Bryson DeChambeau shut down a reporter who inquired about his use of a 3D-printed club after struggling on Day 1 of the Masters.The LIV Golf star arrived at Augusta National as one of the pre-tournament favourites, but endured a brutal start and slumped to an opening four-over 76.DeChambeau struggled on Day 1 of the 2026 Masters and trails the leaders by nineGettyHe trails the early leaders, rival Rory McIlroy and fellow American Sam Burns, by nine shots.DeChambeau appeared visibly frustrated after he unravelled at the iconic Amen Corner, but still met with reporters after his first round.He wasn’t in much of a mood to chat, though.Bryson DeChambeau in blunt exchange with reporter over unique clubOn the eve of the 2026 Masters, the two-time Major champion made waves by suggesting he’d play with a 3D-printed 5-iron that he created himself.He used the club only once on Thursday — hitting off the tee on the par-4 seventh hole.DeChambeau’s ball flew 258 yards, and found the left side of the fairway.Following his opening round, the ‘Mad Scientist’ was asked how his unique club was treating him.“Good,” DeChambeau responded.“It was great on seven.”He went on to explain the 3D-printing process, as bluntly as he could.DeChambeau wasn’t in much of a mood to chat after his frustrating first roundGetty“Prints in eight hours,” DeChambeau said.“Machines, they’re three or four hours. Then you have to cut grooves in it and do a bunch of other stuff.“So you can have something within a day and a half.”At that point, a reporter pressed the American star on whether or not he would like to print another club to have in his bag for the rest of the weekend.The question, it seems, didn’t impress DeChambeau.“Pffff… no,” he fired back.View Tweet: https://twitter.com/hashtag/SHUT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw“It has to be USGA conforming, it’s a whole process you have to go through.”LIV Golf stars struggling at 2026 MastersDeChambeau’s tumultuous first round was punctuated by struggles on the 11th hole.After navigating the front nine and the tricky 10th, the California native remained at even par.But he came unstuck at White Dogwood — the most difficult hole at Augusta — when he had found himself in a greenside bunker.DeChambeau fell apart on difficult hole 11, with a triple bogeyGettyDeChambeau needed three shots to escape the sand, and ended up two-putting for triple bogey, which took him to three over par for the day.He responded with four consecutive pars, but dropped another shot at the 16th, before he made birdie on 17.DeChambeau’s round concluded with another dropped shot, which left him four-over.“Everybody has an ability for weird things to happen,” he said.DeChambeau was a pre-tournament favorite, but finds himself trailing early onGetty“And today I just did not have my irons under control, which is weird.”DeChambeau, though, was far from the only LIV Golf star to struggle on Day 1.No player from the league managed to break par on a bruising Thursday.Fellow fancied contender Jon Rahm, who won the Green Jacket in 2023, shot a six-over 78 which included a double bogey at the par-5 13th.Rahm and the rest of the LIV Golf field struggled on Day 1GettyDustin Johnson (+1), Cam Smith (+2), Tyrrell Hatton (+2) and two-time winner Bubba Watson (+4), are among the other LIV players in the field who struggled.It was 2017 champion and Fireballs GC captain Sergio Garcia who led the way, finishing the day T17 on even par, five back from co-leaders McIlroy and Burns.Stay up to date with the latest from golf across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for all the news, exclusives, interviews and more.