Bryson DeChambeau's Strokes Gained for His Monster Ryder Cup Drive
Analyze Bryson DeChambeau monster 417-yard drive at the Ryder Cup using strokes gained - he gained 1.07 shots with one swing.
One of the highlights of the Ryder Cup was a monster drive by Bryson DeChambeau that demonstrated the power of aggressive play when executed perfectly.
The Setup: A Risk-Reward Par 5
Bryson and Scottie Scheffler were playing Friday afternoon fourballs against Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton. The fifth hole is a 518-yard par five with two lakes.
Most players hit a safe tee shot to the landing area before the first lake. Bryson decided to carry the water entirely, a carry of over 300 yards with trouble on every side.
He executed perfectly. Watch the video here.
The ball landed in the fairway just 72 yards from the hole. He hit a precise approach that stopped 4 feet from the pin and sank the putt for eagle, winning the hole for the American team.
Calculating Strokes Gained for the Drive
How good was that hole? Strokes gained provides an objective answer.
From the tee on a 518-yard hole (playing to 581 effective yards due to conditions), the PGA Tour scoring average is 4.79 strokes. After Bryson’s drive landed 72 yards from the hole in the fairway, the expected strokes to finish dropped to 2.72.
Strokes Gained = Starting Benchmark - Ending Benchmark - Strokes Taken
Strokes Gained = 4.79 - 2.72 - 1 = +1.07 strokes
That single swing gained over one full stroke against the tour average. The typical PGA Tour player would need two shots to reach the same position where Bryson stood after one.
Complete Strokes Gained Breakdown for the Hole
| Shot | Location | Benchmark from Location | Strokes Gained |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 581 yards - Tee | 4.79 | +1.07 |
| 2 | 72 yards - Fairway | 2.72 | +0.59 |
| 3 | 4 feet - Green | 1.13 | +0.13 |
| Total | +1.79 |
Every shot contributed positive strokes gained:
- The drive (+1.07): Elite execution on a high-risk shot
- The approach (+0.59): From 72 yards, most tour players leave themselves outside 15 feet. Bryson stopped it at 4 feet.
- The putt (+0.13): Tour players make 86% of 4-footers. Making this one under pressure added slight positive value.
What Does +1.79 Strokes Gained on One Hole Mean?
Bryson gained nearly two full strokes against the tour average in a single hole. To put that in perspective:
- The typical strokes gained leader on the PGA Tour gains about 2-3 strokes per round across 18 holes
- Bryson achieved almost that entire margin on one hole
- His playing partner could have double-bogeyed the hole and their better ball score would still have been eagle
The strokes gained framework reveals just how exceptional this sequence was. Every amateur dreams of playing one hole like this in their lifetime.
Using Strokes Gained for Your Own Analysis
You can calculate strokes gained for any shot using our strokes gained calculator. Enter your starting position, ending position, and see exactly how much value each shot added to your round.
When you track rounds with golfity, the app calculates strokes gained automatically for every shot. You will see which parts of your game gain strokes and which cost you.
The Lesson: High Risk, High Reward
Bryson’s aggressive play paid off spectacularly. But strokes gained also shows why conservative play often makes sense.
If that drive had found the water, Bryson would have lost approximately 1.5 strokes instead of gaining 1.07. The math favors aggression only when execution probability is high enough.
Track your own strokes gained data to understand when aggressive play makes sense for your game. Most amateurs should take the safe route more often. When you hit it like Bryson, you can play like Bryson.
We typically recommend analyzing strokes gained across multiple rounds rather than single shots, as the data reveals meaningful patterns over time. But examining exceptional individual performances like this one demonstrates how the framework captures the value of outstanding golf.
