Long drive champion on display at NSW Open - PGA of Australia

Long drive champion on display at NSW Open


Canadian Jamie Sadlowski is best known for his talents with
a driver but the two-time World Long Drive Champion will need all the clubs in
his bag this week at the NSW Open.

Canadian Jamie Sadlowski is best known for his talents with
a driver but the two-time World Long Drive Champion will need all the clubs in
his bag this week at the NSW Open.

"JamieThrowing, jumping, running, 28-year-old Sadlowski does it
all with speed and after swapping from a right handed to left handed golf club
at 14-years of age he discovered he could also swing a club faster than most.

It’s a talent that ensures he can now hit a golf ball, a
personal best 406.91 metres but after winning two world long drive titles,
Sadlowski is turning his attention to Tour titles.

He will compete on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia for
the next two weeks teeing off at the NSW Open at Stonecutters Ridge this week
and the Emirates Australian Open at Royal Sydney the following week.

"I have always hit it far. It’s in my genes, I guess I was
born with the gift of speed," said Sadlowski.   

"Since 2003 I have been competing in the World Long Drive
Championships and I won two Junior World Championships in 2005 and 2006 then
backed those up in the open division in 2008 and 2009.

"It was something I have done full time since 2007; it’s
been my living, doing corporate outings. But last year I decided I could be
doing much more than that and while I am still young I want to give playing a
try.

"This is my first crack at Tour golf; I am a couple of
months in. My success in long drive has allowed me to get spots in tournaments
so I have been fortunate."

Every golfer wants to know the secret to Sadlowski’s
abilities and that is generating clubhead speed.

While Sadlowski can reach speeds of 150 miles per hour
during a long drive competition he backs off to 130-135 miles per hour playing
tournament golf.

By comparison Lincoln Tighe and Todd Sinnott, renowned as
two of the longest hitters on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia are maxing
out at 132 miles per hour and 134 miles per hour respectively.

At the other end of the spectrum, 2015 ISPS HANDA PGA Tour
of Australasia Player of the Year Matthew Millar, who doesn’t count length off
the tee as a strength is generating club head speed of just 103 miles per
hour.    

"In long drive you get six balls and all you have to do is
hit one long and straight. With golf you need to get in the hole and there are
so many elements that make it difficult so it’s been a big change," added
Sadlowski, who will play alongside Tighe for the opening two rounds of the NSW
Open. They tee off at 12.15pm on Thursday.

"When I have to chase the ball down and hit it again I want
to hit it straight so that is something I have been focusing on.

"I have shortened my golf swing, I am obviously still going
to hit it far, I hit every club a long way. But it’s a lot more strategy.

"I still need to use my length to my advantage and not hit 5
iron off every tee box. I don’t want to get into a wedge competition with the
wedge players in the world or the best putters.

"I need to use my advantage and if I can sharpen up all my
other skills then I like my chances."

While everyone will be watching Sadlowski tee off, there
will be obvious interest to see what he can do with the flat stick.

"I am not new to the game; I have been playing my whole
life. To say there are big blemishes in my game I would disagree with," added
Sadlowski.

"Is it as sharp as I would like it to be? Probably not. I
haven’t been doing this for a living every day like these guys, but I am
getting better at it and hopefully when it all comes together  the end result is winning some golf
tournaments."

With genuine belief in his game, Sadlowski believes he can
compete at the highest professional level and is looking to kick start that at
the NSW Open this week.

"I have played with some of the best players in the world at
my home club and I see what they can do and I see what I can do. If I work at
it, I know that I can do it. I have a big advantage," added Sadlowski who
believe the Stonecutters Ridge layout suits his long hitting abilities
perfectly.

"It is wide open; there are a lot of holes where I can hit
it as hard as I want. Obviously there are places where you can’t hit it.

 "I drove it well today;
the way I play here, if I drive it well I will play well. Length will be a big
advantage." 

The NSW
Open will be played from 10-13 November at Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club
with a field of 156 players vying for a prize purse of AU$400,000.

The winner will receive Official World Golf Ranking Points and become fully
exempt on to the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia for the remainder of this
season plus a further two years.


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