Bryson DeChambeau hits his tee shot on the third hole at Colonial Country Club on Friday.
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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.”
Bryson DeChambeau’s 2020 and 2019 second rounds at Colonial
Hole 1, par-5, 545 yards/560 yards
Length of first shot 2020 and 2019: 340 yards, 320 yards – gained 20 yards
Length remaining on second shot: 214 yards, 235 yards – lost 21 yards
Scores: 5, 4
Hole 2, par-4, 376 yards/388 yards
Length of first shot 2020 and 2019: 365 yards, 330 yards – gained 35 yards
Length remaining on second shot: 47 yards, 59 yards – lost 12 yards
Scores: 4, 3
Hole 3, par-4 474 yards/476
Length of first shot 2020 and 2019: 310 yards, 266 yards – gained 44 yards
Length remaining on second shot: 161 yards, 205 yards – lost 44 yards
Scores: 4, 4
Hole 4, par-3, 244 yards/208
Length of first shot 2020 and 2019: 244 yards, 207 yards
Length remaining on second shot: 56 feet; 37 feet, 8 inches
Scores: 3, 2
Hole 5, par-4, 472 yards/470 yards
Length of first shot 2020 and 2019: 253 yards, 267 yards (penalty drop) – lost 14 yards
Length remaining on second shot: 221 yards, 199 yards – gained 22 yards
Scores: 4, 5
Hole 6, par-4, 411 yards/393 yards
Length of first shot 2020 and 2019: 330 yards, 256 yards – gained 74 yards
Length remaining on second shot: 76 yards, 132 yards – lost 56 yards
Scores: 3, 4
Hole 7, par-4, 419 yards/438 yards
Length of first shot 2020 and 2019: 255 yards, 275 yards – lost 20 yards
Length remaining on second shot: 164 yards, 166 yards – lost 2 yards
Scores: 4, 4
Hole 8, par-3, 207 yards/174 yards
Length of first shot 2020 and 2019: 206 yards, 181 yards
Length remaining on second shot: 8 feet, 7 inches; 19 feet, 11 inches
Scores: 2, 4
Hole 9, par-4, 403 yards/404 yards
Length of first shot 2020 and 2019: 264 yards, 248 yards – gained 16 yards
Length remaining on second shot: 135 yards, 173 yards – lost 38 yards
Scores: 4, 5
Hole 10, par-4, 400 yards/381 yards
Length of first shot 2020 and 2019: 245 yards, 214 yards – gained 31 yards
Length remaining on second shot: 156 yards, 169 yards – lost 13 yards
Scores: 4, 4
Hole 11, par-5, 628 yards/625 yards
Length of first shot 2020 and 2019: 335 yards, 347 yards – lost 12 yards
Length remaining on second shot: 298 yards, 282 yards – gained 16 yards
Scores: 4, 5
Hole 12, par-4, 441 yards/446 yards
Length of first shot 2020 and 2019: 340 yards, 323 yards – gained 23 yards
Length remaining on second shot: 100 yards, 118 yards – lost 18 yards
Scores: 4, 4
Hole 13, par-3, 155 yards/193 yards
Length of first shot 2020 and 2019: 161 yards, 191 yards
Length remaining on second shot: 18 feet, 6 inches; 29 feet, 3 inches
Scores: 3, 3
Hole 14, par-4, 450 yards/444 yards
Length of first shot 2020 and 2019: 349 yards, 286 yards – gained 63 yards
Length remaining on second shot: 93 yards, 171 yards – lost 78 yards
Scores: 3, 5
Hole 15, par-4, 420 yards/423 yards
Length of first shot 2020 and 2019: 320 yards, 338 yards – lost 18 yards
Length remaining on second shot: 100 yards, 115 yards – lost 15 yards
Scores: 3, 4
Hole 16, par-3, 193 yards/176 yards
Length of first shot 2020 and 2019: 191 yards, 178 yards
Length remaining on second shot: 54 feet; 5 feet, 9 inches
Scores: 3, 3
Hole 17, par-4, 363 yards/366 yards
Length of first shot 2020 and 2019: 222 yards; 229 yards – lost 7 yards
Length remaining on second shot: 144 yards, 132 – gained 12 yards
Scores: 4, 5
Hole 18, par-4, 433 yards/431 yards
Length of first shot 2020 and 2019: 335 yards, 282 yards – gained 53 yards
Length remaining on second shot: 93 yards, 150 yards – lost 57 yards
Nick Piastowski is a Senior Editor at Golf.com and Golf Magazine. In his role, he is responsible for editing, writing and developing stories across the golf space. And when he’s not writing about ways to hit the golf ball farther and straighter, the Milwaukee native is probably playing the game, hitting the ball left, right and short, and drinking a cold beer to wash away his score. You can reach out to him about any of these topics — his stories, his game or his beers — at nick.piastowski@golf.com.
