Bryson DeChambeau has done it again - this time with the stakes raised, en route to victory in the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
DeChambeau launched a 377-yard (345m) drive at Bay Hill's sixth hole on Monday (AEDT). The American's monster drive cut off a huge dog-leg around the water on the 531-yard (486m) hole and left him just 88 yards (80m) from the pin.
DeChambeau was tied for the lead with playing partner Lee Westwood at the time, meaning it was a gutsy call to go for the all-or-nothing drive. The gallery again erupted as he pulled it off.
The stroke outdid his effort from the third round, when he crushed the ball 370-yards (338m) over the water. That stroke was the longest drive on Bay Hill No.6 for 18 years, yet was beaten only a day later.
However, DeChambeau's feat didn't entirely pay off. Both he and Westwood birdied the par-five, after the Englishman took a more conventional route. Incredibly, the next closest shot to the pin on No.6 in the final round was 231 yards away.
Westwood bogeyed No.14 on a tough scoring day, while DeChambeau held firm. He won by one shot at 11-under, closing with a one-under 71 thanks to a blemish-free back-nine. Westwood had hoped to win his first PGA Tour title since 2010.
It was DeChambeau's eighth PGA Tour win. He last year won his maiden major championship, the US Open at Winged Foot.
DeChambeau has been a controversial player, due to both his slow pace of play and his drastically altered physique. From late 2019, he packed on muscle to improve his length off the tee and now boasts a huge advantage over rivals.
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