What Bryson DeChambeau once did which Tony Finau thought was completely impossible on the golf course

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Bryson DeChambeau is one of the most intriguing characters golf has had for a long time, with the LIV Golf star taking a unique approach to almost everything he does on the course.

It did not take Bryson DeChambeau long to gain a reputation for being a little different in how he plays the game. Of course, he quickly became well-known for being the player whose irons were all the same length.

His swing is like nothing else you will see on any of the major tours. Meanwhile, his putting action is also incredibly recognisable.

Some things DeChambeau has done have really not taken off. Others however, have put the rest of the golfing world on alert.

How Bryson DeChambeau convinced Tony Finau his theory was completely wrong

Many will remember when DeChambeau began a body transformation in 2019 in an attempt to add more speed to his swing. It is fair to say that it really helped turn the Crushers captain into a fan favourite.

DeChambeau won the US Open at Winged Foot in 2020. And that week appears to have become a turning point for many. DeChambeau completely overpowered the golf course to secure his first major title.

And speaking on Random Golf Club later that year, Tony Finau explained how DeChambeau’s performance made him completely rethink his belief that no one could play in that manner.

“I used to hit the ball really, really hard, really far. I used to live in the low to mid-90s. That’s what my playing speed was at, between 16 to 20 [years old]. I would live in that low to mid-90s. I would play at that,” he said.

“The problem is I didn’t really know where the ball was going. I couldn’t play at a high level because I wouldn’t hit it in the fairway often enough, or keeping it in play often enough. So I toned it down all the way to where I’m at right now, living at low to mid-180s if I wanted to.

“So my theory was you can’t play at a high level if you’re swinging anything over 190. That’s what my theory was, because I had just come from that.

“After watching Bryson after quarantine come out and literally he’s averaging 190 ball speed on average, hitting it 195, 196 ball speed out on the tour and hitting it in the fairway, he kind of just changed my whole theory.

“He was so much further than everybody, he was just chipping onto the green. So he changed my mind just in that my theory obviously is false.”

Tony Finau’s average driving distance on the PGA Tour

Unfortunately for Finau, he has gone from being one of the longest hitters on the PGA Tour to somewhere much closer to the middle of the pack.

He was ninth for driving distance during the 2018/19 season. Meanwhile, he is currently down in 77th for this year, with his average dropping by five yards.

In fairness to Finau – and it does feel odd to say – but he is now one of the older players at the very highest level. He also underwent knee surgery towards the end of 2024, so it would be no surprise if that had had an impact on the distances he is comfortable hitting.

Nevertheless, his comments highlight just how important distance has become in this era of the game. And DeChambeau played such an important role in opening players’ eyes.