World Nos. 1 and 4, Justin James & Maurice Allen Headline Open Division;
World Champions Phillis Meti and Sandra Carlborg Lead Women’s Division
In Partnership with New Jersey CRDA, New Event to Showcase
Open & Women’s Divisions Airing Live from Atlantic City Country Club
ATLANITC CITY, N.J. (June 5, 2018) – The field is set for this evening’s Atlantic City Boardwalk Bash World Long Drive Association (WLDA) event, airing tonight at 6 p.m. ET on Golf Channel in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Eight men and four women will look to claim victory at the fourth stop of the 2018 WLDA season, including defending Volvik World Long Drive champion (and No. 1 competitor in the World Long Drive rankings), Justin James (Jacksonville, Fla.). No. 4 ranked Maurice Allen (Pine Hills, Fla.), and No. 7 Paul Howell (Wilson N.C.), runner-up at the Ak-Chin Smash in the Sun last month also will take part in tonight’s telecast. The Women’s Division will feature five-time (and defending) world champion Sandra Carlborg (Alingsas, Sweden) and two-time world champion Phillis Meti (Auckland, New Zealand).
RELATED ARTICLE: Maurice Allen, New World No. 1 Long Drive Hitter in the World
“This is the most unique Long Drive event many of these players have ever faced,” said Art Sellinger, World Long Drive analyst on Golf Channel and two-time Volvik World Long Drive champion. “It’s very narrow for them and many use low lofted equipment, so therefore the margin for error is very small. With that being said, the competitors coming from a true golf background are who I believe have the best chance to do well.”
OPEN DIVISION QUARTERFINAL MATCHES (Seeded by world ranking)
(1) Justin James (Jacksonville, Fla.) vs. (42) Wes Patterson (St Louis, Mo.)
(7) Paul Howell (Wilson, N.C.) vs. (25) Jeff Gavin (Stoney Creek, Ont., Canada)
(13) Kyle Berkshire (Orlando, Fla.) vs. (16) Ryan Steenberg (Rochester, N.Y.)
(4) Maurice Allen (Pine Hills, Fla.) vs. (36) Mark Costello (Kulpmont, Pa.)
WOMEN’S DIVISION SEMIFINAL MATCHES RR
Phillis Meti (Auckland, New Zealand) vs. Mary Driscol (Glendale, Ariz.)
Sandra Carlborg (Alingsas, Sweden) vs. Troy Mullins (Los Angeles, Calif.)
COVERAGE: The Atlantic City Boardwalk Bash will air on Golf Channel from 6-8 p.m. ET tonight, with Golf Central previewing the event from 5:30-6 p.m. ET. Encore showings of the competition are scheduled to air on Golf Channel immediately following the initial telecast, from 8-10 p.m. and 10 p.m.-Midnight ET.
The production centering around the competition will utilize six dedicated cameras, capturing all angles from the hitting platform and the landing grid, including a SuperMo camera as well as two craned-positioned cameras that will track the ball in flight once it leaves the competitor’s clubface. New to 2018 is an overlaid graphic line on the grid, the “DXL Big Drive to Beat,” (similar to the “1st & 10 line” made popular in football) displaying the longest drive during a given match to signify the driving distance an opposing competitor will need to surpass to take the lead. The telecast also will feature a custom graphics package suited to the anomalous swing data typically generated by Long Drive competitors, tracking club speed, ball speed and apex in real-time via Trackman. Trackman technology also will provide viewers with a sense of ball flight, tracing the arc of each drive from the moment of impact.
FORMAT: The eight men advanced from Monday’s preliminary rounds that featured a 36-man field and will compete within a single-elimination match play bracket during tonight’s telecast. The four women advancing from this morning’s preliminary rounds also will utilize a single elimination match play bracket this evening to crown a champion.
BROADCAST TEAM: A new voice to World Long Drive, veteran sports broadcaster Jonathan Coachman will conduct play-by-play at each of the five WLDA televised events on Golf Channel in 2018. Art Sellinger – World Long Drive pioneer and two-time World champion (1986, ’91) – will provide analysis, and Golf Channel’s Jerry Foltz will offer reports from the teeing platform and conduct interviews with competitors in the field.
