2008 RE/MAX of Texas Shootout presented by Toyota of Lewisville WFAA Channel 8 Joe Trahan Report and Recap

McDowell Cashes in at LDA's RE/MAX of Texas Shootout 2008-05-09 By Russ Pate Seeded fourth for the match-play finals, Mitch McDowell figured that as long as he was going to cash his first check at an Long Drivers of America tour event he might as well make it a big one. So he did. And it was. By defeating second-seed Kevin Bullard in the finals of LDA's RE/MAX of Texas Shootout, McDowell, a 24-year-old Scottsdale resident, grabbed the lion's share of the $55,000 total purse -- $12K. He also tucked away an exemption to the 2008 RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship finals next fall, where he and 127 other open division competitors will go full throttle for a record $250,000 first prize. All in all, not a bad night's work at Trophy Club Country Club in front of a full and enthusiastic house that pumped up the volume. McDowell edged Bullard, who received $8K in parting gifts, by a 371/24 to 370/2 margin. The outcome was in keeping with an evening of close calls for the champion: In his opening match, McDowell nudged aside Tom Roskos, 382/34 to 381/19. Then, keeping the suspense ratcheted up at a high level, he prevailed in the semifinals over Jeff Crittenden, 388/10 to 387/3. In the finals, McDowell, hitting first, quickly posted a number that Big Cotton seriously threatened but couldn't quite catch. Dustin Merrill registered the evening's longest drive -- an even four bills -- in a quarterfinals win against Jamie Sadlowski. Neither player found the grid with his opening salvo, which brought LDA's rarely seen three-ball tiebreaker into play. Earlier, before the players took the tee, tournament officials announced McDowell, Crittenden, Roskos and top-seeded Trevor Consavage had been granted exemptions to the 2008 RE/MAX WLDC finals. The rest was icing on the cake -- especially in McDowell's case. PRELIMINARY ROUNDS MAY 8 @ CITY POINTE OPEN DIVISION GROUP 1 PHOTOS HERE GROUP 2 PHOTOS HERE GROUP 3 PHOTOS HERE PHOTOBUCKET PHOTOS HERE SENIOR DIVISION PHOTOS HERE 1310 THE TICKET LIVE REMOTE FROM TOYOTA OF LEWISVILLE & PRO AM PHOTOS HERE Top 8 From Thursday Qualified for Friday Night Match Play Finals @ Trophy Club CC: Trevor Consavage (1) vs. Jeff Crittenden (8) Tom Roskos (2) vs. Mitch McDowell (4) Dustin Merrill (5) vs. Jamie Sadlowski (3) Allen McDougall (7) vs. Kevin Bullard (2) DOWNLOAD Information 1 Sheet FRIDAY, MAY 9 @ 7PM FINALS "UNDER THE LIGHTS" TROPHY CLUB COUNTRY CLUB (MAP) Trevor Consavage (1) vs. Jeff Crittenden (8) Tom Roskos (2) vs. Mitch McDowell (4) Dustin Merrill (5) vs. Jamie Sadlowski (3) Allen McDougall (7) vs. Kevin Bullard (2) FREE TO ATTEND $5,000 IN RAFFLE PRIZES 2008 CMN Celebrity Charity Long Drive Challenge Guests: TERRENCE NEWMAN NICK FOLK MATT MCBRIAR JEFF GOSSETT JOE TRAHAN BRADY TINKER GEORGE DUNHAM & MORE! Defending champions Fred Groth and Frank Miller top the list of professional long drivers coming to the Dallas/Fort Worth area on May 7-9 for the $55,000 RE/MAX of Texas Shootout Presented by Toyota of Lewisville. The blue-chip field of power hitters includes three-time RE/MAX world champion Sean “The Beast” Fister, plus reigning world champion Mike Dobbyn. The 2008 RE/MAX of Texas Shootout gives long drive legend Art Sellinger and his staff at Roanoke-based Long Drivers of America (LDA) the opportunity to showcase the sport of long drive on their home turf. The tournament begins with senior division elimination rounds and match-play finals at City Pointe Driving Range in Dallas on Wednesday, May 7. Miller, the reigning RE/MAX senior world champion, defeated Gerry James (332-329) to take the 2007 Texas Shootout senior title. Open division elimination rounds unfold at City Pointe Driving Range on Thursday, May 8. Eight competitors advance to the match-play finals on Friday, May 9 at Trophy Club CC, where Groth edged Steve “The Predator” Monroe (366-365) to capture the 2007 title. Friday evening’s final begins at approximately 8 p.m. with a celebrity long drive contest featuring several Dallas Cowboys and local media personalities. George Dunham of KTCK, The Ticket, will serve as master of ceremonies. Long drive appeals to power golf addicts. If watching caddies rake bunkers or pros grind over four-foot putts for par doesn’t quicken your pulse, check out the adrenaline-drenched action at an LDA event, where every swing is all-out and go-for-broke. It’s golf on the edge. Golf with an attitude. Golf like you’ve never seen it before. Admission, in accordance with a longstanding LDA policy, is free to all RE/MAX of Texas Shootout events. Texas Shootout competitors with Texas ties include open division competitors Nyle Pruitt of Dallas and Clayton Burger of Houston (the 2003 RE/MAX world champion); senior division competitors include Craig Williams (Arlington) and Craig Brown (San Antonio). David Mobley and Dave Gureckis, who in April teamed to win LDA’s Texas 2-Ball at City Pointe Driving Range, will also be competing in the open division. The Texas Shootout open division champion will earn $11,0000, while the senior division winner takes home $5,000. Exemptions to the finals of the 2008 RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship will be on the line as well

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