Who Are LIV Golf's Biggest Hitters... Including A Surprise Number One

Driving distance plays a vital part in being a successful professional golfer in the modern era, especially as golf clubs continue to be refined and strength and conditioning regimes optimised, with the modern golfer hitting the golf ball further than ever before.

On the PGA Tour, Rory McIlroy has established himself as one of the biggest hitters. In fact, in September 2023, the four-time Major champion broke the PGA Tour record for driving distance in a single season with a new average mark of 326.3 yards, breaking Bryson DeChambeau's previous best by three yards.

Meanwhile, on the DP World Tour, it's the young South African, Wilco Nienaber, who sets the pace, with a mammoth average of 332 yards off the tee.

But, what about LIV Golf? The 54-hole circuit is home to some of the game's biggest hitters and, with their 2023 season wrapped, the results are in.

It's worth noting that the way LIV Golf records their average driving distance is a measurement across two key holes on each course they have played. Therefore, it's not a perfect average of every tee shot, but still a good indicator of which players hit the ball the furthest in 2023. 

Here's a look at the top five in driving distance from the 2023 LIV Golf season.

LIV Golf's Biggest Hitters

Peter Uihlein

A surprise name at the top of the leaderboard is Peter Uihlein, whose average driving distance is 322.5 yards. 

The former No.1-ranked amateur finished third in the season-long individual standings in LIV's inaugural season and has used his strength off the tee to his advantage again in 2023, where he finished 12th in the overall standings.

Dean Burmester

The big-hitting South African is second on the list, with his average driving distance sitting at a rather impressive 318.2 yards. The 34-year-old ranked fourth in driving distance on the DP World Tour in 2022, prior to his move to LIV, and has clearly not lost a step in the last year.

Playing for Stinger GC, Burmester notched up two top-five finishes in the 2023 season - in Orlando and Bedminster - as he finished 14th in the end-of-season individual standings. 

Bryson DeChambeau 

It's certainly a surprise to not see Bryson DeChambeau at the top of this list, given his explosive power off the tee, but the American comes in at third with an average distance of 316.8 yards. 

DeChambeau previously owned the record for driving distance average on the PGA Tour with 323.7 yards from the 2020-21 season, although his average was recently bested by McIlroy. His reduced distance may well have something to do with his change in diet, with the 30-year-old admitting that his intense weight-gaining programme had caused health issues.

Still, the Crushers GC captain has put his driving ability to good use, winning twice in 2023, including at Greenbrier when he shot a famous final-round 58.

Dustin Johnson

The ever-consistent Dustin Johnson comes in at fourth place with an average driving distance of 316.4 yards - just 0.2 yards less than DeChambeau!

Johnson made his name for his consistency and accuracy on the PGA Tour and that is certainly still the case at LIV, with the 39-year-old consistently outdriving many of his peers. The two-time Major champion won once in 2023 - in Tulsa - as he finished fifth in the individual standings.

David Puig

In fifth is the Spanish youngster David Puig, whose average driving distance is 314.7 yards. The former Arizona State collegiate golfer made the move straight from University to LIV and his driving distance is clearly one of the tenets of his game.

Playing for Torque GC, the 21-year-old enjoyed a modest year, finishing 31st in the individual standings for 2023 and recording just one top-five finish. Still, he remains an exciting prospect for the future and has a great foundation off the tee from which to develop his game.