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How Bryson DeChambeau proved Tony Finau wrong about what was possible in golf

Originally posted on HITC | By Jordan Harris | Last updated Jul 30, 2025 10:38 AM ET

Bryson DeChambeau has always stood out as one of golf’s more unusual characters, especially with the way he does things so differently from everyone else on the LIV Golf tour.

He picked up a reputation pretty quickly for taking a different approach to the game. And it didn’t take long before fans noticed his irons were all exactly the same length.

His swing doesn’t look like anyone else’s, and you can spot his putting stroke from a mile away too.

Not everything he’s tried has caught on, but some of his ideas have definitely made people in golf sit up and take notice.

Tony Finau was made to completely rethink his theory after a Bryson DeChambeau performance

Bryson DeChambeau’s journey through golf has been marked by his unconventional approach to the game. Many remember the body transformation he underwent in 2019, aimed at adding more speed to his swing. It turned him into a real fan favourite, and eventually helped him win the US Open at Winged Foot in 2020.

DeChambeau overpowered the course that week, and speaking on Random Golf Club later that year, Tony Finau said it made him rethink his belief that no one could play in that manner.

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“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 keep 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.”

Finau explained further: “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.”

Tony Finau’s average driving distance on the PGA Tour

Finau used to be known as one of the bigger hitters on tour, but these days, he sits much closer to the middle of the pack.

Back in 2018-19, he ranked ninth in driving distance. This season, though, he’s dropped down to 77th, and his average has fallen by five yards.

Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

To be fair to Finau – it feels a bit strange to say this – but he’s now one of the older players at the top level. He also had knee surgery towards the end of 2024, so it wouldn’t be surprising if that’s affected how far he feels comfortable hitting it.

Still, his comments show just how much distance matters in today’s game. And DeChambeau had a big hand in changing that conversation.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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