Bug puts serious bite on golf champ's ball:
Flu prevents female long drive star Lee Brandon from making finals at RE/Max World

MESQUITE, NV - Thursday, 10/17/2003: LDA Championships.

Former 2001 Women's Division RE/Max World Long Drive Winner and 2003 WLDA Champion, Lee Brandon, was unable to reach the finals this week at the RE/MAX LDA World Finals in Mesquite, Nevada. Suffering from the flu virus Brandon struggled through the quarterfinal match up trying her best to focus despite a 101° temperature and doubts about whether she was even well and strong enough to show up at the event, much less compete with her female colleagues who have demonstrated a growing challenge to the best LDA athletes with drives hitting near and sometimes over 300 yards.

The competition this year featured a new modified, head-to-head, double elimination format that saw many of the female competitors hitting impressive strokes near the 300 yard mark but showing difficulty keeping the ball in the grid and within bounds. Appearing poised and confident despite the strong Nevada sunlight no doubt intensifying her fever, Brandon managed to be positive despite her disappointing first attempt where every one of her shots was out of bounds.

Brandon and the other competitors eliminated from the quarter finals had a second opportunity to make the finals this year in the new modified format. Eliminated competitors competed for the wild-card slot guaranteeing an athlete with a poor first attempt showing an opportunity to possibly win the event with this second chance opportunity.

"It's common to have a freakish showing sometimes and lose your swing or your concentration even after winning a major competition just a few days prior," said Brandon, cheerfully despite her disappointment. "I wanted to be here no matter what and I am so happy for Nancy, she added, referring to Nancy Abiecunas, of Loveland, CO, who took the Women's Division Championship with a drive finishing at 332 yds, 16" taking home a cash prize of $10,000.

Brandon, always positive and excited about success, even that of her competitors, smiled through her discomfort appearing genuine and magnetic though obviously not feeling at all well. Brandon's appearance at the event demonstrated her capacity as athlete with depth of reserves who is gracious even in defeat.

"I'm going to spend the next two weeks resting, watching a lot of golf and football on television and seriously driving out this flu instead of driving balls," she said with obvious weary humor. "I'm looking ahead to the competition in November," she added, referring to the 2003 PINNACLE LDA TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP PRO-AM GOLF TOURNAMENT on Friday, 11/7/2003 at the Four Seasons Resort & Club, Las Colinas, TX

The competition at the RE/MAX world finals began at the Palms Golf Club officially last Wednesday and men, women, boys & girls 17 and under from all over the planet competed for a $350,000 total purse and bragging rights as world champions.

Winners including 2nd and 3rd places in the 2003 RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship were: (for a complete list of winners, including the junior boys and girls events, log on to LDA's official website at www.longdrivers.com or the RE/Max web page dedicated to the event at http://www.remaxwldc.com/WLDC-home?openform&page=WLDC

OPEN DIVISION: Clayton Burger , Houston, TX, 402 yds, 5" - $80,000 Gerry James, Ponte Vedra, FL, 396 yds, 22" - $32,000 David Mobley, Charlotte, NC, 394 yds, 24" - $18,000

SENIOR DIVISION: Eric Jones, Orinda, CA, 381 yds,33" - $23,000 Kurt Moore, Ogden, UT, 381yds,4" - $12,000 Mike Gorton, Lafayette, CO, 368 yds - $8,000

WOMEN'S DIVISION Nancy Abiecunas, Loveland, CO, 332 yds, 16" - $10,000 LeAnne Hine, Olympia, WA, 316 yds, 6" - $4,500 Chrissy Zucco, Las Vegas, NV, 314 yds, 2" - 3,000

SUPER SENIOR DIVISION Fred Hooter, Auburn, AL - 345 yds, 11" - $7,500 Steve DiPietro, Hamilton, NJ - 341 yds, 26" - $4,000

For more information about Lee Brandon, please visit the official web page of LeeBrandonInc at www.leebrandoninc.com. Or call Lisa Wojciechowski, Operations Vice President at 310473-0556.

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