Rory McIlroy vs Bryson DeChambeau: Exploring the Better Driver as Fans Raise Chaos Over Heated Debate

Is Bryson DeChambeau the best driver of the golf ball right now? Or, does that honor still belong to Rory McIlroy? Undoubtedly, both are the longest hitters in the game. McIlroy became the first player to drive the green in the 10th at Bay Hill. Interestingly, at the very same course three years ago, Bryson DeChambeau shocked the world with a 337-yard missile that carried over the lake at the sixth.

DeChambeau notably, has teed off in the long drive competitions as well. In 2022, at the height of his quest for club head speed, the two-time major champion almost won the Professional Long Drivers Association’s World Championship. He lost to Germany’s Martin Borgmeier but outclassed more than 100 players who specifically train for long drives. 

At the 2024 U.S. Open, the LIV Golf pro earned bragging rights over the Ulsterman. But does that settle the best driver debate? Likely not. Their major record muddies the situation even further. 

The Crushers captain trumped McIlroy by a huge margin in the Masters. DeChambeau was leading the field in strokes gained: off the tee in Augusta, gaining 1.7 strokes compared to the field. McIlroy’s SG: off the tee was 0.97. 

The four-time major winner erased the gap a little at Valhalla. The Northern Irishman gained 1.23 strokes compared to DeChambeau’s 1.41. At the U.S. Open, however, McIlroy emerged as the better among the two. 

While DeChambeau’s average driving distance of 337.2 yards was the best at Pinehurst No. 2, Rory McIlroy outshone the eventual winner in strokes gained. The Ulsterman gained 1.82 strokes compared to the field, whereas the LIV Golfer gained 1.12 strokes through four rounds. 

From tee to green, McIlroy earned 0.27 strokes more than DeChambeau. While the latter hit only 32 of the 56 fairways (57%), the four-time major winner managed to reach the fairways 46 times from the tee, the third-best in the field.

Nevertheless, comparing the two was always going to be a polarizing topic. A pulse check on the Internet will tell it’s as hotly contested a debate as any. But Rory McIlroy is crowned the winner if we solely go by votes. 

Fans still favor Rory McIlroy over Bryson DeChambeau

The best driver argument is multifaceted. While DeChambeau could beat any field in hitting bombs off the tee, his drives aren’t always the most accurate. Consider this for example, in his last full season on the PGA Tour, the 30-year-old was first in driving distance, and sg: off the tee. But DeChambeau was languishing at 178th in driving accuracy. The two-time major winner could only find fairways 54.78% of the time,  compared to the field average of 60.69%. 

Interestingly, McIlroy, too, was far from his best form. The Ulsterman hit only 57.32% of fairways. However, two years later, McIlroy ranks 29th in driving accuracy. His fairway hits percentage of 67.93 is better than the field average of 62.53%.

Referring to the nuances, one user tweeted, “He still can’t touch @McIlroyRory [Rory McIlroy].” A second person agreed. “No Rory still holds that title imo [in my opinion],” they wrote. One user quipped whether DeChambeau was the “best or longest” driver.

The peril of hitting long but inaccurate drives was evident at Pinehurst No.2. DeChambeau’s errant shots landed him in trouble, and handed the lead to Rory McIlroy. Stats back that up as well. The two-time major champion gained only 0.12 strokes with the longest club in his arsenal. Off the tee, DeChambeau even ranked behind Francesco Molinari. 

McIlroy was gaining 1.61 strokes, the second-best of the day. Reminding that, one user wrote, “Brysons (sic) driving was all over the shop in the 4th round, he was just very good at recoverys (sic).”

Thanks to his spectacular recovery, none better than one on the 72nd hole, and McIlroy’s missed putts, none more crushing than the one on the 18th, DeChambeau emerged as the ultimate winner. For some, that’s what matters in the end. “@McIlroyRory is the best driver, but @b_dechambeau got the trophy which is all that matters.” 

Interestingly, despite being two of the longest hitters in Golf, they stand in polar opposites on golf ball rollback policy. While DeChambeau blasted USGA and R&A for ignoring the effort they put to achieve long distance, McIlroy is a firm believer that rollback is the ultimate solution for sustainability. Although there is no lack of respect between the two, their fans stand as far apart as possible.