Ryder Cup 2021: Bryson DeChambeau hits monstrous 417-yard drive

Even by his standards, it was a mighty blow. One they’ll be talking about forever more, in fact, in conversations about the Ryder Cup.

Bryson DeChambeau ackmowledges the crowd after following up his 417-drive by making an eagle-3 at the fifth in the afternoon fourballs on day one of the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. Picture: Stacy Revere/Getty Images.

Love or loathe him, and there are plenty in both camps, Bryson DeChambeau gets people talking and tongues were certainly wagging at Whistling Straits.

Left out of the opening session by US captain Steve Stricker, the 2020 US Open champion entered the action in the 43rd edition in the afternoon fourballs alongside Scottie Scheffler.

His drive at the first hit a spectator but four holes later the Californian showed exactly what he keeps harping on about when he says power can be king.

Opening his shoulders and giving it everything he has, DeChambeau hit a monstrous 417-yard drive at the par-5 fifth to leave himself with just 72 yards to the pin.

The American, who has been practising for a long-drive competition after this event, had spoken earlier in the week about wanting to achieve a 200mph ball speed while out on the course.

And it looked as though he probably achieved that as he took a direct line to the green over the heads of the fans and a huge collection of bunkers as opposed to playing the hole as a dogleg.

It won’t come off every time, of course, and way too often he fails to capitalise on being a lot closer to greens than other players, but not on this occasion.

To the delight of the home fans, he knocked a wedge to four feet and made eagle against Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton.

Earlier, FedEx Cup winner Patrick Cantlay and Olympic champion Xander Schauffele showed exactly why they’d be so keen to play together by landing one of three US wins in the foursomes,

“First off, we feel very comfortable playing with each other,” said Schauffele of their comfortable success against Ian Poulter and Rory McIlroy, having left the European big guns reeling by winning the first five holes.

“We're good friends. I know it's a big scene and a big crowd and long awaited, but it was another day for Pat and I. We play every week multiple times, and happy to run with Pat.”

The pair had already been successful for Tiger Woods in the 2019 Presidents Cup and it was a no-brainer for Steve Stricker to reunite them in Wisconsin.

“We have each other's back, and Pat and I don't talk a whole lot,” added Schauffele of what makes them spark each other. “I think everyone who knows us, especially when we play, we don't talk a whole lot.

“So he'll walk ahead or I'll walk ahead and we just kind of give each other looks, and that's enough to sort of build on momentum. We are similar in that sense and I think that's very helpful when competing.”

Daniel Berger, another of Stricker’s rookies, also started his Ryder Cup career with a win alongside Brooks Koepka. “We have two different styles of games,” said Berger of that pairing. “I'm more methodical and he's more bomb-and-gauge. When you pair us up together, we complement each other's games.”

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