American Ryan Winther Wins World Long Drive Championship
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American Ryan Winther secured the 2012 RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship with a blow of 343-yards, but he was only there thanks to tournament saving swing in the quarter-finals.
Having knocked his first five attempts out of bounds, Winther stepped up to crush his last ball 393-yards to progress as top-seed into a semi-final clash with Landon Gentry.
In the semi, Winther withstood 343-yard and 331-yard challenges from Gentry before connecting with a 366-yard effort on his first shot. Gentry drilled his fourth shot 355-yards but it wasn’t enough to keep him in contention, allowing Winther to advance to the final round against Tim Burke.
During the competition, Burke had released some monster drives, including a 430-yarder during the qualifying rounds. Winther, on the other hand barely made the final eight with a 397-yard drive during the qualifying rounds, the only competitor who didn’t blast a drive 400-yards or longer.
But he made up for it in the final at the Mesquite Sports and Event Complex on a sparkling autumn afternoon.
Burke drove out of bounds, 328 and 335-yards during his first three shots; before Winther knocked two out of bounds and then drilled one 343-yards. It turned out to be the winner after Burke hit his last three shots out of bounds.
“It’s a little surreal right now,” said Winther, who won the title and a $150,000 first-prize.
England’s Joe Miller advanced from his group with a 415-yard drive, but needing a 397-yard drive to get to the quarter-finals, he could only muster up a 386-yard effort. The Callaway staffer got a second chance in the repechage, but only hit an 370-yard drive when needing an effort of over 400-yards to make the last eight.
