LIVE
...

Follow us on

News

YouTube golfer matches Bryson DeChambeau’s driving statistic during the Creator Classic at East Lake

Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images
Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images
Add as preferred source on Google

The Creator Classic captured the imagination as YouTube golf’s finest battled it out on East Lake’s revamped back nine.

Luke Kwon was the man to claim the inaugural title after beating Roger Steele, Wesley Bryan and Sean Walsh in the one-hole playoff.

The performance level was higher than expected, and Steele, in particular, displayed some next-level speed with his driver. The American, who competed in the playoff, produced numbers Bryson DeChambeau would be proud of.

Roger Steele matches Bryson DeChambeau’s ball speed numbers at the Creator Classic

TOUR Championship - Preview Day Three
Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images

DeChambeau, during his big-hitting stage on the PGA Tour, was averaging a ball-speed in the mid-190s [Golf Monthly].

Of course, he’s broken the 220mph barrier while competing in the Long Drive World Championships, but nowadays, DeChambeau has dialled in his ball speed somewhat as he looks to gain more control. DeChambeau also wants to design a driver which will be widely available for public use.

Steele, however, produced a drive the LIV Golf heavyweight would’ve been proud of on the first tee at East Lake. The YouTube star crushed his drive 331 yards in the air with a ball speed of 195mph.

A ball speed in the mid-190s is arguably higher than what DeChambeau is delivering on LIV Golf at the moment.

Who is Roger Steele? The big-hitting YouTube star who lit up East Lake

Steele was a surprise package on Wednesday and produced some memorable shots at East Lake, but who exactly is Steele, and why was he in the field for the Creator Classic?

Steele doesn’t have a YouTube channel; instead, the American hosts the popular series from Callaway Golf called ‘Range Talk’. Guests so far include Jon Rahm, Steph Curry, and Larry Fitzgerald.

Interestingly, despite his love for golf, Steele was disinterested in the sport when he was growing up in Chicago. After immersing himself in the sport whilst in high school, Steele broke into the industry working for Urban Golf Performance in Los Angeles, where he worked his way up to managing director.

Yet, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Steele fell into the world of social media and subsequently became one of the most infectious and engaging characters in the space.

Furthermore, as he displayed ahead of the Tour Championship, he can also handle himself with a set of clubs in his hands.