When Bryson DeChambeau advanced to the Round of 32 in this week’s World Long Drive Championship, he said it was a dream come true. And on Thursday, DeChambeau took one step closer to his ultimate goal of winning the whole thing.
In the Round of 32, the remaining players competed in five four-man sets. Each set has a time limit of two minutes and 30 seconds for the players to hit a total of six shots. Players are awarded 200 points for winning a set, 100 points for finishing second, and 50 points for third. To make it from the Round of 32 into the Round of 16, DeChambeau needed finish in the top eight of his group of 16, which turned out to be a breeze for DeChambeau, who won his first and fourth of five sets, and ultimately finished fourth in his 16-man group with 575 points. DeChambeau’s winning drives traveled 358 yards and 333 yards, respectively, into a strong headwind.
“I’m telling you right now,” said the commentator. “Bryson DeChambeau’s got a shot to win the World Championship.”
As a member of the Sweet Sixteen, Friday’s schedule will be jam-packed for DeChambeau. The remaining players will be divided into two groups of eight, with the top four players from each group advancing to the final eight.
Once the final eight are identified, the format changes significantly. The players are then split into two groups of four and are given just six total shots to hit. The longest two shots count, and the top two finishers from each group will comprise the final four. Then, they’ll repeat the process: two groups of two, six shots, and the top two players will emerge as the finalists.
The final two players will then compete head-to-head: six shots each in two minutes and 30 seconds. The player who hits the longest single drive will be crowned the champion.
So, are you ready to watch DeChambeau try to add another line to his increasingly lengthy playing resume? He’ll have to beat his long-drive mentor, Kyle Berkshire, who also qualified for the Round of 16, to do it. The action begins at 6:45 p.m. ET on Friday, and you can watch it all unfold on YouTube. Check out DeChambeau’s Round of 32 performance on Thursday, beginning at the 7:18 mark below.
