This week, Bryson DeChambeau plans to attempt a miraculous distance feat, even by his own Herculean standards. On the sixth hole at Bay Hill, a 555-yard par-5, DeChambeau might (if weather allows) attempt to drive the green.
“If it’s not into the wind, I can get there,” he said matter-of-factly during his practice round on Wednesday.
Time will tell if DeChambeau is apt for the challenge — an estimated 350-yard carry over the lake that protects the hole. Should he succeed in clearing the water, No. 6 at Bay Hill will represent little more than another notch in his rapidly expanding belt. Should he fail, he’ll have company in the form of John Daly.
Twenty-three years ago, Daly recorded one of the most memorable one-hole performances in the history of the game on No. 6 at Bay Hill. During his final round at the 1998 Arnold Palmer Invitational, Daly attempted to drive the lake with his 3-wood.
Twenty minutes later, he recorded a 13-over par 18 for the hole.
“The temptations of how you cut the lake — well here’s John Daly,” the announcer said. “Look at the number there. That’s a touchdown, extra point, three field goals and a safety. I’d have gone for two.”
Things started off innocently enough when Daly’s initial tee shot found water. Then, as if scripted directly from Tin Cup, Daly lost it in a fit of McAvoyian rage, hitting five consecutive shots into the water.
“His 13th shot ended up in the hazard,” chimed the analyst. “The key shot on the hole, it appears, was his 15th shot. It was a 6-iron into the green, hit a rock and bounced up into a greenside bunker. Got it up out of that bunker in 16 and two-putted for 18.”
Perhaps equally as impressively as the 18: Daly would go on to birdie his next hole, the par-3 7th. He’d finish the day a 13-over 85, and more importantly, with just enough equipment to remain in business.
“They did say when he got in he was in a good spirit,” the analyst said. “He told the press that the pressure was really on him, he had one new golf ball left.”
