American Golf Long Drive Championship qualifiers saw five shots over 400 yards, record qualifying distances in each category and an unprecedented level of competition.
With five qualifiers over 400 yards, record qualifying distances in each category and an unprecedented level of competition, American Golf has confirmed the line-up of competitors for the final of the American Golf Long Drive Championship.
With over 5000 golfers taking part over the past 3 months, qualification for the American Golf Long Drive Championship final has thrown up some incredible distances from the U.K.’s biggest hitters and beyond.
In the Ladies Championship, more big hitting ladies have taken part than ever before with some real competition for reigning champion and world No.3 Rebecca McGinley emerging from an unlikely source. LET Tour player Carly Booth, appearing at the American Golf London Golf Show for her sponsor Cobra, threw her hat in the ring at last chance qualifying.
After proceeding through to the regional final, Carly sent out a monster hit of 304 yards to top the qualifying leaderboard. Among other qualifiers are last year’s beaten finalist Rebecca O’Grady and another LET star, Michele Thomson. After Carly set the pace, the next nine qualifiers are separated by just 16 yards, setting up a final that is sure to be hotly contested.
Topping the pile in the Men’s Under 45 category is 2016 finalist John McSloy from Glasgow who sent out a 415 yard monster, just ahead of 2016 runner up Dave Evans, with 412. 389 yards is the cut off for U45 qualifiers this year, with the bottom players clinging on in a 4 way tie at a distance 6 yards further than the longest hit in last year’s final!
The Over 45 qualifiers weren’t left behind in the record breaking statistics with Sean McCormack from Dunblane registering 387 yards, ahead of William Hunt-Tyrell’s 369. Pro Golfer’s and past finalists pepper the qualifying field with five qualifiers registering 350+ and beaten 2016 finalist David Willmore creeping in at number 10 with 334 yards.
Qualifiers in the 3 categories will battle it out at new final venue – Heythrop Park in Oxfordshire – on Friday 4th August. Spectator entry to the final will be completely free and all are welcome. The Long Drive Championship is one part of American Golf’s drive to get more people hitting more balls and for 2017 those balls have been going a very long way!
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