Longest drive champs due here

JAKARTA (JP): World Longest Drive Champion Mike Gorton of the United States and his Yonnex Long Drive Team partner Brian Pavlet are scheduled to demonstrate their billing here on Friday.

The 41-year-old Santa Barbara-based Gorton produced the world record of 449 yards during a national long drive championship in 1992.

Pavlet won the title in 1993 at the Chrysler National Long Drive Championship after driving a range of a fantastic 435 yards, the committee spokesman Bobby Rajendran said yesterday.

He said Yonnex is holding 40 Long Drive Challenges throughout the U.S. this year and next year.

The demo and golf clinic, which open for public, is scheduled to be staged at the Senayan Driving Range from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The most famous long drive struck in the pro rank came from American golf legend Arnold Palmer in the 1960 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills C & C, in Denver, Colorado.

Beginning his final round seven shots off the pacesetter, Palmer drove the green on the 340-yard first hole, then fired 65 and won the Open.

The longest measured drive hit at an official PGA event measured 426 yards, by George Bayer in the 1955 Tuscon Open, Rajendran explained. (rsl)