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Triple Crown for David Mobley at Crush the Canyon

April 27, 2021

Tiettmeyer and Lodge Win Open Divisions

After years of patiently dedicating the time and effort needed to establish the Amateur Long Drive (ALD) Championship Series, series owner Ultimate Long Drive, Inc, already had plans in place to launch the Xtreme Long Drive (XLD) prior to the pandemic. So, when the Myrtle Beach-based Ultimate Long Drive (ULD) launched their search for the XLD Tour Commissioner, two-time World Long Drive Master’s Champion Jeff Crittenden had the profile that matched all the criteria. That’s why it was appropriate the new series be named Jeff Crittenden’s Xtreme Long Drive Tour.

MISSED THE LIVE STREAM?

Watch the full-length video on Long Drive TV for action from all the Xtreme Long Drive professionals at Crush the Canyon, including the XLD Men’s Open, Women’s Open, Master’s, Senior’s, and Super Senior’s divisions.

With four major championship and dozens of qualifying events scheduled in 2021, the XLD provides excellent opportunities for professionals and amateurs long drivers to earn their way to the World’s Challenge Series at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club later this year. Moreover, you do not have to hit the ball 400 yards to compete in long drive events. In fact, with an elevation of 1600 feet and low humidity, only one obstacle stood in the way for pro and amateur long drivers at Crush the Canyon… a strong head wind. That said, competitors at this year’s XLD qualifier spent the day trying to keep the ball as low as possible, as gusts of desert winds played havoc with their qualifying drives.

Mobley Claims Masters & Both Seniors Divisions

Two-time World Long Drive Champion, David Mobley, is a golf superstar that has been wowing spectators around the world for over a decade. Having appeared over 20 times in the REMAX world long drive championships, Mobley won RE/MAX championships in 2004 and 2011, and has appeared over 20 times in the world championship finals. Mobley set a finals record (459 yards) in the Senior Division at the 2011 RE/MAX world finals. Still one the world’s longest hitters, Mobley topped the field at Mesquite with a 314.8-yard blast in the Master’s division over Jeff Crittenden and a 307-yard drive in Seniors over Kevin Blenkhorn. With daylight fading and temperatures dropping, he claimed the Super Seniors division with a 283.6-yard shot into a head wind under the lights.

Big Tiett's Lead in World Rankings Grows

Rob Tiettmeyer is a professional long drive golfer, golf coach, and charity entertainer. Known on tour as “Big Tietts”, he has dedicated himself to learning and teaching golfers how to hit it longer, which is something Rob does really well. Advancing his way through the winner’s bracket, Tiettmeyer told tour director Jeff Crittenden that he just wanted to hit the ball solid all day. As the desert winds continued to intensify, Tietts blasted a 347-yard drive to defeat Ryan Winther (339.2 yards) to solidify his spot in the World’s Challenge Series scheduled for September at Cog Hill in Chicago. Cog Hill Golf & Country Club features the world's first purpose-made professional long drive grid.

Kanani Lodge Unbeaten at Crush the Canyon

Since moving up to the professional Women’s Open division, Kanani Lodge has been on a winning track. At last year’s Xtreme Long Drive event at Bryan Park Golf Club in Greensboro NC, Lodge emerged victorious in her professional debut defeating Jamie O’Neill in the finals with the longest ball of the event (293.8 yards) in the Women’s Open division. Earlier this year, Kanani won the Professional Long Drivers Association regional qualifier Desert Launch in March at Mesquite NV. She celebrated her birthday weekend with a long drive bomb of 345 yards at the PLDA season opener. In heads-up competition at Crush the Canyon, Lodge sent Mary Driscol, one of her main rivals, to the loser’s bracket with a 280.4-yard drive. With the wind in her face, Kanani eliminated Margeax Alvarez and amateur Melissa Stect before defeating Driscol in the Women’s Open final with a drive of 274 yards; no loses in the winner’s bracket all day.

Photo Courtesy of Xtreme Long Drive Facebook

NEXT UP:

XLD™ TOUR Balloon Fiesta World Open on June 26 at Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque NM