Bryson DeChambeau has “wrecked hands” preparing for Long Drive event

Just over a week until the first shots are hit in the COVID-delayed Ryder Cup, Bryson DeChambeau has revealed his hands have been ‘wrecked’ by his long drive training.

The 27-year-old is set to make his second Ryder Cup appearance at Whistling Straits next week before going straight to Nevada to contest the Professional Long Drivers Association World Championship from September 27 to October 1. 

And in news that is bound to concern the American captain Steve Stricker, the world No.7 told GOLF.com that he has been impacted by his efforts to keep up with the biggest hitters in the world.

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“My hands are wrecked from it,” said DeChambeau. “People don’t realise how difficult long drive really is. In golf, it’s the one thing where you can judge your accomplishments by a number. Not necessarily by going out and playing golf, because you can catch a sprinkler head or catch a bad break or bad wind. 

“On Flightscope, you can see the ball speed number. And when you obtain a ball speed number, it’s so different and unique. It’s like a shot-putter shot-putting a new record number. You’re trying to find that full potential to break through.”

Despite the battering his hands have taken, DeChambeau believes that he can be a formidable competitor at both of his upcoming events.

“I do it every week,” he said, referring to his speed training regime. “Is it daunting? Hell yeah. At first, when I was trying to do it last year, it was very scary. 

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“But now that I’ve been through it and experienced the worst pains from it, and the most relaxed state of it where I’m not doing any speed training, I know how to kind of balance it, for the most part. Why not go hard at life and do both?”

DeChambeau was one of six automatic qualifiers for this year’s US team, finishing in third place on the American Ryder Cup rankings.