Colsaerts pounds 419-yard drive at Euro Tour event
- By Ryan Lavner
- Jan 10, 2013 3:22 PM ET

The longest hitter in golf isn’t Bubba or DJ.
No, it’s Nicolas Colsaerts, who lived up to his “Belgian Bomber” moniker Thursday at the Volvo Golf Champions in South Africa. The 30-year-old European Ryder Cupper unleashed a prodigious blast during the opening round that traveled 419 yards.
Joked Ernie Els, who was playing alongside Colsaerts: “They should put a plaque down. I was coming from a different zip code. And I’ve got to compete against these animals!”
At 318.6 yards a pop, Colsaerts – “The Muscles from Brussels” – was the longest hitter on either the European or PGA Tour in 2012. (Watson averaged a PGA Tour-best 315.5 yards last season.) This latest bomb came at the downwind par-5 third hole at Durban Country Club.
“I’ve been coming here since 1986 and I’ve never seen a ball there – nobody has,” said Els, who nonetheless had the advantage after Round 1, opening with 4-under 68 to Colsaerts’ 73.
Related Articles
Colsaerts' drive results in drop inside bathroom
by Will Gray | May 19, 2013 1:54 PM ETAt the Volvo World Match Play, Nicolas Colsaerts took 'taking relief' to a whole other level. Read More
Colsaerts' drive results in drop inside bathroom
by Will Gray | May 18, 2013 3:03 PM ETAfter driving into a hazard at the Volvo World Match Play Championship, Nicolas Colsaerts was forced to take unusual relief from within a bathroom. Read More
G-Mac, Colsaerts makes quarters at Volvo
by Associated Press | May 18, 2013 9:48 AM ETRyder Cup-winning teammates Graeme McDowell, Nicolas Colsaerts and Francesco Molinari are through to the quarterfinals of the World Match Play Championship. Read More
Lavner is a staff writer for GolfChannel.com and is in charge of GolfTalkCentral.
Latest News
- LIVE STREAM: Watch Lexi, Lewis in LPGA finale
- SCORING: Bae leads Bradley | LPGA Mobile Bay
- McDowell wins Volvo World Match Play | Results
- Venturi dies at 82 | Twitter reaction | Photos
- Arnie, Jack recall Venturi | Nelson connection
- Week in review: Top Photos, Quotes of the Week
- Bradley leads Nelson by 1 | At a glance
- McDowell: McIlroy, Horizon split 'fairly amicable'
- Cancer can't keep Auburn women out of NCAAs
- Uihlein gets first win at Madeira Islands | Scores
- Chella Choi leads Mobile; Nordqvist fires 61
- Open qualifying: Men's local | Women's sectional
- Instruction: Don't let anxiety ruin your bunker play








