Each week on GolfChannel.com, we’ll detail which players pounded the farthest and fastest drives on the PGA Tour. Here are the five most important distance-related stats from the Byron Nelson Championship, won by Brendon Todd:
Longest drive: Jamie Lovemark, 379 yards
Lovemark’s big blast came on the 528-yard third hole at TPC Four Seasons. The former USC standout tied for 64th in Dallas.
Recent leaders: Jamie Donaldson, 348 yards (Players); Bud Cauley, 380 yards (Charlotte); Dustin Morris, 376 yards (Zurich)
Driving distance: Jamie Lovemark, 323 yards
Lovemark also topped this category for the first time this season. Four of the last five leaders in this statistic have finished 48th or worse in that week’s Tour event.
Recent leaders: Bubba Watson, 306.1 yards (Players); J.B. Holmes, 333.9 yards (Charlotte); Andrew Loupe, 314.5 yards (Zurich)
Carry distance: Robert Garrigus and Jamie Lovemark, 283.3 yards
There was a tie at the top of this category, with both players finishing with the longest carry distance for the first time this season. Garrigus fared a little better than Lovemark, tying for 29th at TPC Four Seasons.
Recent leaders: Bubba Watson, 293.4 yards (Players); J.B. Holmes, 315 yards (Charlotte); Charles Howell III, 284 yards (Zurich)
Clubhead speed: Charlie Beljan, 123.26 mph
Beljan led this statistic for the first time since Bay Hill (123.89 mph), and he compared favorably to Gary Woodland, who topped this category each of the past two weeks. Beljan tied for 11th at the Nelson.
Recent leaders: Gary Woodland, 123.70 mph (Players); Gary Woodland, 123.44 mph (Charlotte); Andrew Loupe, 124.14 mph (Zurich)
Ball speed: Charlie Beljan, 182.21 mph
No surprise, Beljan also topped this category this week. It was his first time leading the statistic since the Sony Open (178.62 mph).
Recent leaders: Bubba Watson, 182.21 mph (Players); Jason Kokrak, 179.95 mph (Charlotte); Andrew Loupe, 184.35 mph (Zurich)
