After taking on over 5000 entrants, national success and a spot at the world championships is just one drive away.
Sandhurst teenager Abbi Rowlands has qualified for the final of the American Golf U.K. Long Drive Championship following an impressive drive of 258 yards in the Ladies regional qualifier. This is Abbi’s third appearance in the final following her first qualification in 2015 aged just 13. This year the 15 year old is a real contender and is now just one drive away from the ladies’ U.K. title and a place in the World Championships in the U.S.
Abbi is a student at Hawley Place School and plays her golf out of Pine Ridge Golf Club. She was one of over 5000 budding long drivers who entered the event that is run by nationwide golf retailer American Golf. She won through first stage qualifying at her local American Golf store this spring, before progressing to the regional final where she sent out a 258 yard monster to secure a spot in the final. She now lines up against the best long drivers in the U.K at Heythrop Park in Oxfordshire on 4th August, where she will battle it out for the U.K & Ireland title and the only U.K. Ladies qualifying spot for the World Championships in Oklahoma.
With ambitions to be a professional golfer, Abbi has benefitted greatly from her experiences with American Golf over the past 3 years, as she explains, “The other competitors have been really helpful offering really good advice and support. Competing at the Long Drive finals has been a great experience and I’m looking forward to this year’s event.”
After watching qualifying come to a close at the American Golf Manchester Golf Show, Daniel Gathercole, Director of Marketing and Communications at American Golf commented, “The standard of qualifying this year has been amazing. To make the final from over 5000 entrants is an incredible achievement. This Championship really has brought together every type of golfer, from professionals to big hitting club golfers, and we can’t wait to find our 3 Champions who’ll go on to represent the U.K. and American Golf at the World Championships.”
The 2017 Under 45, Over 45 and Ladies finals will be shown on Sky Sports. Spectator entry to the final will be completely free and all are welcome. The Long Drive Championship is one part of American Golf’s drive to get more people hitting more balls and for 2017 those balls have been going a very long way!