To give us an idea of how good a player is off the tee, their total driving stats is a good place to start though it won’t give us a definitive answer.
Total driving is an old-school statistic that combines a player’s rank in driving distance and driving accuracy to create a single metric for overall tee-shot performance.
A player’s total driving score is calculated by adding their season-long rank in driving distance and driving accuracy – and the lower the resulting number, the better the player’s total driving performance.
Strokes gained analyses performance by measuring a player’s advantage or disadvantage against a field average for every shot.
Strokes gained provides a comprehensive analysis of a golfer’s entire game by comparing each shot to the average performance from the same situation and therefore revealing precise strengths and weaknesses.
We’ve listed the players in order of strokes gained – Bryson DeChambeau isn’t listed as he now plays on LIV Golf but, the last time he was part of these rankings, he was top of the strokes gained – off the tee.
SG: Off-the-Tee Total Driving (Distance-Accuracy)
Scottie Scheffler 1st 0.748 6th (46-42)
Collin Morikawa 14th 0.492 39th (134 -5)
Cameron Young 30th 0.317 85th (21-146)
Patrick Cantlay 35th 0.298 65th (64-90
JJ Spaun 36th 0.291 33rd (70-63)
Harris English 46th 0.247 36th (79-57)
Ben Griffin 57th 0.196. 80th (70-95)
Sam Burns 68th 0.146 26th (51-74)
Justin Thomas 82nd 0.078 151st (70-150)
Xander Schauffele 85th 0.076 95th (24-148)
Russell Henley 86th 0.071 85th (160-7)
Five conclusions from the USA squad’s driving stats
1) For all the talk of Scheffler’s iron play, his driving is also better than anyone’s. He’s gaining three quarters of a shot off the tee on the field and then he’s also picking up 1.3 shots on everyone with his approach play.
And we wonder why we’re all talking of him being a generational talent. A certainty to play all five matches.
2) Collin Morikawa is one of the most accurate drivers of a golf ball. All the talk is of his iron play, which is also fantastic, but he’s comfortably the next best driver and you would think a banker for the foursomes. And, yes, his putting is very poor.
3) Cameron Young averages 313 yards off the tee and is the second longest hitter behind DeChambeau.
There are a lot of similar players off the tee in the American team, all very impressive and solid like Cantlay and English, but Young offers something different – and he can now putt. So if Keegan Bradley can find a way of shoehorning his talents in, he might be a foursomes option.
4) In terms of accuracy, Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas are poor for players of their talent.
The former now has plenty of firepower but Thomas’ driver is no longer one of his strengths. He won’t be seen in the first session.
5) We all know what we’re getting from Russell Henley and he could well be the surprise package – there’s a good chance that he’ll be partnering up with Scheffler in the foursomes. He hits fairways for fun.
Read next: The major Ryder Cup clues uncovered from a player’s preferred ball
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Article Link: Ryder Cup: New study reveals the best and worst drivers on USA team