What’s with Bryson DeChambeau? PGA Golfer, Once Skinny Now Looks Like Canseco and McGwire
DeChambeau is driving the ball over 350 yards
by Scott Mandel
Bryson DeChambeau has gained size. He estimates that he’s put on about 40 pounds since he left college in 2015, and about 20 pounds over the PGA Tour’s recently ended three-month hiatus. Because of that gain, he’s gained distance. In PGA Tour events in 2020 before the break, he averaged 321.3 yards off the tee, 18.8 yards more than his 2019 average. Because of his size gain, he’s also gained two shirt sizes. He said after Friday’s second round of the Charles Schwab Challenge that he’s gone from a size medium shirt to an extra large.
As he’s added, he’s lost. To his benefit.
In an examination of DeChambeau’s 2020 and 2019 second rounds at Colonial (where the hole distances were slightly different), he lost 304 yards on the length remaining on his second shots on non-par-3s, an average of 21.7 yards per hole. Maybe an iron or two shorter. More wedges.
The average gets bigger when you take away the holes where DeChambeau did not seek distance off the tee.
On holes 1, 2, 3, 6, 11, 12, 14, 15 and 18, he lost 285 yards on the length remaining on his second shots, an average of 31.7 yards per hole. Maybe two or three irons shorter. More wedges.
This was the goal all along. DeChambeau’s not trying to win a long-drive title. He’s trying to get that next shot all the more closer. And in the Charles Schwab Challenge second-round example, closer has helped the bottom line – last year, he shot 2-over 72 and missed the cut; this year, he shot 5-under 65 and was tied for second entering the weekend.
“There’s been a lot of holes, like for example 6, I can just drive it all the way up past those bunkers and have a nice little flip wedge in there,” he said after his Friday round. “Fifteen, fly it over the bunkers, have a nice little flip wedge in there. Fourteen, I had 100 yards in today.
“I mean, it’s just stuff that is so beneficial when you get out here. You’ve got those bunkers and hazards in the way, and I wanted to make those obsolete.”
The numbers are plenty big off the tee, too, when looking at his 2020 and 2019 Charles Schwab Challenge second rounds.
On the non-par-3s, he gained 288 yards off the tee, an average of 206 yards per hole. On holes 1, 2, 3, 6, 11, 12, 14, 15 and 18, he gained 282 yards, an average of 31.3 yards per hole.
Of course, if it were as simple as adding a bit of weight or swinging faster (or both), every player on Tour would try. A lot changes when you do. DeChambeau seems to have it figured out.
“He’s looking for speed. He’s obviously trained speed,” said Justin Rose, DeChambeau’s first- and second-round playing partner. “But the other elements of his game still look in control.”
