Bryson DeChambeau of Clovis left SMU before his senior season with the Mustangs and wasted little time in making his mark against the pros, even though he remains an amateur.
The 22-year-old DeChambeau closed with a 4-under-par 67 and finished in a tie for second in the Australian Masters behind 56-year-old Peter Senior, who won the event for the third time at Huntingdale Golf Club in the South Oakleigh area of Melbourne.
DeChambeau was trying to become the first amateur to win the event.
“I call myself an amateur intern,” DeChambeau told the Melbourne Herald Sun. “I’m trying to get my feet into the professional ranks and feel what it’s like to be in those sorts of situations. …
“I’m trying to do my best to prepare myself for the U.S. Masters as well as any other tournament I’m playing in the next couple of months.”
DeChambeau left SMU after the Mustangs were put on NCAA probation because of recruiting violations and banned from post-season play, which prevented him from defending his NCAA title.
Last year, he became the fifth player to win the NCAA and U.S. Amateur titles in the same year, joining Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ryan Moore.
DeChambeau is exempt into the first three majors of 2016, but only if he remains an amateur. He is expected to turn pro after the Masters in April.
