Each week on GolfChannel.com, we’ll take a detailed look at the players who pounded the farthest and fastest drives on the PGA Tour. Here are the five most important distance-related stats from the Northern Trust Open, won by Bubba Watson:
Longest drive: Bubba Watson, 362 yards
This is the first time this season that Watson has led this category, taking advantage of the firm-and-fast conditions last week at Riviera. The longest this season is Pat Perez’s 382-yard bomb at TPC Scottsdale.
Recent leaders: Robert Garrigus, 358 yards (Pebble); Pat Perez, 382 yards (Phoenix); David Lingmerth, 368 yards (Torrey); Scott Piercy and Jhonattan Vegas, 352 yards (Humana)
Driving distance: Bubba Watson, 318.5 yards
Bubba topped this category for the third time in the past four weeks. This year, the player who has led this category has won twice (Jimmy Walker, Sony Open) and finished second twice.
Recent leaders: Dustin Johnson, 310.9 yards (Pebble); Bubba Watson, 334.1 yards (Phoenix); Bubba Watson, 309.9 yards (Torrey); Harris English, 309.6 yards (Humana); Jimmy Walker, 319.5 yards (Sony)
Carry distance: Bubba Watson, 309.7 yards
Watson also topped this category for the third time in the past four weeks, though his carry distance wasn’t quite as far as his season best, a 317.4-yarder in the dry air in Phoenix. Dustin Johnson’s 319-yarder a week ago is the distance to beat.
Recent leaders: Dustin Johnson, 319.5 yards (Pebble); Bubba Watson, 317.4 yards (Phoenix); Bubba Watson, 308.3 yards (Torrey); Gary Woodland, 297.5 yadrs (Humana); Charlie Beljan, 286.4 yards (Sony)
Clubhead speed: Bubba Watson, 124.11 mph
Watson led this group for the third time in the past four weeks with a season-best total, topping the previous mark of 123.87 mph, set by Charlie Beljan at the Humana Challenge.
Recent leaders: Dustin Johnson, 123.51 mph (Pebble); Bubba Watson, 123.86 mph (Phoenix); Bubba Watson, 123.41 mph (Torrey); Charlie Beljan, 123.87 mph (Humana); Charlie Beljan, 123.23 mph (Sony)
Ball speed: Bubba Watson, 184.30 mph
No surprise, Watson also led this category for the third time in the past four weeks. It was the highest ball speed of the season, beating the previous best, his 183.90 mph mark in Phoenix. It was more than 4 ½ mph faster than Johnson’s ball speed a week ago in Pebble.
Recent leaders: Dustin Johnson, 179.78 mph (Pebble); Bubba Watson, 183.90 mph (Phoenix); Bubba Watson, 183.26 mph (Torrey); Seung-Yul Noh, 177.87 mph (Humana); Charlie Beljan, 178.62 mph (Sony)
