"From Paul to Daly, Koepka, Watson, McIlroy, DeChambeau"... Who is the Greatest Power Hitter in PGA Tour History?

Paul 1980 274.3 Yards → DeChambeau 2021 323.7 Yards "49.4 Yards Increase Over 41 Years," R&A and USGA Introduce Distance Regulation Measures Including Long Shaft Restrictions

John Daly is a legendary power hitter who has topped the PGA Tour driving distance leaderboard 11 times.

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "274.3 yards → 323.7 yards."

This is the evolution of the PGA Tour's 'longest drive leader.' Since Dan Pohl recorded an average drive distance of 274.3 yards in 1980, through John Daly, Hank Kuehne, Bubba Watson (all from the USA), Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), to Bryson DeChambeau (USA), who hit an astonishing 323.7 yards in 2021. Over 41 years, the distance increased by 49.4 yards. This is why the R&A (The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews) and the USGA (United States Golf Association) hastened to implement regulations such as long shaft restrictions starting this year.

▲ ‘All-time Long Drive King’ Daly "11-time Long Drive Champion"= Pohl surpassed 280 yards (280.1 yards) in 1981, and John Daly broke the 300-yard barrier (302.0 yards) for the first time in 1997. The advancement of golf equipment was the starting point. The persimmon wood driver heads made of persimmon wood evolved into new materials such as metal, carbon, and titanium, growing from 300cc to 460cc, and golf balls also continuously increased distance by adopting advanced science with 3-piece and 4-piece designs.

Daly, in particular, dominated the long drive title 11 times (1991?1993, 1995?2002) with a unique overswing where the clubhead almost touched the ground at the top of the backswing. He quickly rose to global stardom with two major wins: the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 Open Championship. His last win was the 2004 Buick Invitational. Afterwards, when his game faltered, he made headlines for rough behavior such as throwing clubs into lakes, as well as struggles with alcoholism and gambling.

It is interesting that Daly entered the Champions Tour (senior tour) in 2016 and immediately topped the long drive rankings again (303.6 yards). In 2017, he finally achieved his first win at the Insperity Invitational. Last December, he once again drew the spotlight by winning the PNC Championship, a two-person family team event, with his son Daly Jr. by 2 strokes. This event also attracted global golf attention as the comeback stage for the ‘Golf Emperor’ Tiger Woods (USA).

Bubba Watson is the PGA Tour's top "left-handed power hitter."

▲ ‘The Hulk’ DeChambeau "Bulk-up is his weapon"= Kuehne opened the 320-yard era in 2003 (321.4 yards). Left-handed long hitter Bubba Watson joined the long drive champions (2006?2008, 2012, 2014), and the ‘long hitter golden age’ truly began with Dustin Johnson in 2015, J.B. Holmes in 2016, and McIlroy (2017?2018). Johnson and McIlroy used their ‘power long game,’ averaging nearly 320 yards, as a driving force to reach world No. 1 rankings.

DeChambeau joined the long drive competition in 2019 by bulking up, gaining 18 kg. He rose from 302.5 yards (34th place) in 2019 to 1st place (322.1 yards) in 2020, and 323.7 yards in 2021, continuing to this day. He added the ‘casino invincibility theory.’ He argued, "Casinos have far more assets than individuals," and "In golf, if you hit far, the next shot becomes relatively easier." In fact, during his 2020 US Open victory, his tee shot easily cleared the bunker at the intended landing point (IP).

In March last year, during his Arnold Palmer Invitational win, DeChambeau attempted a ‘one-shot on a par 5’ on the 6th hole. On a dogleg hole where the fairway curves in a semicircle, he hit 377 yards over water. His experiment with a 48-inch long driver faced variables due to the new golf rules by the R&A and USGA (46-inch limit). He said, "There is a limit to extending course length," and added, "We will consider various additional measures such as head size and golf ball rebound restrictions."