A golfer who attempted his first specialist long drive only in April, at the London Golf Show, has finished third in the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championships in Las Vegas.
Adam Stacey, 22, from Feltham, in London, earns a living as a pro at Laleham Golf Club, Chertsey, but had never contemplated competitive long driving until he succeeded on the Nike simulator at ExCeL in April.
He said: "I just travelled up with a few mates and had a go for fun. I made it on to the leaderboard and then discovered there was a final challenge against two guys from the Long Drivers of Europe.
"I played them and beat them by 15 yards. I was then approached by Neil Hodgson, the managing director of Long Drivers of Europe who invited me along to their event in Scotland."
A second place there, using his standard Titleist driver, helped qualify him for the world championships and attracted the attention of major sponsors including Bang Golf and Hi-Tec.
He then concluded his first six months on the European Long Drive circuit by finishing as the only European in the top six at the world final.
He hit a stunning 383 yards in his floodlit semi-final – a distance which would have won the final – followed by an equally impressive 368 yards in the final in front of 4,000 spectators at The Palms Golf Club, Mesquite, Nevada.
He walked away with the third prize of $30,000 dollars and was just a yard shy of increasing his purse by another $10,000.
He said: "It was an unbelievable, unforgettable experience playing out there in front of all those spectators. And my third place means I’m now exempt from qualifying for next year’s event. I can’t wait."
His rise from club pro to a place among the world’s golf power elite has taken him a little by surprise.
He added: "I always believed I could achieve something. But I didn’t imagine I’d be going down this route.
"It’s still my ambition to play on the Tour, but I certainly won’t stop long driving now. It’s possible to make a career out of that – and you need money behind you if you want to earn a place on the Tour.
To reach the final, Stacey saw off the challenge of many of the world’s biggest hitters, including the Canadian four-time RE/MAX World Champion Jason Zuback and the 2004 winner David Mobley.
Neil Hodgson said: "Adam’s performance, and those by the European squad in general have at last brought European long driving firmly to the attention of the Americans and will accelerate the growth of this exciting sport across our continent."
From the London Golf Show in April to Las Vegas in October – all it takes is the ability to hit a golf ball more than 350 yards. It’s easy when you know howâ?¦
The Long Drivers of Europe – including the new world number three- will return to the scene of Adam Stacey’s first triumph, ExCeL-London, for the London Golf Show 2006, on April 27-30. Visit www.thelondongolfshow.com for further details on Europe’s largest consumer golf show.
Contact:
Pete Richardson, Dave Bowers or David Garlant
08700 330 550
pete@prcpr.co.uk, dave@prcpr.co.uk or david.garlant@prcpr.co.uk
