You can't perfectly get it in the center.

"So what I'm doing is finding pretty much the out-of-balanceness of it, how much out of balance it is. Heavy slide floats to the bottom, and then we mark the top with a dot to make sure it's always rolling over itself.

"It kind of acts like mud. If there's too much weight on one side, you can put it 90 degrees to where the mud is on the right-hand side or the mud is on the left-hand side. I'm using mud as a reference for the weight over there. It'll fly differently and fly inconsistently.

"For most golf balls that we get, it's not really that big of a deal. I just try to be as precise as possible, and it's one more step that I do to make sure my golf ball flies as straight as it possibly can fly because I'm not that great at hitting it that straight."

While DeChambeau's methods are certainly unconventional, they are clearly working for the 2020 US Open champion, who is playing some of the best golf of his life in 2024. 

Although he now plays his golf on the Saudi-backed LIV Golf league, DeChambeau has been in contention at all three majors this year, recording his best finishes at both The Masters and US PGA, where he came tied for 6th and 2nd, respectively. 

Currently sitting three shots clear in the US Open following rounds of 67, 69, and 67, DeChambeau is the clear favourite heading into the final round at Pinehurst No.2.

Despite his strong form in the majors this year, he has failed to register a win on the rival LIV Golf circuit. His best result came at LIV Jeddah, where he finished tied for fourth. 

In spite of struggling to pick up any individual accolades, his team, Crushers GC, currently lead the team league, with two victories coming in Jeddah and at LIV Hong Kong. 

DeChambeau will be teeing it up alongside Frenchman Matthieu Pavon in the final round of the US Open as he goes in search of his second major title and second US Open victory. 

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