Bryson DeChambeau is known for his prodigious length, and with recent speed work, hopes to surpass 200-mph ball speed at this week’s Ryder Cup. He led the PGA Tour in driving distance in 2020-21 with an average drive of 323.7 yards.
DeChambeau, playing in his second Ryder Cup for Team USA, said he doesn’t know how many drivers he will end up hitting each round (it will be wind-dependent), but found in two days of practice last week that there are holes where he really could gain a huge advantage.
Take the 603-yard fifth hole at the Straits course, for instance, a par 5 that doglegs to the right, between two bodies of water. The safe play is left, leaving players with fairway metals or hybrids, at best, to the green. DeChambeau discovered he can take a far more aggressive line down the right side of the hole, over water, which in one round last week left him only 120 yards into the green for his second shot.
He also said despite the general thinking that his go-for-broke style is better suited for four-ball play than foursomes, DeChambeau said he is at ease playing in either format.
“I could comfortably say that I have no issue playing either format,” said DeChambeau, who was 0-2 in two foursomes matches in Paris three years ago. “I think best-ball (four-ball) has its benefits to my style of play, and alternate-shot, with the right person, can be pretty deadly.”
