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 who will take on the reigning champions at the final of the American Golf Long Drive Championship.
With over 5,000 golfers taking part over the past three months, qualification for the American Golf Long Drive Championship final has thrown up some incredible distances from the UK’s biggest hitters and beyond.
Topping the pile in the 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 four-way tie at a distance six yards further than the longest hit in last year’s final.
In the Ladies Championship there will be some real competition for reigning champion and world No.3 Rebecca McGinley, after LET Tour player Carly Booth threw her hat in the ring at qualifying in London. After proceeding through to the regional final, Booth tops the ladies leader board with 304 yards. The next nine qualifiers, including fellow Tour player Michele Thomson, are separated by just 16 yards setting up a final that is sure to be hotly contested.
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 golfers 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.
After watching qualifying come to a close at the Manchester Golf Show, Daniel Gathercole, Director of Marketing and Communications at American Golf commented: “The standard of qualifying this year has been incredible. To have over 5,000 entrants has surpassed all our expectations and really shows the growing popularity of Long Drive since we introduced the championship in 2015. There’s been record distances in every category, we’ve got finalists who flew in from Germany to just hit six balls to qualify, we’ve got Tour players, teaching pros, one amateur playing off plus-five, and a healthy dose of club golfers who just hit a very long ball. This championship really has brought every type of golfer together and we can’t wait to find our three champions in front of Sky Sports’ cameras at Heythrop Park in August, who will then go on to represent the UK and American Golf at the World Championships.”
Qualifiers in the three categories will battle it out at new final venue – Heythrop Park in Oxfordshire – on Friday, August 4. Spectator entry to the final will be completely free and all are welcome.
Under 45s
1 John McSloy 415
2 David Evans 412
3 James Fawssett 405
4 Vincent Palm 403
5 Dan Konyk 401
T6 Adam Stacey 397
T6 Alex Robertson 397
8 Matt Blair 392
T9 Adam Hussain 389
T9 Mark Thompson 389
T9 Nigel Hunt 389
T9 Timo Petrasch 389
Ladies
1 Carly Booth 304
T2 Ilona Stubley 274
T2 Sanni Kamarainen 274
4 Rebecca O’Grady 271
5 Michelle Thomson 270
T6 Bronwyn Davies 269
T6 Marie Simonsen 269
8 Vicki Johnson 268
9 Rhian Barton 267
T10 Abbi Rowlands 258
T10 Rachael McQueen 258
Over 45
1 Sean McCormack 387
2 William Hunt-Tyrell 369
3 Paul Slater 362
4 Steve Kent 355
5 Gavin Beddow 350
T6 Charles Seo 342
T6 Iain Davidson 342
8 Ian Howard 341
9 Karl Bowker 336
10 David Willmore 334