Who is Martin Borgmeier? Golfer wins 2022 PLDA World Championship

German golfer Martin Borgmeier executed an incredible swing and hit 426 yards to win the 2022 PLDA World Championship in Mesquite, Nevada.

The tournament had a field set with 128 of the best long drivers in the world, including some prominent names, fighting it out for the $50,000 cash prize.

US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau, two-time Long Drive World champion Kyle Berkshire, and senior champion Eddie Fernandes also competed for the top spot.

Defending champion Berkshire was the favorite going into the coveted competition. However, he was still in recovery after hand surgery in September. He eventually finished ninth and could not complete his hat-trick of winning titles after bagging them in 2020 and 2021.

After defeating one golfer after another in a host of rounds, Bryson DeChambeau and Martin Borgmeier reached the finals. In the clash between the two, DeChambeau drove three of his six drives into the grid. His longest hit was 406 yards.

However, Martin Borgmeier dug deeper to pull off an incredible performance. He took the lead with his third 415-yard hit and cemented his victory with his final 426-yard drive. The German golfer emerged victorious after a hard-fought battle.

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"I would not be here with the improvements in technology" - Martin Borgmeier shows gratitude towards Bryson DeChambeau

Bryson DeChambeau (Image via Quinn Harris / Getty Images)

It is no secret that the long drive competitions were losing popularity and were on the verge of a collapse in August 2021. The pandemic hit the tournaments badly, and the entries for the world long drive championships were also dismal.

That was when the 2020 US Open winner, Bryson DeChambeau, stepped up to enter the competition. His entry sparked an interest in the tournament and refocused attention towards it.

Several new entries were registered. In recent times, many pro golfers have taken an interest and have shown unabashed support towards long drive. In many ways, Bryson DeChambeau saved long drive golf. And long drive king Kyle Berkshire agreed to that.

Both DeChambeau and Berkshire adopted a common long drive practice method: overspeed training. Wherein competitors swing the driver as hard as possible with no regard for accuracy. It is hoped that it will also improve the speed of their more typical, controlled swings.

Recently crowned champion of long drives, Martin Borgmeier showed his gratitude for the technology and revolution in long drives brought by DeChambeau after his win against him in Mesquite, Nevada.

He said:

"There is one very, very important thing, and all of you guys know, I would not be here, none of us would be here with the improvements in technology, if one guy wouldn’t have come in a year ago to make the sport what it is right now. And I think he’s on a very good track to come back. And that guy is Bryson DeChambeau,"

Pro golf and long drives are two completely different aspects of the same sport. Pro golfers don't usually register nearly as many ball speed numbers as are required of a long driver.

So for Bryson DeChambeau, a pro golfer, to hit those numbers and cross the 400 mark is a phenomenal feat, and Martin Borgmeier agrees.

"He also came in second! What is going on! That guy is a professional golfer and he’s putting up these ball speed numbers … he lights it up in the final, hitting 400 plus! No one has ever done that before! People don’t realize how crazy that is!"

Certainly, long drive competitions have a bright and popular future ahead.