Bryson DeChambeau is known for his calculating approach to the game of golf, but only one number mattered on Tuesday at the 100th PGA Championship at Bellerive Country Club outside of St. Louis: 331. As in 331 yards, the distance he essentially flew his drive on the par-4 10th hole during the annual PGA Championship Long Drive Competition.
In a 2016 profile of DeChambeau, Jaime Diaz wrote about the Southern Methodist University product’s excess power reserve and the two kinds of driver swings he employs.
“DeChambeau does have exceptional power in reserve,” Diaz wrote. “His normal driver swing, which he calls his “fairway finder,” is about 113 miles per hour (the PGA Tour average through late March was 112.99), and he produces drives in the 290-yard range (the tour averages 290.1). But when he decides to go for extra distance, DeChambeau will use his “crank” drive, widening his stance and using more wrist cock to create clubhead speed of over 125 mph, producing drives of 340 yards and more.”
As his coach, Mike Schy is quoted as saying, “Bryson understands his power sources.”
It’s official! @b_dechambeau has won the 2018 #PGAChamp Long Drive Competition.
1st: DeChambeau – 331 yards
2nd: @PeterUihlein – 328 yards
3rd: @tonyfinaugolf – 324 yards pic.twitter.com/4SDJOzg8tP— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) August 7, 2018
On a particularly wet day at Bellerive, the top-3 finishers, DeChambeau, Peter Uihlein and Tony Finau, hit drives of 331 yards, 328 yards and 324 yards, respectively, totaling more than half a mile in distance.
For their efforts, they were awarded $25,000, $15,000 and $10,000 donations to the charity of their choice.