DIGITAL & SOCIAL MEDIA COVERAGE: Fans can stay up-to-date on all of the action surrounding the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bash by following @GolfChannel and @WorldLongDrive on social media. Golf Channel social media host Alexandra O’Laughlin will be on-site contributing to the social conversation as the event unfolds, and, the telecast will integrate social media-generated content during the competition using the hashtag, #WorldLongDrive.
In addition to the latest video and highlights from on-site, WorldLongDrive.com will feature real-time scoring for the duration of the event. Golf Channel Digital also will feature content from the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bash leading up to and immediately following the telecast.
2018 WORLD LONG DRIVE ASSOCIATION SCHEDULE:
|
DATE |
EVENT |
LOCATION |
WINNER(S) / DEFENDING CHAMP |
|
March 15-17 |
East Coast Classic |
West Columbia, S.C. |
Justin Moose |
|
April 21-24 |
Clash in the Canyon (*Golf Channel*) |
Mesquite, Nev. |
Alexis Belton, Will Hogue |
|
May 11-15 |
Ak-Chin Smash in the Sun (*Golf Channel*) |
Maricopa, Ariz. |
Phillis Meti, Will Hogue |
|
June 4-5 |
Atlantic City Boardwalk Bash (*Golf Channel*) |
Atlantic City, N.J. |
(New Event) |
|
June 21-23 |
Bluff City Shootout |
Memphis, Tenn. |
Justin James |
|
July 6-8 |
Bash For Cash |
Port Rowan, Ont., Canada |
Justin James |
|
August 2-4 |
WinStar Midwest Slam |
Thackerville, Okla. |
Landon Gentry |
|
August 12-13 |
Tennessee Big Shots benefitting Niswonger Children’s Hospital (*Golf Channel*) |
Kingsport, Tenn. |
(New Event) |
|
September 1-5 |
Volvik World Long Drive Championship (*Golf Channel*) |
Thackerville, Okla. |
Sandra Carlborg, Justin James |
Showcasing the truly global nature of World Long Drive, several events will be staged in 2018 through officially sanctioned WLDA international partners, including stops in Germany, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Additionally, an all-encompassing international qualifier will be staged (late summer) featuring a minimum of four exemptions into the Open Division of the Volvik World Long Drive Championship in September.
ABOUT WORLD LONG DRIVE ASSOCIATION
The World Long Drive Association is an organization that brings together golf’s longest hitters from around the globe. Emerging as one of golf’s most popular grass roots competitions – a finalist at the 2018 Cynopsis Sports Media Awards in the League of the Year for a Breakthrough Sport and Live Coverage of a Breakthrough Sport categories – sanctioned Long Drive events are open to amateur and professional golfers. With an Open Division, Women’s Division and Masters Division (Ages 45+), the sport appeals to golfers of all ages. The 2018 WLDA season consists of events across the United States and around the world, culminating with the Volvik World Long Drive Championship, Sept. 1-5, from WinStar World Casino & Resort on the Oklahoma / Texas border, where competitors will convene under the lights for the world title on Golf Channel. In 2017, World Long Drive coverage on Golf Channel featured three televised events, and across all telecasts (live and replay) airing across Golf Channel and NBC, 6.4 million unique viewers watched at least some portion of World Long Drive events, +295% vs. 2016, and the most-viewed season of World Long Drive on record (2013-2017, according to data released by The Nielsen Company).
ABOUT THE CRDA
The only agency of its kind nationwide, the CRDA has used Atlantic City casino reinvestments as a catalyst for meaningful, positive improvement in the lives of New Jersey residents since 1984. Under the 2011 Tourism District Act, the Authority’s mission evolved from statewide projects to becoming the state’s key economic development agency for Atlantic City. CRDA’s expanded responsibilities now include land use regulation, tourism marketing and clean and safe initiatives. The CRDA also oversees Historic Boardwalk Hall (the leading entertainment venue of its size in the country) and the Atlantic City Convention Center. In total, CRDA has invested nearly $2 billion in more than 400 projects statewide, of which $1.8 billion has been invested in Atlantic City, spurring business investments and expansions, and creating permanent jobs in the process. For more information about CRDA and our projects, visit www.njcrda.com. Follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/njcrda, and Twitter at www.twitter.com/njcrda.
