What John Daly did at the 1993 US Open which was previously thought to be impossible

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John Daly was a trailblazer in making modern golf what it is today.

The golfing icon burst onto the scene at the 1991 PGA Championship by averaging 303 yards per drive, leading the field in driving distance. John Daly won his first major at that tournament as a ninth alternate on a course he had never played before. 

Daly inspired a new generation of power golfers, including the likes of Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau, who Daly still thinks he could outdrive in his prime. He also helped push Tiger Woods to a new stratosphere off the tee, as the greatest golfer of all time tried to compete with his distance. 

As the longest hitter on the PGA Tour, Daly’s distance was jaw-dropping. And he did something that was thought to be impossible at the 1993 US Open.

John Daly achieved an impossible feat on 630-yard par 5

“The 630-yard 17th. The hole, they said, nobody could possibly reach in two. Not now, not ever. But then, John Daly teed it up.” That was the call on commentary describing the astounding, impossible feat Daly had achieved during the 1993 US Open.

The tournament, played at Baltusrol Golf Club, featured a 630-yard par five on the 17th hole. It was one of the longest holes in the tournament’s history.

No one had even attempted to find the green in two before. It wasn’t even considered as a possibility. But Daly hit his driver over 320 yards, then eyed the green with his one-iron.

He gripped down, swung hard, and walked after his approach in anticipation as his shot hurtled towards the greenside bunker at the front of the putting surface. But the ball jumped off the rough to the left of the sand and skipped onto the green.

“Daly had done the impossible, albeit with a fortunate bounce,” said the commentary. He then two-putted for the most impressive birdie of the day.

Daly grinned ear to ear on the walk down towards the green, to rapturous applause from the gallery. He described the hole after his round, saying, “I just went as hard as I could with my drive and with my one-iron today.

“There’s a chance I was going to get it there today. The wind wasn’t blowing real hard, but I’ve been hitting my driver a little left, but I figured I’d just aim it right and hit it. I just hit it the way I’ve been hitting it today and just caught one really solid.”

The hole epitomized what Daly brought to the game. He swung hard and with confidence, because after all, what’s the point in playing the game if you’re not going to have some fun with it from time to time?

How far could John Daly drive the ball?

Daly was the longest driver in golf in 1991, topping the PGA Tour’s driving stats.

He drove the ball an average of six yards longer than Greg Norman that season, and he replicated his success nearly every year until 2002. 

In 1997, Daly became the first player to average over 300 yards for a season on the PGA Tour. He did that every season until 2012, with the exception of 1998, when he was 0.6 yards per drive short.

His longest ever drive? Daly smoked one 498 yards in 2002 at the Mercedes Championship. That was at the Plantation Course, where on the 18th, you can hit a downslope and watch the ball roll on for miles. But it still takes an almighty effort to hit one that long.

It would be very fascinating to give a prime Daly modern equipment and see if he could really outdrive DeChambeau. It would take a brave man to bet against him!