THACKERVILLE, Okla. – The World Long Drive season wrapped up in spectacular fashion, with Chloe Garner and Kyle Berkshire cementing themselves as the latest duo to join the select club of World Long Drive champions.
Garner found redemption in the championship match against Phillis Meti after finishing runner-up to the No. 1 ranked hitter in the Women’s Division in the season-culminating event two of the previous three years.
“That was unbelievable,” said Garner. “I felt really good going into it. I felt like I had found a good rhythm. I think maybe Phillis felt a bit more pressure having to back up those titles, whereas I was able to let loose.”
The 28-year-old South African advanced to the championship match after hitting the grid only twice in the semifinals against Alexis Belton, but her 346-yard drive was enough to propel her toward a rematch with Meti.
In the Open Division, the championship match pitted No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the rankings in Berkshire and Burke, and just as he had proved in the previous two tour events this summer, Berkshire confirmed the notion that he is a force to be reckoned with. On just his second ball, he outdrove the two-time champion to claim his first World Long Drive Championship title belt.
“This feels awesome,” said Berkshire. “It’s validated a lot of the hard work and sacrifice I’ve put in to [being] the best, and I am the best right now. I look forward to raising that bar.”
Berkshire faced England’s Jordan Brooks in the semifinals, where he connected on a 423-yard drive that saw him through to the championship match with Burke.