DENVER — Monica Lieving of Denver didn’t plan to become a world champion, but her powerful swing — and a chance encounter — launched her to the top of one of golf’s most explosive competitions.
Denver7 Sports sat down with her recently to hear about her rise to the top of her game.
Lieving started playing golf at age 12 and quickly realized she could hit the ball farther than most.
“I always loved when there was a crowd watching,” Lieving said. “I’d try to hit it really far to impress people.”
Years later, during a charity event at Arrowhead Golf Course, she crushed a drive that nearly hit another golfer — who turned out to be professional long driver Andrew Eigner.
Curious, the two met again and used a TrackMan launch monitor to measure her ball speed and swing data. Lieving had never tracked her numbers before, but what they saw was undeniable: world-class power.
“He told me, ‘With these numbers, you could be top 10 women in the world right now without even practicing,’” she said.
By day, Monica works as a full-time realtor in Denver. But she gave long drive a shot and that same year, entered the World Long Drive Championship as a rookie — and won. Now, she’s ranked No. 1 in the world.
“Long drive is a lot harder than people think,” Lieving said. “It takes serious skill, the right mechanics, and it’s tough on your body.”
And the competition vibe? Very different from traditional golf.
“Compare long drive to the Waste Management Open,” she said. “It’s encouraged to yell. It’s loud, it’s exciting — it challenges what people think golf is.”
Fans can catch her in action when the World Long Drive Championship comes to La Salle, Colorado this fall.
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