The next decade of the long drive event featured nine different champions, with only Art Sellinger managing two titles in the 10-year span (1986, 1991).
[3] After his four straight titles and a runner-up finish in 2000, Zuback was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.
Former Big Ten champion javelin thrower Carl Wolter (Penn State) won the first of his two titles in 2002 in a major upset, having just taken up the game of golf three months prior to the event.
After his finals competitor missed the grid on all eight of his drives, James only needed to keep one in play at a minimum distance of 270 yards.
He easily topped that distance and set the record for the longest winning drive in the tournament's 42-year history.
[7] This 11-year time frame also featured four two-time winners with Jamie Sadlowski going back-to-back in 2008 and 2009, Joe Miller winning in 2010 and 2016, former University of Miami baseball pitcher Tim Burke in 2013 and 2015 [8] and most recently Kyle Berkshire claiming the final World Long Drive Association title in 2019.
[9] First-time winners in this time period also included Mike Dobbyn in 2007, Ryan Winther in 2012, Jeff Flagg in 2014 and Maurice Allen in 2018.
The event is upgraded to World Championship status in 2021, where 2020 U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau joins the investor group that jointly owns the PLDA.
[11] Berkshire is eliminated in the Round of 16 at the 2022 championship, where Martin Borgmeier defeated Bryson DeChambeau, 426–406, in the final.