It’s been fun to catch all of the action over at the PGA Championship Long Drive competition today!

The rules are simple – one attempt only, drive the ball off of the 1st tee at Baltusrol, stay in the fairway, longest shot wins.

The prize is pretty sweet – a gold money clip, $25,000 donated to the winner’s charity of choice with the 2nd and 3rd place runners up to get $15,000 and $10,000 to their charity of choice respectfully.

…but as much as you think it takes height and the body of a beast to drive the ball the longest you might be surprised to know the stats of this year’s leaders.  Everyone is bagging on Rory for looking all beefcake lately (no reference to the true Andrew “Beef” Johnston), but he’s really not that big of a guy.  I’m bigger and I sure as hell don’t drive it 345 yards perfectly down the fairway.   Last year’s winner Anirban Lahiri is only 5’9″ and 165 lbs… he and Rory could hit the ring but my money would be on Rory.

 

FINAL LEADER SIZE STATS

1.  Byeong Hun An – 347 yards  (6’1″ / 209 lbs)

2.  Rory McIlroy – 345 yards  (5’9″ / 161 lbs)

3.  Nicolas Colsaerts – 341 yards  (6’2″ / 172 lbs)

4.  Brendan Steele – 338 yards  (6’2″ / 175 lbs)

5.  Matt Dobyns – 337 yards  (5’11” / 210 lbs)

We have a new leader! @ByeongHunAn crushes it 347 yards to move ahead of McIlroy. https://t.co/d8nvSR29uW

— PGA.COM (@PGAcom) July 26, 2016

 

Moral of the story… don’t always count the little guys out!  A killer swing can make a beast of a drive.  Remember when Justin Thomas (all of 5’10” and 145 lbs) hit a drive 410 yards at the WGC-Bridgestone earlier this month?  BOOM!

 

 

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