Kyle Berkshire
{{short description|American World Long Drive competitor}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}
Kyle Berkshire (born November 1, 1996) 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.
Personal life
Originally from Crofton, Maryland, Berkshire resides in Orlando, Florida. He attended Archbishop Spalding High School in Maryland where he helped the Spalding golf team win two match play and two stroke play MIAA state championships. The team went 31-2-1 in match play during Berkshire's four years including undefeated seasons in 2014 and 2015.{{Cite web|url=https://www.capitalgazette.com/sports/high-school/ph-ac-cs-prep-rdp0517-20150516-story.html|title=Golf: Spalding golfers win MIAA A Conference|website=Capital Gazette|language=en|access-date=2019-03-05}} He went to the University of North Texas for two years,{{cite web |title=Kyle Berkshire hoping long drives, Bryson DeChambeau's help result in tour stints |url=https://www.espn.co.uk/golf/story/_/id/30157349/kyle-berkshire-hoping-long-drives-bryson-dechambeau-help-result-tour-stints |website=ESPN |publisher=Associated Press |access-date=December 28, 2021 |date=October 21, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://meangreensports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2019|title=Kyle Berkshire - Men's Golf|website=University of North Texas Athletics|language=en|access-date=2019-03-05}} before transferring to the University of Central Florida.{{cite web |last1=Dovsek |first1=Averee |title=World Long Drive champ Kyle Berkshire admits his long hair is a handicap, but he has 'an emotional attachment' |url=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2021/01/01/kyle-berkshire-emotional-attachment-hair-it-is-handicap/ |website=Golfweek |publisher=USA Today |access-date=December 28, 2021 |date=January 1, 2021}}
Long drive career
After reaching the semifinals at the Volvik World Long Drive Championship in 2017, Berkshire in 2018 earned his first World Long Drive victory, winning at the WinStar Midwest Slam in Oklahoma. On September 4, 2019 Berkshire won the 44th World Long Drive Championship in Thackerville, Oklahoma, defeating Tim Burke in the final.{{cite web |last1=Myers |first1=Alex |title=In least-shocking news ever, Kyle Berkshire wins the World Long Drive Championship |url=https://www.golfdigest.com/story/in-least-shocking-news-ever-kyle-berkshire-wins-the-world-long-drive-championship |website=Golf Digest |access-date=December 28, 2021 |date=September 5, 2019}}
During the pandemic, Comcast shut down the World Long Drive Association in 2020. Players and coach Bobby Peterson formed a new sanctioning body, the Professional Long Drivers Association, where Berkshire won the inaugural PLDA season-ending championship in 2020 at 383 yards.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYiUcMcfwjE PLDA 2020 Final] He defended the PLDA Championship (now the PLDA World Championship) in 2021, now having won three consecutive season-ending long drive tour championships.
In December 2021, Berkshire set a new world record for indoor ball speed with {{convert|233.4|mph}}.{{cite web |last1=Chivers |first1=Matt |title=Long drive champion Kyle Berkshire shatters record for ball speed. In June 2022 he set a new outdoor ball speed of 232.6 mph at Mickelson National golf club in Calgary, Alberta. |url=https://www.golfmagic.com/golf-news/long-drive-champion-kyle-berkshire-shatters-record-ball-speed |website=GolfMagic |access-date=December 28, 2021 |date=December 23, 2021}}
In October 2023, shortly before the World Long Drive Championship, Berkshire had set a new record for ball speed at 241.6 mph, as well as the longest golf drive ever fully verified at 579.63 yards.{{Cite web |last=Dolch |first=Craig |date=November 13, 2023 |title=579 yards: World Long Drive champion Kyle Berkshire sets world record, screaming 'That's it!' |url=https://www.aol.com/579-yards-world-long-drive-190015419.html |access-date=December 27, 2023 |website=Aol.}} On October 22, Berkshire defeated Sean Johnson in the final to claim his fourth season-ending championship match.{{Cite web |last=Dovsel |first=Averee |date=October 22, 2023 |title=Three winners crowned at 2023 World Long Drive Championships, including Kyle Berkshire |url=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2023/10/22/2023-world-long-drive-championships-three-winners-crowned-atlanta/ |access-date=December 27, 2023 |website=USA Today: Golfweek}}