Flagg Wins Long Drive Championship


Jeff Flagg managed to eke out a win in the 2014 RE/MAX World Drive Championship at Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort in Las Vegas.

In strong head- and cross-winds, the 29-year-old from Pelham, Ala., and 43-year-old Jeff Crittenden of Greensboro, N.C., struggled to keep their drives in play in the championship finale.

Each hit their longest of six drives 365 yards. But upon closer inspection Flagg's ball was a mere 13 inches past Crittenden's, giving Flagg the title and the winner-take-all $250,000 prize for first place.

Flagg took up long-driving after a baseball career at Mississippi State University, where he was teammates with fellow long-drive competitor Connor Powers, and later with the New York Mets organization.

"I thought I had him," said Flagg about the shortest margin of victory in the history of the competition. "But if there's anything I learned from baseball is that you can't get too high or too low until it's a done deal."

In addition to Crittenden and Powers, also making it to the final eight were former champions Joe Miller of London, England, and Jamie Sadlowski of St. Paul, Alberta, Canada, who faced off early in the telecast. The other competitors were Daniel Beckman, Fresno, Calif.; Matt Hanger, Anaheim, Calif. and Adam Smith, Tomball, Texas.