Bryson DeChambeau led the U.S. Open by a stroke heading to Winged Foot Golf Club’s par-5 9th hole last Sunday. He hit his tee shot 375 yards, the fourth-longest drive on the hole during the fourth round. He then hit a wedge to about 40 feet. He dropped the eagle putt. DeChambeau walked to the 10th with his lead intact, even after Matthew Wolff matched the eagle (he also hit wedge into the green), and he was never threatened the rest of the way.
Big tee shot. Short iron. Small score.
And not just on the 9th.
In an examination of Winged Foot’s 56 par-4 and par-5 holes, DeChambeau averaged 313.96 yards off the tee (longest: 385 yards, on his very first hole; shortest: 241). That left him an average of 130.21 yards to the green on his 56 approach shots (defined as either his second shot on the par-4s, or his third shot on the par-5s). According to his yardages released by GolfTV earlier this year, that’s just over his 53-degree wedge.
In other words, on just over three-quarters of his holes, DeChambeau went driver-wedge to win his first major championship.
Earlier this year, DeChambeau added 40 pounds to add distance. He subtracted distance, too. It was never really about the driver. It was what came after it.
“I’m hitting it as far as I possibly can up there,” DeChambeau said two days before the tournament. “Even if it’s in the rough, I can still get it to the front edge or the middle of the greens with pitching wedges or 9-irons. That’s the beauty of my length and that advantage.
“Now, obviously, if it’s into the wind and there’s some of those situations going on, it’s going to be different. There’s certain holes I might lay up on just because of the situation, but for the most part, I’m going to be trying to go after it as much as I possibly can.”
DeChambeau, of course, still had to hit those approach shots.
Inside Bryson DeChambeau’s joyous U.S. Open celebration
Of the 56 par-4 and par-5 holes, he hit 37 greens in regulation, or 66 percent. Of his 19 missed greens, he made seven bogeys, 10 pars and two birdies, including one on the par-4 11th during the fourth round, where he rolled in a 13-footer from off the green to help seal his victory. In the Strokes Gained metrics across every hole, DeChambeau was third in the field in both SG: Off the Tee (+5.38) and SG: Approach (+6.98).
And, of course, DeChambeau still had to hit other clubs, too. He played Winged Foot’s four par-3s at two under for the tournament. And, over all 72 holes, he hit 115 putts, or 1.6 per hole, and was 18th in the field in SG: Putting (+4.59).
Xander Schauffele said DeChambeau is “just exposing our game.”
“The only way to make a golf course really hard is to firm up the greens and grow the rough,” he said after the tournament. “It’s going to make it hard for everyone, and you’d rather be the guy in the rough with a lob wedge than with an 8-iron or 7-iron.”
Bryson DeChambeau’s drives and approach shots on Winged Foot’s par-4s and par-5s
ROUND 1
Hole 1 455-yard par-4
Drive: 385 yards
Second shot distance away: 72 yards
Score: Birdie (green in regulation)
Hole 2 477-yard par-4
Drive: 339 yards
Second shot distance away: 118 yards
Score: Par (green in regulation)
Hole 4 453-yard par-4
Drive: 343 yards
Second shot distance away: 107 yards
Score: Par (green in regulation)
Hole 5 483-yard par-4
Drive: 321 yards
Second shot distance away: 166 yards
Score: Par (green in regulation)
Hole 6 329-yard par-4
Drive: 298 yards
Second shot distance away: 33 yards
Score: Par (missed green in regulation)
Hole 8 478-yard par-4
Drive: 318 yards
Second shot distance away: 177 yards
Score: Par (green in regulation)
Hole 9 566-yard par-5
Drive: 323 yards
Second shot distance away: 245 yards
Third shot distance away: 137 yards
Score: Par (missed green in regulation)
Hole 11 373-yard par-4
Drive: 348 yards
Second shot distance away: 36 yards
Score: Par (missed green in regulation)
Hole 12 643-yard par-5
Drive: 299 yards
Second shot distance away: 333 yards
Third shot distance away: 172 yards
Score: Par (green in regulation)
Hole 14 449-yard par-4
Drive: 329 yards
Second shot distance away: 118 yards
Score: Par (green in regulation)
Hole 15 422-yard par-4
Drive: 296 yards
Second shot distance away: 125 yards
Score: Par (green in regulation)
Hole 16 497-yard par-4
Drive: 324 yards
Second shot distance away: 162 yards
Score: Par (green in regulation)
Hole 17 507-yard par-4
Drive: 313 yards
Second shot distance away: 183 yards
Score: Bogey (missed green in regulation)
Hole 18 466-yard par-4
Drive: 303 yards
Second shot distance away: 160 yards
Score: Par (green in regulation)
TOTALS
First shot average: 324.2 yards
Approach shot distance away: 126.1 yards
ROUND 2
Hole 1 448-yard par-4
Drive: 294 yards
Second shot distance away: 147 yards
Score: Par (missed green in regulation)
Hole 2 489-yard par-4
Drive: 270 yards
Second shot distance away: 200 yards
