World Long Drive Japan Announced as Official Sanctioning Body Following Partnership Agreement
- World Long Drive
- Feb 3
- 2 min read
New agreement brings official World Long Drive Championship qualifying opportunities, global ranking points, and expanded commercial rights to the Japanese market.
February 3, 2025 — World Long Drive (WLD) is proud to announce a new partnership agreement with Long Drive Japan (LDJ), officially designating LDJ as the exclusive World Long Drive sanctioning partner in Japan. Under this new agreement, Long Drive Japan will now operate as World Long Drive Japan, strengthening the global footprint of the sport and creating a direct pathway for Japanese and eastern hemisphere athletes to compete on the world stage.
As part of the multi-year partnership, World Long Drive Japan will hold official WLD-sanctioned competitions and qualifying events throughout Japan, providing athletes with the opportunity to earn official World Long Drive ranking points and qualify for future World Long Drive Championship participation.
“We’re excited to welcome World Long Drive Japan into the global WLD system. Japan and the surrounding markets are full of untapped long drive potential, and this partnership helps us find, develop, and showcase that talent on the world stage.”- David Livingston, Chief Commercial Officer.
World Long Drive Japan will play a major role in creating a direct and measurable pathway for athletes in the region to advance onto the sport’s biggest stage each season. As part of the agreement, World Long Drive Japan will receive six (6) total World Championship exemptions annually, including two (2) exemptions designated for the Open Division and four (4) exemptions designated for either the Senior and/or Women’s divisions.
World Long Drive Japan events will award official World Long Drive World Ranking Points with a structured allocation model that reflects both field size and competitive strength.
World Long Drive Japan sanctioned events are not yet opened for registration and will be announced with the release of the 2026 Pinnacle World Long Drive Tour Schedule.
About The Pinnacle World Long Drive Tour
The Pinnacle World Long Drive Tour is the largest annual domestic professional long drive golf event not associated with the PGA of America, PGA Tour, or LPGA. The Pinnacle World Long Drive Tour features Open, Rise, Senior, Amateur, and Women’s divisions, with events held in North America and Japan, culminating in the annual World Long Drive Championship. Additionally, the Pinnacle World Long Drive Series features exhibitions created for entertainment and broadcast on ESPN2. World Long Drive is owned and operated by GF Sports & Entertainment.
About GF Sports & EntertainmentGF Sports & Entertainment is a global events and operations company that elevates live sports, entertainment, and interactive experiences. The company owns and operates premier professional sports properties across golf, tennis, and lacrosse and is headquartered in New York, NY.
Contact:
Alexandra Tannous
Sr. Director of Marketing
401.440.3372
Exciting news for the sport—it's great to see World Long Drive expanding through new international partnerships. I like keeping handwritten notes from golf events and training sessions, and translating cursive golf notes makes it much easier to review techniques and progress later.
It is always wise to formulate a contingency plan before you even start exploring a new room, such as knowing which doors can be slammed shut or which corners offer a quick hiding spot, so you are never caught off guard when Granny suddenly appears around the corner.
This partnership could help long-drive golf gain wider recognition in Japan while creating more opportunities for local athletes to compete internationally.
This is a promising development for the growth of long-drive golf in Asia, especially with official rankings and tournament recognition included.
A structured qualification system should make it easier for talented local competitors to progress onto the international stage.