WORLD LONG DRIVE ANNOUNCES 2020 SCHEDULE 

Cog Hill Golf & Country Club to Host 45th World Long Drive Championship 

WLD Q-Series (Qualifying Series) Highlights Growth Around the World; More

Than a Dozen Q-Series Events to Offer Exemptions into World Championship 

Top Flite, New Amsterdam’s Stratusphere Gin Become Official WLD Marketing

Partners; Callaway, Avis, Dick’s Sporting Goods All Return as Partners in 2020

ORLANDO, Fla. (Feb. 4, 2020) – World Long Drive announced its 2020 schedule today, which will feature a new venue for the World Long Drive Championship for the first time since 2015, as well as more than a dozen qualifying events throughout North America and around the world. The season will feature four televised events airing live on GOLF Channel, with World Long Drive coming off its two most-viewed seasons (2018-’19) on GOLF Channel and the networks of NBC Sports, according to data released by The Nielsen Company. Chloe Garner (Somerset West, South Africa) and Kyle Berkshire (Crofton, Md.) enter the 2020 season as the reigning world champions.

2020 World Long Drive Championship Heads to Cog Hill Outside of Chicago: World Long Drive has partnered with Cog Hill Golf & Country Club (Lemont, Ill.) outside of Chicago in a multi-year agreement that will designate Cog Hill as the host venue for the 2020 World Long Drive Championship. Opening in 1927, Cog Hill previously hosted the BMW Championship and Western Open (1991-2007), as well as a handful of USGA championships. In collaboration with World Long Drive, Cog Hill will construct a custom “hitting grid” that will be utilized for competition in September, which will culminate live and under the lights in primetime on GOLF Channel.

“Coming off a memorable 2019 season, we’re expanding our commitment to global development of the sport through a broader qualifying series that includes expansion in Asia and other parts of the world,” said Matt Farrell, executive director, World Long Drive Association. “We’re also thrilled to bring our flagship event to the No. 3 media market in the United States through a partnership with Cog Hill, whose tradition in the sport reflects our own storied history as we celebrate the 45th edition of the World Long Drive Championship this fall.”

“For over 90 years, Cog Hill and the Jemsek family have been at the forefront of introducing and promoting the game of golf,” said Katherine Jemsek, president, Cog Hill Golf & Country Club. “We’re thrilled that our facility will host the 2020 World Long Drive Championship. Long drive contests are in our blood, as our founder – my grandfather, Joe Jemsek – won the 1934 Chicago World Fair’s Long Drive contest. We look forward to welcoming fans, sports enthusiasts as well as the competitors to historic Cog Hill in September.”

2020 World Long Drive Tour Event Schedule:

Clash in the Canyon (April 17-22*; Mesquite, Nev.)

• The 2020 WLD tour season kicks off at a familiar venue in the sport, with Mesquite previously hosting the World Long Drive Championship (2008-’12).

Exchange Celebrating Service: Fort Jackson (May 17-19; Fort Jackson, S.C.)

• In partnership with the United States Army Installation Management Command, Army and Air Force Exchange Service, and Lifelock, WLD returns to Fort Jackson, where military personnel will compete alongside the world’s longest hitters.

Atlantic City Boardwalk Bash (June 7-9; Atlantic City, N.J.)

• WLD visits Atlantic City for the third consecutive year, in collaboration with the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority.

ROC City Rumble (July 20-22; Rochester, N.Y.)

• Upstate New York welcomes WLD for the fourth tour event of the season.

Tennessee Big Shots benefiting Niswonger Children’s Hospital (Aug. 15-17; Kingsport, Tenn.)

• Tennessee hosts the final tour stop before the season-culminating event, in partnership with Niswonger Children’s Hospital.

45th World Long Drive Championship (Sept. 3-9; Lemont, Ill.)

• The 45th annual World Long Drive Championship heads to Chicagoland for the first time, with Cog Hill Golf & Country Club providing the stage for hitters vying to claim a coveted world championship belt.

Q-Series, Global Q-Series Highlight Opportunities to Earn Entry in WLD Championship: During the course of the season, World Long Drive plans to offer more than a dozen officially-sanctioned qualifying events throughout North America and around the world, which will present an opportunity for hitters to earn an exemption into the season-ending World Long Drive Championship in September. Q-Series (Qualifying Series) events will be held throughout North America, and Global Q-Series events will be staged around the world in 2020. In addition to the North American Q-Series events, WLD will stage a pair of additional “Tour Series” events, featuring a modified tour event on the backend of a Q-Series event in both Memphis (June 20) and Salt Lake City (Aug. 1).

Top Flite Named New Official Ball of World Long Drive: The 2020 World Long Drive season will coincide with a new partner in Top Flite, which becomes the official ball of World Long Drive, to be used at all qualifying and tour events during the course of the season. Specifically, the “Top Flite Bomb” will be utilized in all competitions, a two-piece ball featuring a large core design and higher compression that’s catered for distance and low spin for maximum carry.

In addition to Top Flite, World Long Drive in 2020 also will welcome New Amsterdam’s Stratusphere Gin (official gin of World Long Drive) as a new official marketing partner. Callaway, Avis, Dicks Sporting Goods and Synthetic Turf International all will return as official marketing partners for the 2020 World Long Drive season.

2020 World Long Drive Association Schedule (Tour Events & Q-Series):

* Clash in the Canyon event dates are being finalized, but will fall between April 17-22*

ABOUT WORLD LONG DRIVE ASSOCIATION

Originating in 1976, the World Long Drive Association is golf at its farthest, loudest, most athletic and adrenaline-filled extreme. The broader sports industry also has taken notice, including ESPN proclaiming that long drive has “recently started to enter the mainstream of golf;” Men’s Journal noting “with the sport’s ascendant profile and ever-growing prestige,” fans should “buckle up for more high-octane action;” Golf Digest saying the World Long Drive is “on the upswing, gaining traction;” and Golf.com claiming it as “an eye-opening experience”. World Long Drive events can be seen on television in more than 60 countries, including GOLF Channel, NBC Sports Network and NBC in the United States, and Sky Sports Golf in the United Kingdom. World Long Drive is coming off its two most-viewed seasons (2018-’19) on GOLF Channel and the networks of NBC Sports, according to data released by The Nielsen Company. Sanctioned WLD events are open to amateur and professional golfers. The 2020 WLD season consists of events across North America and around the world, culminating with the 45th World Long Drive Championship (Sept. 3-9) at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club outside of Chicago, where competitors will convene under the lights for the world title, live on GOLF Channel.

Media Contact:
Jeff Szklinski
GOLF Channel Communications
407-248-3267
Jeff.Szklinski@golfchannel.com