The PGA Tour has been keeping average driving distance stats since 1980.
In 2003, the mark of 321.4 yards was achieved by Hank Kuehne and was the standard-bearer for almost two decades. During the 2019-20 season, Bryson DeChambeau broke Kuehne’s 17-year-old mark. One year later, DeChambeau broke his own mark.
Go back to 1997, where John Daly was the first to surpass the average distance of 300 yards. In all, Daly led the Tour in driving distance 11 times.
Being a big hitter doesn’t always lead to victory. Only eight golfers on this list won a PGA Tour event in the same year they led in driving. In case you were wondering, neither Tiger Woods nor Phil Mickelson ever led the Tour in driving distance.
This is the list of the longest drivers starting in 1980 through the 2024 regular season at the Tour Championship.
Dan Pohl at the 1992 L.A. Open at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo: Getty Images)
Dan Pohl – 1980, 1981
The first officially recognized long-drive champ, Dan Pohl led the PGA Tour in 1980 (274.3 yards) and then again in 1981 (280.1). He did not win on Tour either season. In 1980, his best finish was a solo second at the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am. His best finish in 1981 was a solo third at the PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club.
Bill Calfee hits driver in a 1983 PGA Tour event. (Photo: Associated Press)
Bill Calfee – 1982
Bill Calfee led the PGA Tour in driving in 1982 (275.3). Calfee entered 26 events that season but got DQ’d from one of them and missed the cut in 15 others. He went from February to mid-July without making a weekend. The closest he came to winning was a T-7 in the Texas Open.
John McComish – 1983, 1987
John McComish led the PGA Tour in driving twice: 1983 (277.4) and 1987 (283.9). He only played five seasons on Tour. His best finish in his rookie season of 1983 was a T-22 in the USF&G Classic. In 1987, his best finish was a T-9 in the Deposit Guaranty Golf Classic.
Bill Glasson at the 1994 Phoenix Open. (Photo: Gary Newkirk/Allsport)
Bill Glasson – 1984
Bill Glasson led the Tour in driving in 1984 (276.5). Glasson made only six cuts in 19 events that season. His best finish was T-13 at the Buick Open. He pocketed just $17,845 that season.
Andy Bean after winning the 1986 Kapalua International in Maui, Hawaii. (Photo: Mike Powell/Allsport)
Andy Bean – 1985
Andy Bean…
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