SOUTHLAKE, TEXAS – Long Drivers of America (LDA) today announced plans to launch the 2006 RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship, the premier event in power golf, with a special two-day qualifying event in Mesquite, Nevada on March 3-4.
LDA’s Diamond in the Desert Classic, as it’s billed, will combine three separate RE/MAX local qualifiers on Friday, March 3 with a double-elimination RE/MAX district qualifier on Saturday, March 4. Two hitters will be on the tee concurrently on both days, to speed the pace of play and accommodate as many qualifying attempts as possible.
All the action will take place on the RE/MAX world championship grid at The Palms GC in Mesquite. The Diamond in the Desert Classic will be managed by LDA staff, with general manager Mike Ambriz serving as tournament director.
Top finishers at Saturday’s district event will earn spots in the 2006 RE/MAX WLDC finals, scheduled for October 23-28 at The Palms.
Entry fees for Friday’s local qualifier are $40 for open and senior (45-54) division competitors; $30 for women and super seniors (55+).
Entry fees for Saturday’s district qualifier are $75 for LDA members and $125 for nonmembers.
LDA officials previously announced that the 2006 RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship will offer a record purse of $500,000, with the open division champion taking home $125,000, another benchmark.
"We believe a world-class event like this deserves a special launch," said Art Sellinger, LDA’s owner and chief executive officer. "The Diamond in the Desert Classic provides a platform to begin RE/MAX global qualifying for 2006. It will provide instant gratification to those hitters who show up in Mesquite with their A-game and earn a ticket to the big show next fall. They will eliminate the six or seven months of anxiety that comes with trying to secure a spot in the RE/MAX finals."
Sellinger said LDA hopes many of its newest members, as well as other newcomers to long drive, will realize the benefits of participating in the Diamond in the Desert Classic.
"I can’t imagine a better introduction to our sport," he said. "One, newcomers will get a feel for LDA-run events. Two, they get to see how they stack up against elite hitters. Three, they can pick up tips and advice from LDA veterans. Four, they can see test their equipment under the gun and see if any adjustments or tweaks are needed.
"Finally, and this may be the most meaningful benefit of all," Sellinger added, "they will gain invaluable experience hitting on the championship grid at The Palms. If they do in fact qualify for the RE/MAX finals, and that’s pretty much the goal of every golfer who enters this contest, they won’t be overwhelmed on the big stage next fall. They won’t have to endure the "rookie-itis" that so many first-time competitors go through. Mesquite and The Palms will already feel like home to them."
Tournament director Ambriz indicated the number of Diamond in the Desert Classic competitors who will earn spots in the RE/MAX WLDC finals depends on the number of entries in each of the four divisions.
"We expect to see a large turnout primarily because the reward, a straight shot to the RE/MAX world finals, is so high," said Ambriz. "We’ll probably see the majority of hitters come from the western U.S. and Canada, but there should be a broad geographic representation. Some international hitters could come over, too.
"The Diamond in the Desert Classic will give members of the long drive community, both veterans and newcomers, immediate feedback on where there game is and where it needs to be."
Contact:
Russ Pate
(214) 349-3603
Steve Wiley
(888) 233-4654
