North Americans out-drive the Europeans by a hair to win the JLG Continents' Cup

August 24, 2009

From left to right: Kenneth Roy (Officer of Public Affairs of the American Embassy), Robbert Monteban (director of marketing van main sponsor JLG) and the American Longdrive team with the JLG Continents Cup. Photo: Pim van den Bos (Pimz)

The weather was perfect, the competition fierce, and the mood convivial at the Kennemer Golf and Country Club this weekend.  In the shadows of some of golf's biggest names at KLM Open, the American and European Longdrive All-Stars fought magnificently for the Continents' Cup.  The competition is the Long-Drive equivalent to Golf's Ryder Cup.  Although this relatively new addition to the golf world is not yet as well-known as its parent sport, JLG sponsored a top-quality event that captured the best qualities of any sport: skill, athleticism, strength, composure under pressure, and not least of all - good sportsmanship.
 
The teams swung from their heels at the Euro Longdrivers event and consistently struck drive after drive into a brisk Dutch headwind.  Many such balls landing 340 meters (approximately 370 yards!) into a narrow landing zone beneath a blazing red sunset.  (The longest of which stopped rolling 376 meters (410 yards) from the tee!)  Rare among the typical golf accoutrements were the frequent and rousing cheers that erupted as a duffer caught hold of a particularly amazing shot.  Rarer still were the incredible feats of skill casually executed by 2005 World Trick-Shot Champion Ben Witter.  Most memorable was the 200-yard+ drive he hit while balanced on top of a four-foot diameter inflated exercise ball as a spectator threw a golf ball near his knees!  Adding to the surreal atmosphere for a golf event were the cheerleaders dancing to thumping house music and a dancing Caribbean band. 
 
The Dutch audience heartily cheered the European All-Stars who boasted talent from the The Netherlands, UK, Sweden, and Finland: Adam Stacey, Joe Miller, Stef Gresel, Peter Carlborg, Mikko Pirinen, Antti Saleva, Andreas Persson and Rasmus Joheden. 
The North American Team was comprised of all Americans - some of the biggest names in the sport: Carl Wolter, Brooks Baldwin, David Mobley, Scott Smith, Allen McDougall, Vince Howell, Danny Luirette and J.D. Murkerson. 
 
The U.S. stormed to a seemingly insurmountable lead, winning 8 of the first 10 rounds in the Finals.  However, the Euros rattled off 5 straight to make it a contest before the Americans nosed out a victory, winning the contest at the last possible moment with a final total of 9 rounds to 7.  As co-master of ceremonies, U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Officer Ken Roy handed over the Cup to the Champions.