OOSTENDE (BELGIUM).- Joe Miller has won the first tournament of Long Drivers European Tour with a bomb of 327 yards (299 meters). Miller has beaten the Scottish John McSloy in the final of the event celebrated at Hippodrome of Oostende. The first date has been full of emotion and adrenaline with almost thirty players in competition and the collaboration of Long Drivers Belgium.

In the first group eight players has competed. Between them, Joe Miller has shown his good form and level, and has passed to the matchplays with a hit of 333 yards. After three rounds of six balls, Paul Slater (325y), Scott Beaven (322y) and Marc Autret (307y) have all qualified for the matchplays. One of the rookies of the circuit, Timo Petrasch (GER), has not been achieved the pass and has hitted below 300y.

City of Oostende has down cold and with a timid sun, but long drivers have pushed up the event temperature. Swedish Andreas Persson, second last season, has surprised everybody with a first hits out of bounds, but he come into play quickly. The wind was against players, so they had to make their best to hit the ball. Qualified to matchplays: Persson (323y), Kinnell (301y), Dooren (301y) and Eric Houballah (298y).

In the third group we had experimented players of the circuit as the Scottish John McSloy, third of the ranquing last season. After three rounds, the best results were for: McSloy (325y), Hollingworth (322y), J. Wiltshire (314y) and Lee Gauthier (311y).

Bombers get used to hit big bombs and they do not have deceived us. The circuit has ones of the best world players in Long Drive like CJ Hellström. He has hit the longest ball of qualifying groups and of the day with 343 yards (313,6 meters). By the Swedish giant, three more players from group 4 have reached classification for matchplays: Dan Konyk (331y), A. Lammens (328y) and Dewald Lubbe (323y).

Strong wind has been featured into Matchplays but despite of this, players have reached scores up to 300 yards. Eight games after clashes, we have enjoyed with Miller, Konyk, Hellström, Slater, Persson, Hollingworth, McSloy and Wiltshire into quarter finals. Just Wiltshire was the only player of national long drive Belgium team that has crept into the fight for the first season tournament.

After quarter and semifinal, we have delighted with a final battle between Joe Miller and John McSloy. Three sets later, the British player has won with a hit of 327 yards with only two yards difference each one in the last set. He has started the new season as previous finished: first of the LDET ranquing.

On the senior category the winner has been Paul Slater. Next stop of the tour: GERMANY LDET Championship, the 23rd & 24th May at Golf Range Karben near Frankfurt. GALLERY