Puerto Rico lands first Longest Drive golf league
Puerto Rico will host its first official Longest Drive league under an agreement between Ultimate Long Drive Inc. and JRO Events, which secured exclusive rights to bring the sport to the island.
The partnership is intended to establish Puerto Rico as a hub for Latin America and the Caribbean while opening the door for local golfers to join the international circuit, officials said.
JRO Events will organize sanctioned leagues, tournaments and qualifying rounds across the island. Players of all ages and skill levels will be able to compete, with opportunities to advance to the Ultimate Long Drive World Championship. The first event is scheduled for this month.
“It is an honor for Puerto Rico to be the home of the first official Longest Drive league in our nation,” said José Rafael Orraca, founder of Puerto Rico Longest Drive and representative of JRO Events.
“With the support of Ultimate Long Drive Inc., we’re not only creating new opportunities for local athletes, but we’re also building a bridge to Latin America and the Caribbean,” he said.
Based in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Ultimate Long Drive has expanded since its founding in 2017 to license competitions in Canada, Japan, Europe, Mexico, South Africa, Zimbabwe and India. The Puerto Rico launch follows a collaboration with Tee Time Ventures in India earlier this year.
Jeff Gilder, founder and chief executive of Ultimate Long Drive, said the new partnership strengthens the sport’s reach.
“We’re very excited to bring Puerto Rico into our global long drive family,” he said. “Now Puerto Rico athletes will have the opportunity to compete and advance in the sport with athletes from around the world.”
The league will run under the group’s championship series, which stretches from November through the annual world finals. Divisions range from players 7 and younger to those 80 and older, with categories for adaptive, military and first responder participants. Competitors can earn points or prize money to qualify for the finals, where winners are crowned world champions.
For the Puerto Rico-based company, the agreement represents a move into golf after building a reputation through boxing promotions in Bayamón and other venues. Orraca said the company sees long drive as a way to support athlete development and expand sports opportunities for local communities.
“Puerto Rico has tremendous talent and enthusiasm for sports,” he said. “This league will not only provide a platform for our athletes but also position the island as a destination for international competition.”
