Sheridan’s drives are not just for show

Costa Mesa and OCC alum hoping to make some green by going long -- driving, that is.Most average golfers go their entire life without getting one.

Back in high school, Bryce Sheridan had two within five days.

Sheridan, a former Costa Mesa High and Orange Coast College attendee, had the stars aligned during his senior year as a Mustang in 2002, sinking two hole-in-ones within a span of less than a week.

One would think Sheridan would have stuck to the game in its true form. But nowadays, the Costa Mesa resident has dropped all but one aspect of playing competitively. His inherent strength in the game is what he is now true to, because, after all, it was his strength that put him in this situation in the first place.

“He was always a long hitter -- he always wanted to go for the green off the tee,” Costa Mesa boys’ golf coach Tom Baldwin said. “He could hit close to 300 [yards] consistently.”

That was in high school. Now he can hit around 400 yards.

Sheridan just returned from the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship in Mesquite, Nev., where he participated for the first time in the most prestigious event of his sport.

Sheridan, in his second year of long driving competitively, reached the fourth round of the championship, one round shy of the quarterfinals.

“I think I had first-time jitters,” Sheridan said Monday, just after returning from the event. “I was a little nervous on the tee, so it was hard to swing a golf club. There were grandstands surrounding the whole tee box, enough seats for five to six thousand people.”

Sheridan’s longest drive of the competition -- which will on ESPN on Christmas Day -- was 333 yards, far short of his best performances. But, he said, the conditions were wet.

“It was nice just being there,” he said. “The first swing, I was just telling myself to get the ball in.”

Of course, it’s easier said than done. Players have to land the ball in a fairway that’s 45 yards wide. Each person gets six tries per round, with the best ball being the one the counts.

Sean Fister, of Little Rock, Ark., took home first place, blasting the winning drive 377 yards, 3 1/2 inches for the $100,000 grand prize.

Sheridan didn’t take home any money, but said he has high hopes for next year’s event.

If his qualifier rounds are any indicator, he should have high hopes.

In September at the California-Nevada District 2 Qualifier -- the last stage before gaining entry to the world championship -- Sheridan won the open division with a 378-yard smash. He edged Logan Leavitt of Washington, Utah, by one yard.

“I’ve always hit pretty far,” Sheridan said.