Bryson DeChambeau throws uppercuts on Masters driving range as odd footage emerges

Masters contender has never been renowned for sticking by conventional methods. The player dubbed 'The Mad Scientist' famously packed on the pounds in a bid to overpower the world's best courses, once ill-advisedly stating he would be playing Augusta as a par-68 as the distances of the par-five holes didn't faze him.

He also spent the off-season treating fans to daily attempts to land a hole-in-one at his home. Unsighted, the star would fire balls over his abode in Texas onto a specially made green in his back garden and post videos of his efforts on social media. There's always been a method behind his madness, though, with the 31-year-old .

He now has a real chance of landing a maiden green jacket this week. DeChambeau shot a 68 on Friday to move to seven under par, just one off overall leader Justin Rose.

That followed his 69 on Thursday, but the American wasn't content enough to head for his hotel and put his feet up afterwards. Instead, he defied the darkness to head for the practice range, where he was strangely seen throwing uppercuts at thin air.

Luke Kerr-Dineen, of Golf Digest, used footage on Instagram to explain the odd routine. He claimed that DeChambeau hit a staggering 210 shots on the driving range at a time when the majority of fans and players had left the venue.

He saud: "Bryson was practising deep into the night, even when patrons were leaving the ground. And it was during this night session when he started doing something really interesting. This uppercut golf swing move."

Kerr-Dineed revealed he'd held discussions with the star's coach, Dana Dalquist, who had explained that he and Dechambeau had been working on keeping more "side bend" in his follow-through. "He wants this extra side bend because it helps Bryson hit up on the ball," he said.

"It helps him release his hands, which puts more speed into the club head. It also helps him turn over the ball because Bryson's shot is a power draw. That's why he likes the feeling of uppercutting."

During Friday's round, commentators questioned DeChambeau's late-night session, arguing it could cause fatigue. However, DeChambeau defied those suggestions by finishing strongly, hammering a 304-yeard drive down the 18th.