Bryson DeChambeau has changed golf dramatically since he bulked up and added more length to his game.
The brash DeChambeua is also planning on using a 48-inch driver during the Masters next week — and now Phil Mickelson is following suit, to a degree.
Mickelson said he’s planning on playing with a 47 ½-inch driver at Augusta National with the idea of getting more distance on his drives.
On ‘The Callaway Golf Podcast’ released on Tuesday, Mickelson said he began using the new driver in his last two tournaments and will do so again this weekend at the Vivint Houston Open to tune up for the Masters, which was postponed from April to November due to COVID-19.
Rules prohibit players from using drivers longer than 48 inches and Mickelson has traditionally used one that’s 46 inches.
But he explained the setup of Augusta helped spark the change.
Phil MickelsonGetty ImagesHe pointed to holes 1, 2, 8 14 and 17 as ones he’d like to hit around 320 yards to avoid bunkers and other hazards.
“You really want to fly the ball 315-320 [yards] minimum, and that seems like a lot, and it is a lot,’’ Mickelson said. “It’s just that if you fly it there, you have a chance to take advantage of some of those holes.”
Mickelson has won the Masters three times, most recently in 2010, but he hasn’t threatened there since 2015, when he tied for second.



