SAN FRANCISCO — Chloe Kovelesky didn’t make the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open, but she did wow the crowds.
Despite being the youngest player in the field at just 14 years old, the Florida native led the field in driving distance during the opening round at the Olympic Club — and it wasn’t particularly close. Kovelesky averaged 303 yards off the tee on Thursday. He next closest competitors lagged nearly 10 yards behind.
Watching her swing in person, you’ll see the noticeable pop she generates when her driver makes contact with the ball. It’s not quite Bryson DeChambeau, but it feels close.
Chloe Kovelesky (@kovelesky) leads the #uswomensopen field in driving distance after Round 1 at 301.3 yards.
— Zephyr Melton (@zephyrmelton) June 4, 2021
Chloe Kovelesky is also 14 years old🤯 pic.twitter.com/OCiI3gyu9y
Kovelesky’s power is the sum of many impressive parts in her swing, but a couple of moves in particular allow her to be successful.
“I generate it from my right side,” Kovelesky said. “I just move it off and just hit the ball.”
The teenager said she’s always had some serious power in her game, and as she’s grown, it’s only become more prominent. Now, she’s among the longest female golfers on the planet.
But sometimes, that powerful swing gets out of control. When you’re swinging as hard as Kovelesky does, the threat of the big miss is always there.
Luckily, she knows how to guard against the wild misses. When she begins to lose her swing, she relies on a simple trigger to start her swing.
“Right before I hit the ball, I bend my knees,” Kovelesky said. “That’s my trigger. When I start hitting it off, or left and right, that trigger move is gone. If I can fix that, [my swing] comes back.”
Sometimes, the simple things are the biggest drivers of a great golf swing.
