Our Athletes
Shaft: Tour Z Proto
Alex Cejka
Major Champion : 2023 The Senior Open | PGA Champions Tour
Shaft: KVLR LD
Bryce Verplank
Played baseball for the University of Texas, and got into long drive shortly after retiring and turning down professional baseball. In his first event Bryce placed 3rd at the 2021 World Championships. Since then, he has consistently earned multiple top 10 finishes and is currently ranked 13th in the world. Bryce secured his first WLD Championship in Port Rowan in July 2023. 2023 WLD West Bountiful Open Champion. He is one of favorites to win the upcoming World Championship Final in October.
Long Drive Tour Representative Shaft: EXP LD
Kyle Richter
Kyle Richter is a seasoned and established athlete on the World Long Drive Tour. Kyle brings his knowledge and expertise to the team as the Long Drive Tour Representative for House of Forged. He has played an integral role in re-establishing the House of Forged Long Drive Team by bringing top talent on board. He is passionate about the sport of long drive, golf, and athletic performance. As a former Strength and Conditioning Coach for the St. Louis Cardinals organization, he also brings the knowledge and leadership qualities necessary to foster the winning formula of a championship team.
Shaft: Ultra
TJ Baker
Originally from Acton, Ontario, Canada, and currently residing in Buffalo, NY. Sports background is in baseball, playing at the NCAA Division I level at St. Bonaventure University in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
First year in professional long drive. Qualified for the 2023 World Championships at the Port Rowan Regional Qualifier. Made the Round of 32 at WLD Portland, CT. Finished 2nd at ILDC Canadian National Championship.
Longest drive in competition: 421 yards
6’6” 240lbs
World Ranking: 65
Shaft: Ninja LD
Jon Graves
Former Dodgers and Padres pitcher. Started competing in pro long drive at age 50 in 2022. Top 3 finishes in 3 of first 4 events and rounded out the season with a 5th place finish at the 2022 World Championship in Mesquite, Nevada. Longest drive in competition so far is 433 yards.
Shaft: Proto Junior
Teagan Moll Tudla
An 8 year old golfer who enjoys gymnastics, aerial acrobatics, and traveling. She's been golfing since the age of 6 and started playing tournaments at the age of 7 years old. Her favorite golfers are Lydia Ko, Nelly Korda, Jason Day, and Tiger Woods.
As of May 2023, she has participated in 52 tournaments and has won 18 times with 11 runnerups, and five 3rd place finishes.
Her biggest wins to date include the following: (age 8 and under Girls):
- April 2023 USKG Nevada State Championship with a 2 day total of 63 (-9 under 32,31)
- November 2022 USKG Monterey Regional Championship - Champion (35, 41)
- September 2022 USKG Palm Springs Regional Championship - Champion (35, 39)
- September 2022 USKG Girls Invitational Championship - Champion (34, 32)
- August 2022 USKG World Championship 10th place. Pinehurst, NC.
- July 2022 FCG Callaway Junior World Championship 17th place. Rancho Mirage, CA.
- May 2022 USKG European Championships 7th place East Lothian, Scotland. UK.
- April 2022 USKG Las Vegas Local Tour, Spring Season, Tour Championship
Her upcoming tournaments include the following
- May 2023 USKG European Championship, North Berwick, Scotland UK
- June 2023 Sean Foley World Stars Junior Golf Championship, Las Vegas NV
She has qualified and will be participating in the World Championships of IMG, FCG Callaway, and USKG this summer 2023. (age 8 and under - Girls)
- July 2023 IMG World Golf Championship, El Cajon, CA - Result: First Place Champion
- July 2023 FCG Callaway Junior World Championship, Rancho Mirage, CA - Result: Top 3
- August 2023 USKG World Championship. Pinehurst, NC. - Result: Top 7
- November 2023 Monterey Challenge, Monterey, CA - Result: First Place Champion
Her favorite subjects in school are spelling, math and science where she will be entering the 3rd grade this Fall 2023.
Shaft: Tour Z Proto
Mark Costello
- Multi-sport high school athlete including golf, basketball, track and field, among other extracurricular sports like sand volleyball
- Attended University of Oklahoma as a member of the Track and Field team throwing javelin
- Started competing in long drive in 2015
- 2018 Atlantic City Bash winner
- 4-time Quarterfinalist at the World Championships
- Longest ball in competition: 463 yards
Shaft: Ninja LD
Ben "Caveman" Kassman
Ben stormed on to the World Long Drive Tour in 2022. Like many Pro Long Driver athletes, he is a former baseball player. He qualified for his first World Championships in 2023 and his performance nearly earned him a spot in the top 32.
Longest competition ball: 406yards
Fastest competition ball speed: 209mph
Shaft: Ninja LD
Josh Jackson
Josh Jackson, born in Edgewood, KY, and raised in San Diego, CA, has always been fueled by a remarkable blend of talent, dedication to sports, and a thirst for knowledge. From an early age, Josh's passion for both athletics and education shone brightly. As a high school graduate and a phenomenal 4-sport athlete, he set his sights on a collegiate football career.
Shortly after completing his studies, Josh's talent on the football field attracted the attention of several NFL teams, who expressed interest in him for tryouts. In 2013, he made the choice to dedicate himself to golf, earning an exemption to the NGA Tour and was successful in the Playing Ability Test administered by the Professional Golf Association.
2019 marked his official debut season on the WLD Tour, a milestone in his professional journey.
In 2020, Josh made his television debut on the Golf Channel finishing 2nd at the Capital Long Drive Classic. Josh clinched victory at the 2022 XLD Ohio League Championship, securing his qualification for the Xtreme Long Drive Championship, where he finished in the Top 16.
This year, he plans to participate in Long Drive events alongside Professional Golf Tournaments. To secure his spots, Josh will take on the challenge of Monday qualifiers listed by the Korn Ferry and PGA Tour.
Jeff Gavin
- Two-Time World Champion 2014/2021
- 2021 Canadian Long Drive National Champion
- 2023 World Long Drive Championships Senior Division Tour wins: Port Rowan and Portland!
Shaft: Ninja LD | KVLR
Kelly Rudney
Kelly is from Waterloo ON Canada and resides in Kitchener. Kelly has always been very athletic playing a wide range of sports including soccer, badminton, volleyball, field hockey, tennis, ringette and hockey. Kelly fell into Long Drive in 2019 when she entered a long drive competition at the Toronto golf show and was hooked right then and there.
Currently ranked #4 in the World Long Drive tour.
Accomplishments
2023 Ultimate Long Drive Pro Women's Open and 35+ World Champion
2023 WLD Connecticut Tour Event T4
2021 - 2023 Canadian National Champion
2022 XLD World Champion 35+ & 45+ divisions
2022 PLDA Sunshine Smash tour winner
2021 ALD World Champion
2021-22 ILDC Canadian Champion
2021 XLD Worlds 4th place (AM)
2020 ILDC Canadian Nationals 2nd place
2020 Runner Up ALD World Championships
2019 ILDC Team Challenge Champion
Ball speed: 175 mph
Swing speed: 125 mph
Kelly's longest drive in competition is 367 yards and was hit this year in the WLD.
Monte Scheinblum
- 1992 world long drive champion and runner up in 1991 and 1993
- Korn ferry tour player
- Golf digest top instructor in CA
- Golf Digest top academies in the country
- 2019 and 2023 us senior open