Facing off against Ryan Steenberg in the final in Oklahoma, Miller, who last won the competition in 2010, recorded a longest drive of 423 yards, eclipsing his opponent’s best effort of 412 yards.
Incredibly, that was far from Miller’s best effort in the competition. In the quarter-finals, he drove one 437 yards to eliminate the sole left-hander in the competition, Mitch Dobbin, while, in the semis, he put paid to the title hopes of Justin Moose with a monstrous 439-yard strike.
“It’s been building up since 2010,” said Miller afterwards. “Working hard, training hard and coming up short a lot of the time. It doesn’t feel like 2016, it feels like the last five or six years.
“What I do is great. I’m very privileged to do it. I get to come to places like this and have some fans cheering you on. I’ve made some amazing friends along the way and I just can’t say anymore than that.”
In the women’s event, meanwhile, Rebecca McGinley finished third, losing to eventual winner, Phyllis Meti of New Zealand, at the semi-final stage. McGinley earned a crack at the world title after winning the American Golf UK Long Drive Championship.
“To lose to the winner is some consolation but I know that I can do better,” said McGinley. “I’m going to do my best to win my American Golf UK title back in 2017 and will come back again next time to look after some unfinished business.”
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