PGA Tour welcomes massive hitter who can smash drives past 400 yards and defy Rory McIlroy

Lamprecht’s 418-yard drive at the 2023 Dunhill Links Championship quickly got people talking. Coming off an Amateur Championship win, he was already clocking ball speeds near 200mph throughout the event.

At the 2024 Masters, he opened with two drives of 353 and 366 yards. He also averaged over 323 yards off the tee at The Open in 2023, second only to one other player. But there is more to his game than just distance.

Lamprecht’s victory at the 2023 Amateur Championship secured his entry into major championships. Notably, at The Open in 2023, he was ranked as the second-highest amateur and even contended for the lead after the first day of the tournament.

The South African’s impressive 5-under-66 display tied him for the lead after Thursday’s play.

He made his professional debut in 2024, starting on the Korn Ferry Tour before claiming his first win at the Pinnacle Bank Championship in August 2025. Now, with a PGA Tour card, there is no doubt that he can hold his own with any of golf’s big hitters.

What Christo Lamprecht needs to work on

For a player with Lamprecht’s power off the tee, it is no surprise that his short game still has some catching up to do. If he wants to make a real impact at the top level, that part of his game will need attention.

While his putting has been decent, gaining +0.2 strokes on the greens, it is his approach play that holds him back. Data Golf shows he has lost 1.5 strokes when approaching greens over his career.

Lamprecht’s scrambling also needs improvement. He loses 0.4 strokes around the green, which only adds pressure given how often he finds himself relying on recovery shots due to inaccurate approaches.

Even in driving, where he excels most, there are trade-offs. He gains 2.3 strokes with distance but loses 1.4 with accuracy, leaving him just +0.9 overall off the tee.

Lamprecht is undoubtedly exciting to watch from the tee box, but until he rounds out other parts of his game, consistency on the PGA Tour may remain just out of reach.