Bryson DeChambeau fired big-hitting jibe by two-time major champion

Bryson DeChambeau on his ‘dedication’ to succeed in golf

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A two-time major winner has dismissed Bryson DeChambeau’s big-hitting skills and claimed he could have comfortably beaten the Ryder Cup star for drive distance at his peak if he were using the same modern equipment. While many fans have been left in awe over DeChambeau’s power off the tee, it seems not everyone is so impressed.

The American is known as the biggest hitter on the PGA Tour, and has been at the top of the pile in terms of driving distance over the past two seasons.

DeChambeau was averaging 322.1 yards per drive in 2020, and improved that figure slightly to 323.7 last year.

It could be the start of a dominant period when it comes to being the biggest driver in the professional game, akin to the monopoly John Daly once had on massive tee shots.

Daly was the PGA Tour’s biggest hitter for eight straight years between 1995 and 2002, and became known as ‘Long John’ for the distance he could get off the tee.

Even before then he was something of an authority on how to achieve massive driving distances, having released an instructional book on that very subject in 1992 titled ‘Grip It and Rip It’.

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Daly’s peak came in 2002, when he averaged 306.8 yards off the tee over the course of the season.

While this seems to be some way off DeChambeau’s impressive averages over the last two years, the massive leap in technology when it comes to golfing equipment makes any comparison unfair.

That’s exactly why 55-year-old Daly believes he would be able to beat DeChambeau if he had been able to use today’s equipment when in his prime around the turn of the century.

Describing his theory in an appearance on the Full Send podcast, he focused specifically on the type of ball he was using back in the day, which was far inferior for driving distances compared to today’s offerings.

Daly claimed he is the “straightest long hitter that ever lived”, and said he could outdrive DeChambeau “by far” if they were using the same equipment.

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“I looked at the monitor at The Masters last year, and [DeChambeau] was at 200 or 205mph ball speed,” he said.

“I remember Nick Faldo was watching him, and I was like: ‘Nick, I was at 220mph’ and that was with the balata ball.

“I was carrying the ball 330 to 340mph with the balata and that’s not even with a driver. That’s with a 2-wood brassie.

“Bryson, what he’s doing is phenomenal but most of the golf tournaments I played, I hardly ever hit driver. I hit 1-irons. I’d fly that thing 300 [yards]. I’d cut it 280 into par-5s.

“The golf ball’s so easy now. It goes straight. Try hitting a balata ball. Tiger would agree.

“No disrespect to all the guys out there but I’d love to see them put a balata ball in front of Bubba Watson or any of the biggest hitters nowadays.”

DeChambeau’s big-hitting skills were on display at last year’s Ryder Cup, where he wowed fans with an enormous 417-yard drive on the fifth hole of his opening round.

And, after playing his part in Team USA’s resounding victory at Whistling Straits, he took part in the World Long Drive Championships.

The Texan impressed by making it to the last eight, but missed out on a place in the final four by just six yards.

Far from being put off, DeChambeau said he would work to increase his already terrifying power off the tee and try to use it to his advantage on the PGA Tour as well as in future long drive tournaments.

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