Score: Bogey (missed green in regulation)
Hole 4 476-yard par-4
Drive: 296 yards
Second shot distance away: 177 yards
Score: Par (green in regulation)
Hole 5 514-yard par-4
Drive: 356 yards
Second shot distance away: 164 yards
Score: Bogey (missed green in regulation)
Hole 6 328-yard par-4
Drive: 302 yards
Second shot distance away: 26 yards
Score: Birdie (green in regulation)
Hole 8 495-yard par-4
Drive: 329 yards
Second shot distance away: 166 yards
Score: Par (green in regulation)
Hole 9 557-yard par-5
Drive: 380 yards
Second shot distance away: 178 yards
Third shot distance away: 2 yards
Score: Eagle (green in regulation)
Hole 11 370-yard par-4
Drive: 301 yards
Second shot distance away: 68 yards
Score: Birdie (green in regulation)
Hole 12 615-yard par-5
Drive: 286 yards
Second shot distance away: 385 yards
Third shot distance away: 148 yards
Score: Bogey (three-putt)
Hole 14 459-yard par-4
Drive: 314 yards
Second shot distance away: 138 yards
Score: Birdie (green in regulation)
Hole 15 437-yard par-4
Drive: 242 yards
Second shot distance away: 188 yards
Score: Bogey (missed green in regulation)
Hole 16 488-yard par-4
Drive: 334 yards
Second shot distance away: 156 yards
Score: Birdie (missed green in regulation)
Hole 17 501-yard par-4
Drive: 359 yards
Second shot distance away: 133 yards
Score: Par (green in regulation)
Hole 18 465-yard par-4
Drive: 321 yards
Second shot distance away: 140 yards
Score: Par (green in regulation)
TOTALS
Drive average: 313.1 yards
Approach shot distance away: 132.4
ROUND 3
Hole 1 447-yard par-4
Drive: 325 yards
Second shot distance away: 120 yards
Score: Bogey (three-putt)
Hole 2 493-yard par-4
Drive: 288 yards
Second shot distance away: 213 yards
Score: Bogey (missed green in regulation)
Hole 4 478-yard par-4
Drive: 284 yards
Second shot distance away: 190 yards
Score: Par (missed green in regulation)
Hole 5 500-yard par-4
Drive: 340 yards
Second shot distance away: 160 yards
Score: Par (green in regulation)
Hole 6 332-yard par-4
Drive: 298 yards
Second shot distance away: 32 yards
Score: Par (green in regulation)
Hole 8 485-yard par-4
Drive: 325 yards
Second shot distance away: 172 yards
Score: Par (missed green in regulation)
Hole 9 572-yard par-5
Drive: 336 yards
Second shot distance away: 238 yards
Third shot distance away: 15 yards
Score: Par (green in regulation)
Hole 11 375-yard par-4
Drive: 285 yards
Second shot distance away: 92 yards
Score: Par (green in regulation)
Hole 12 623-yard par-5
Drive: 309 yards
Second shot distance away: 304 yards
Third shot distance away: 63 yards
Score: Par (green in regulation)
Hole 14 452-yard par-4
Drive: 312 yards
Second shot distance away: 130 yards
Score: Par (missed green in regulation)
Hole 15 424-yard par-4
Drive: 241 yards
Second shot distance away: 178 yards
Score: Par (green in regulation)
Hole 16 489-yard par-4
Drive: 347 yards
Second shot distance away: 142 yards
Score: Birdie (green in regulation)
Hole 17 500-yard par-4
Drive: 329 yards
Second shot distance away: 158 yards
Score: Birdie (green in regulation)
Hole 18 474-yard par-4
Drive: 286 yards
Second shot distance away: 197 yards
Score: Bogey (missed green in regulation)
TOTALS
Drive average: 307.5 yards
Approach shot distance away: 133 yards
ROUND 4
Hole 1 452-yard par-4
Drive: 278 yards
Second shot distance away: 175 yards
Score: Par
Hole 2 479-yard par-4
Drive: 298 yards
Second shot distance away: 169 yards
Score: Par
Hole 4 457-yard par-4
Drive: 322 yards
Second shot distance away: 132 yards
Score: Birdie
Hole 5 514-yard par-4
Drive: 301 yards
Second shot distance away: 223 yards
Score: Par
Hole 6 307-yard par-4
Drive: 286 yards
Second shot distance away: 27 yards
Score: Par
Hole 8 503-yard par-4
Drive: 323 yards
Second shot distance away: 183 yards
Score: Bogey (missed green in regulation)
Hole 9 556-yard par-5
Drive: 375 yards
Second shot distance away: 182 yards
Third shot distance away: 13 yards
Score: Eagle
Hole 11 365-yard par-4
Drive: 320 yards
Second shot distance away: 44 yards
Score: Birdie (missed green in regulation)
Hole 12 577-yard par-5
Drive: 298 yards
Second shot distance away: 281 yards
Third shot distance away: 33 yards
Score: Par
Hole 14 444-yard par-4
Drive: 296 yards
Second shot distance away: 135 yards
Score: Par (missed green in regulation)
Hole 15 440-yard par-4
Drive: 282 yards
Second shot distance away: 157 yards
Score: Par
Hole 16 508-yard par-4
Drive: 365 yards
Second shot distance away: 137 yards
Score: Par
Hole 17 516-yard par-4
Drive: 327 yards
Second shot distance away: 188 yards
Score: Par (missed green in regulation)
Hole 18 472-yard par-4
Drive: 283 yards
Second shot distance away: 195 yards
Score: Par (missed green in regulation)
TOTALS
Drive average: 311 yards
Approach shot distance away: 129.4 yards
FOUR-ROUND TOTALS
Total drive average: 313.96
Total approach shot distance away: 130.21