The 2018 LDET season tees off in France, April 7th-8th. (Photo: courtesy LDET)
We’re mere weeks away from witnessing the raw power of European bombers with the start of the 2018 Long Drivers European Tour. There’s no shortage of storylines to follow this season, including the tour’s debut in Russia, the first-ever Nations Cup competition, 8-of-9 new host venues, and, of course, a bully list of long ball hitters.
Defending champ Matt Nicolle, who won four events and four top-three finishes in the eight events he competed in last year, will have his hands full with the 2018 field. 2nd-ranked LDET player Vincent Palm of Germany stands ready to take the crown, as is his fellow countryman and fan favorite Timo Petrasch, currently ranked no.5 on the tour. And the two-time tour champion known for his Ric Flair “whoo!” and intoxicating energy, Maurice Allen from the US, will make his return to the tour as well.
The 2018 season tees off with the France Championship at the Hotel Golf Château de Chailly, April 7th – 8th. Three weeks later the players head to Steenhoven Golf Club in Belgium for the Belgium Championship April 20th-21st. And Swedish bomber Sebastian Forslöf will have the home course advantage at the Sweden Championship at Täby Golf Klub May 4th-5th.
PeterHof Golf Club near St. Petersberg, Russia, hosts the tour for the first time ever on June 2nd-3rd. PeterHof Golf Manager Inar Kuramshin and his team are looking forward to the event, which will include a pro am alongside “the most exciting show in golf.”
Here’s a preview of the venue:
Hungry will be the only familiar stop on the tour’s 2018 circuit, hosting its third long drive event July 13th-14th at Zala Springs Golf Resort. The July stretch ends with the Germany Championship at Müncherner Golf Club in Munich, hometown of “The German Bomber” Timo Petrasch.
“Having a LDET tournament in my city is great,” Petrasch says in a tour release. “I want to bring a lot of people and create an amazing atmosphere.”
The tour returns to Italy once again August 26th-27th at Terre Dei Consoli near Rome before the debut of one of this season’s marquee events — the Nations Cup. International teams will compete for glory at the Château de Taulane in La Martre, France, September 21st-22nd, in a first-of-its-kind event.
The season culminates with the Masters Cup in November, at a location yet to be determined as of this writing.
Stay tuned to CGB in the weeks leading up to the France Championship for exclusive player interviews, 2018 LDET power rankings, and more throughout the rest of the 2018 LDET season.
“We have players from around the world competing — from Europe and the US, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, South Africa, and more,” LDET CEO Xavier Eusebio says. “This year the level will be higher and tougher for all the competitors, so winning won’t be easy for anyone!”