300-Yard Drives Now Mark Short Hitters on PGA Tour

The final round of the Players Championship—often called "the fifth major"—witnessed the longest drive ever recorded on TPC Sawgrass's 18th hole (par 4). Champion Cameron Young (USA) crushed a 375-yard drive he later described as "the shot of my life."

Drive distances on the PGA Tour have been steadily increasing. The 300-yard mark, once the benchmark for long hitters, has become a label for short hitters.

John Daly, the legendary long driver, was the first to average over 300 yards on the PGA Tour. Daly averaged 302.0 yards in 1997 and remained the only player to exceed 300 yards until 2002. After Daly broke the barrier, 300 yards became the standard for being called a "long hitter."