DVR Alert: World Long Drive Championship's Live Final Is Back!

One of my favorite events to attend and witness in 2013: the Re/Max World Long Drive Championship at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. And while the venue has moved to a more forgiving landing area at the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort, the same intrigue returns: golf's best athletes in a live, winner-take-all final.

For all we hear about today's better athletes being the reason PGA Tour driving distances are up, these are the real athletes of golf whose strength, flexibility and timing have actual meaning. Watching them on a live, match-play stage should be great fun to watch starting at 10 pm ET on Golf Channel.

The finalists according to Golf Channel's release:

The longest eight golfers on Earth competing will be:

   •   Daniel Beckman, 30, Fresno, California
   •   Jeff Crittenden, 43, Greensboro, North Carolina
   •   Jeff Flagg, 29, Pelham, Alabama
   •   Matt Hanger, 30, Anaheim, California
   •   Joe Miller, 29, London, England
   •   Connor Powers, 30, Naperville, Illinois
   •   Jamie Sadlowski , 26, St. Paul, Alberta, Canada
   •   Adam Smith, 24, Tomball, Texas

Miller won the world title in 2010 and was undefeated in 2014 on the Long Drivers European Tour, where he has captured 12 titles. He finished as the runner-up at the 2013 RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship to Tim Burke, who hit a world-record drive of 427 yards to win the title. Burke failed to qualify for a return trip to Las Vegas. Sadlowski, who famously broke two simulators during appearances on Golf Channel, is a two-time world champion and is making his eighth-straight appearance in the final – the longest active streak.

The head-to-head format will provide some dramatic pairings from the beginning of the show, including former World Champions Joe Miller and Jamie Sadlowski going up against each other in what could be one of the most exciting matches of the night. Players are allowed six shots in each match, played three at a time. The highest-seeded player gets to choose to hit first or second.

Match 1: Matt Hanger vs. Jeff Crittenden
Match 2: Joe Miller vs. Jamie Sadlowski
Match 3: Jeff Flagg vs. Daniel Beckman
Match 4: Adam Smith vs. Connor Powers

In October 2012, Long Drivers of America announced a new, three-year broadcast partnership with Golf Channel, which moved the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship to air live on the network after 17 years on ESPN. This annual world championship of long driving has taken place each year since 1975 and attracts competitors from all over the world. Participation in competitions has nearly tripled and prize money has increased five-fold.