AUGUSTA (REUTERS) - Bryson DeChambeau said on Monday (April 4) that he "can't go all-out" and was around 80 per cent healthy as he continues to recover from hand and hip injuries but will put the advice of doctors to one side and tee it up at this week's Masters anyway.
The American fractured the hamate bone in his left hand and tore the labrum in his left hip when he slipped on freshly wiped marble floors while playing table tennis, forcing him to withdraw from February's Saudi International.
"Not paying attention, I Charlie Brown'd myself and went horizontal and then hit my left hip and my hand at the same time, and that really just took me out," he told reporters.
"That's when it got to the point where I couldn't even grip the golf club. I tried to play that week, and it was impossible."
DeChambeau took a break from the game to recover and said he was proud of his progress.
"Normally a bone fracture takes four months to probably fully heal and I'm back here in two," he said.
"Pleased with that. And hitting golf balls on the range today, I was able to sustain practice for a good amount of time.
"So, I'm happy."
He admitted that he goes "against the grain" and that his doctors were not fully on board with the hard-hitting 28-year-old's decision to compete at the year's first Major.
"They recommended that I don't come back for a while ... they are like, 'You should really let it heal'," said DeChambeau, the 2020 US Open champion who will be playing in his sixth Masters.
"And even (coach) Chris (Como) has told me, 'You probably shouldn't play', even though he wants me to play obviously.
"But he's really looking out for my best interests for the future. I'm like, 'Man, this only comes around once a year and I've got to give this a go'."
DeChambeau was also asked if he had been in touch with Phil Mickelson since the fallout from comments the veteran made about a potential league to rival the PGA Tour.
"I've tried to reach out, but he's gone dark," DeChambeau said. "There's no contact."
Mickelson is not playing the Masters this week, the first time he is missing the Major since 1994. The six-time Major champ has not competed, appeared in public or posted on social media since Feb 22, when he issued a lengthy mea culpa addressing divisive comments made to author Alan Shipnuck about a Saudi-backed golf league.
DeChambeau was also said to be considering joining the so-called Super Golf League.
Plans for the league have since fallen apart. LIV Golf Investments CEO Greg Norman instead announced an eight-event series dubbed the "LIV Golf Invitational" that will play exclusive tournaments in London, the US and parts of Asia.
