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Long Drive
Results & Reports
23rd June 2007
RE/MAX Long Drive Championship of Italy
Marco Simone Golf Club, Rome
The Long Drivers of Europe (LDE) tour bus rumbled on to Italy last weekend for Round Three of the RE/MAX European Long Drive Championship. A small field containing all the usual suspects assembled at the very pleasant Marco Simone Golf Club just outside of Rome to compete for the title of RE/MAX Long Drive Champion of Italy.
Shortly after 11 o’clock, qualification got underway in stifling heat, with temperatures nudging into the 90s. The grid—the first hole of the Resort Course—was in good condition, although wet patches from heavy early morning watering meant that some balls ran further than others. 2007 RE/MAX Long Drive Champion of Spain, Stef Gresel, started off where he finished the previous week with a couple of huge bombs, including one that exceeded 380 m (416 yds), which unfortunately settled out of bounds. He finished the qualifying session in pole position with a mightily impressive drive of 362 m (396 yds), closely followed by 2007 RE/MAX Long Drive Champion of Austria, Marcus ‘Maximus’ Edblad, with 359 m (393 yds) and LDE Order of Merit leader, Paul ‘Hammer Time’ Glazier, with 354 m (387 yds).
During the interval, the wind increased and became gustier, making finding the grid tricky for the afternoon finalists. Edblad and Glazier breezed through to the semi-final with drives of 343 m (375 yds) and 315 m (344 yds), respectively, although long drive regulars, Uotila and Lindblom, weren’t quite so clinical. Both went out of bounds in the quarter-final and had to rely on good drives of 326 m (357 yds) and 320 m (350 yds), respectively, in the ‘last chance’ round to progress further. The pair performed much better in the semi-final—Uotila with 348 m (381 yds) and Lindblom with 351 m (384 yds)—to qualify for the final alongside Loesburg and Edblad, who hit 334 m (365 yds) and 343 m (375 yds), respectively. Gresel and, for the third championship on the trot, Glazier, required wildcards to advance into the final after posting distances of only 316 m (346 yds) and 330 m (361 yds), respectively.
The erratic performances continued in the final. Gresel and Edblad were way below their best, carding only 296 m (324 yds) and 305 m (334 yds), respectively, and Lindblom went out of bounds, much to his annoyance. Loesburg finished a creditable third with 328 m (359 yds) in his first outing of the season and Uotila, the iconic Finlander, produced a fine drive of 332 m (363 yds) to finish second. The outstanding performer of the final, however, was Glazier, who managed to smash 340 m (372 yds) with his third ball to seal victory and gain the title of 2007 RE/MAX Long Drive Champion of Italy. This win took his tally of LDE Order of Merit points to 25 out of a possible 30, five more than Marcus Edblad in second spot.
Of his maiden LDE European Long Drive tour victory, Glazier said: “I am overjoyed with my victory in Italy over the weekend. Once again, I have proved that I can mix it with the very best in Europe, even though I wasn’t performing at my very best—it is good to know that there is still more in the locker! I would like to offer my sincere thanks to Dr. Graham Stirling at The Barden Corporation (UK) Ltd. for part sponsoring my trip to Rome and all the people at Dartmouth Golf & Country Club who continue to offer their unremitting support in my quest to get to the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship this year.”
Jamie Waugh, Managing Director at Dartmouth Golf & Country Club and swing coach to the current LDE Order of Merit leader, added: “I was thrilled to hear of Paul’s success in Rome. His season has really started to gather momentum and I am looking forward to hearing about further top finishes as the home nations leg of the tour approaches. Paul has worked very hard on his swing pre-season and over the past month, and is looking good to claim one of the top two automatic qualifying spots to the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship in Las Vegas later on this year. Keep up the good work Paul!”
Next stop is the RE/MAX Long Drive Championship of France at the St Omers Golf Club in Lumbres on June 30. If any companies or individuals would like to sponsor Paul’s attendance at this event and, indeed, subsequent competitions this season, please register your interest at longdrive@dgcc.co.uk.
For comprehensive results, please download the results sheet, brought to you courtesy of Long Drivers of Europe.
