2021 PGA Championship: Top 10 power rankings at Kiawah Island

When the longest course in major championship history is in play this week at Kiawah Island, of course Bryson DeChambeau is going to be one of the favorites.

His rebrand of becoming a large driving machine is about a year old now. The fruits of his labor culminated in his first major win at the 2020 U.S. Open. DeChambeau also won last year’s Rocket Mortgage Classic and this year’s Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Bay Hill was a long layout that requires good driving like at the Ocean course this week. He’ll have to be careful to avoid all of Pete Dye’s diabolical hazards, but his distance will be a difference maker.

Bryson leads the PGA Tour in strokes gained off the tee (1.184). You’re not going to find a bigger gulf in driving distance rank (322 yards, 1st) and fairway percentage rank (55.24%, 172nd). When he’s on his game, those misses are managed well and his brute strength can extract him from long rough if necessary.

The 27-year-old Californian is top 50 in SG approach, around the green and putting. His well-roundedness has him first in total strokes gained (2.205) and scoring average (68.7).

He’s money from outside 200 yards. DeChambeau ranks 19th in proximity from 200-225 yards (37’4”) and sixth from 225-250 (43’2”).

The SMU alum missed the cut in six of his first 14 major championship starts with no top-10s. He’s improved dramatically with four straight made cuts including his win and T-4th at the 2020 PGA Championship.

DeChambeau is 2-for-4 making the cut at the PGA.

He played the last two weeks at the Wells Fargo Championship (T-9th) and AT&T Byron Nelson (T-55th).

DeChambeau is making his debut at Kiawah Island.