LOVINGSTON, Va. \u2014 Chris Sayre of Fargo won the Ultimate Long Drive 40-and-over amateur division at the 2026 World Championships here.<\/p>\n
Sayre belted a drive of 340.1 yards in his winning set on Thursday, Oct. 1. It was the first time the 41-year-old had qualified for worlds after trying in 2012.<\/p>\n
\u201cConditions were not favorable and only got worse as the week progressed,\u201d Sayre said of the conditions at the grid at Wood Ridge Farm, a grid that he said actually went uphill.<\/p>\n
\u201cLongest ball ever hit on this grid was 380 until this weekend where a pro competitor’s longest drive was 385,\u201d Sayre said. \u201cDepending on the changing winds and rain long drives were averaging anywhere between 320-360 yards.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the sport of long drive, a competitor has 2 minutes and 30 seconds to hit six golf balls, typically off an extra-long tee. In winning the 40-plus amateur competition, it came down to his last two shots.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy final set going head-to-head, I was shaking to the point that I am just hoping the ball stays on the tee as I would struggle just to get the ball set up to hit,\u201d Sayre said.<\/p>\n
His first four shots went out of play and did not count. With about 45 seconds remaining on the clock, Sayre launched the winning drive.<\/p>\n
\u201cI finally hit a ball dead-straight up the middle,\u201d Sayre said. \u201cEven with the high winds I needed to just play my normal flight and hope it was hit hard enough to take home the win.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sayre also competed in the pro open division, but he did not have a drive stay on the grid to count, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a big right to left wind with a slanted grid right to left and all my drives were rolling just out of the grid,\u201d Sayre said. \u201cDistance was there but that is how the sport goes. (Announcer) was saying 370-380 on my large drives but not in the grid.\u201d<\/p>\n
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