Phillis-Jean Meti MNZM (born 11 July 1987) is a New Zealand golfer who won the Volvik World Long Drive (WLD) championship, title in 2006, 2016, 2018, 2022 and 2024. She holds the female world record for the longest ball in WLD women's competition with distances of 406 yards in July 2017, then 408 and 413 yards in April 2019. [1]
Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Meti was introduced to golf at age 11 by her father Raz at Redwood Park, Swanson. [2]
Meti won her first WLD title in 2006 at age 19. in Mesquite, Nevada.
In 2009, she started competing in professional golf tournaments in New Zealand, Australia, China, the United States, and the South Pacific.
In 2016, Meti returned to long drive competition and won the 2016 WLD Championship [3] In 2017, Meti achieved second place in the 2017 Mile High Showdown in Colorado. It was during this tournament that she made the record 406 yard drive in her semi-final match. Her long drive may have been aided by a bounce off a marker or sprinkler head. [4]
In 2018, Meti won the Volvik World Long Drive Championship in 2018. That same year, she won the Ak-Chin Smash in the Sun in Arizona. [5] Meti’s winning 380-yard drive at the last event was 30 yards longer than her nearest competition. [6]
Meti's most recent victories took place at WinStar World Casino & Resort in Thackerville, Oklahoma.
In the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours, Meti was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to sport, particularly golf. [7]
Long drive is a sport where players compete to hit or drive a golf ball the farthest. Top long drivers compete professionally in events and exhibitions.
Michael Shane Campbell is a New Zealand professional golfer who is best known for having won the 2005 U.S. Open and, at the time, the richest prize in golf, the £1,000,000 HSBC World Match Play Championship, in the same year. He played on the European Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia.
Dame Valerie Kasanita Adams is a retired New Zealand shot putter. She is a four-time World champion, four-time World Indoor champion, two-time Olympic, three-time Commonwealth Games champion and twice IAAF Continental Cup winner. She has a personal best throw of 21.24 metres (69.7 ft) outdoors and 20.98 metres (68.8 ft) indoors. These marks are Oceanian, Commonwealth and New Zealand national records. She also holds the Oceanian junior record (18.93 m) and the Oceanian youth record (17.54 m), as well as the World Championships record, World Indoor Championships record and Commonwealth Games record.
Jamie Sadlowski is a Canadian professional long driver, golfer and ice hockey player from St. Paul, Alberta. One of the longest drivers in the world with a personal best of 445 yards, he won the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship successively in 2008 and 2009 and has competed in over a hundred long driving events and demonstrations.
The World Long Drive Championship is an annual long drive competition in the sport of golf. It was first held in 1974, and since 2000 has comprised Open, Masters (over-45s) and Women's events.
Lydia Ko is a New Zealand professional golfer and the reigning Olympic champion. She first reached number one in the Women's World Golf Rankings on 2 February 2015 at 17 years, 9 months and 9 days of age, making her the youngest player of either gender to be ranked No. 1 in professional golf.
Minjee Lee is an Australian professional golfer from Perth. She became the number one ranked amateur golfer in February 2014 after winning the Oates Victorian Open, remaining number one until turning professional in September 2014. On 25 July 2021, Lee won her first major championship, the Amundi Evian Championship. On 5 June 2022, she won her second major championship, the U.S. Women's Open.
Kerri Leigh Williams is a New Zealand rower. She is a national champion, an Olympic champion and double medallist, a three-time world champion and a current (2019) world champion in both the coxless pair and the women's eight. Williams was born in Raetihi in 1993. She is of Māori descent, affiliating with Rangitāne iwi. She received her education at Nga Tawa Diocesan School in Marton. The school first started to offer a rowing programme in 2008 and a year later, Williams took this up. At the time, she was also competing as an equestrian but soon started focussing on rowing so much that she had to choose one of the sports. Her trainer told her three weeks after she had started rowing that she would one day represent New Zealand. Jackie Gowler, her younger sister by three years, took up rowing in 2010 inspired by her success; they have both made it into the New Zealand national rowing team. Their elder sister, Jaimee Gowler, remains active with horse riding. After school, Williams became a member of the Aramoho Wanganui Rowing Club.
Holly Irene Robinson is a New Zealand para-athlete, primarily competing in the javelin throw. She represented New Zealand at the 2012, 2016 and 2020 Summer Paralympics, winning silver in 2016 and gold in 2020. At the 2016 Games, she was New Zealand's flagbearer for the opening ceremony.
Maurice Allen is a World Long Drive Competitor, former two time number one ranked in the world. Allen competes in events that are sanctioned by the World Long Drive Association, which is owned by Golf Channel, part of the NBC Sports Group, and a division of Comcast. The season-long schedule features events airing live on Golf Channel, culminating in the Volvik World Long Drive Championship in September.
Justin James is a World Long Drive competitor. James competes in events that are sanctioned by the World Long Drive Association, which is owned by Golf Channel, part of the NBC Sports Group, and a division of Comcast. The season-long schedule features events airing live on Golf Channel, culminating in the Volvik World Long Drive Championship in September.
Kyle Berkshire is an American golfer who competes as a professional long drive athlete. He has won the World Long Drive Championship on three occasions, in 2019, 2021 and 2023.
Justin Moose is a World Long Drive competitor. Moose competes in events that are sanctioned by the World Long Drive Association, which is owned by Golf Channel, part of the NBC Sports Group, and a division of Comcast. The season-long schedule features events airing live on Golf Channel, culminating in the Volvik World Long Drive Championship in September.
Ryan Reisbeck is a World Long Drive competitor. Reisbeck competes in events that are sanctioned by the World Long Drive Association, which is owned by Golf Channel, part of the NBC Sports Group, and a division of Comcast. The season-long schedule features events airing live on Golf Channel, culminating in the Volvik World Long Drive Championship in September.
Sandra Johanna Maria Carlborg is a World Long Drive competitor from Alingsås, Sweden. Carlborg competes in events that are sanctioned by the World Long Drive Association, which is owned by Golf Channel, part of the NBC Sports Group, and a division of Comcast. The season-long schedule features events airing live on Golf Channel, culminating in the Volvik World Long Drive Championship in September.
Heather (LeMaster) Manfredda is a World Long Drive competitor, currently residing in Shelbyville, Ky., and originally from Sacramento, Calif. Manfredda competes in events that are sanctioned by the World Long Drive Association, which is owned by Golf Channel, part of the NBC Sports Group, and a division of Comcast. The season-long schedule features events airing live on Golf Channel, culminating in the Volvik World Long Drive Championship in September.
Troy Mullins is a World Long Drive competitor from Los Angeles, Calif. Mullins competes in events that are sanctioned by the World Long Drive Association, which is owned by Golf Channel, part of the NBC Sports Group, and a division of Comcast. The season-long schedule features events airing live on Golf Channel, culminating in the Volvik World Long Drive Championship in September.
Chloe Garner is a World Long Drive competitor from Somerset West, South Africa, currently residing in Johnson City, Tennessee. Garner competes in events that are sanctioned by the World Long Drive Association, which is owned by Golf Channel.
Alexis Belton is a World Long Drive competitor from Ruston, La. Belton competes in events that are sanctioned by the World Long Drive Association, which is owned by Golf Channel, part of the NBC Sports Group, and a division of Comcast. The season-long schedule features events airing live on Golf Channel, culminating in the Volvik World Long Drive Championship in September.
Emily Tubert is an American golfer from Burbank, California. She has played on the Symetra Tour and LPGA Tour, in addition to being a World Long Drive competitor. Tubert competes in events that are sanctioned by the World Long Drive Association, which is owned by Golf Channel.