In first of 3 World Long Drive events in Colorado over the next 6 weeks, Centennial State residents Monica Lieving (women’s division) and Chase Noell (amateurs) claim titles; meanwhile, ex-Buff Sabrina Iqbal runner-up in Epson Tour event
By Gary Baines – 8/17/2025
Considering three World Long Drive competitions are being held in Colorado over the course of 6 1/2 weeks in late summer and early fall, it seems only fitting that golfers from the Centennial State enjoy some success in them.
And so it was this weekend at the Rocky Mountain Rumble at Bigfoot Turf Farm in LaSalle, southeast of Greeley — the first of those three events.
Monica Lieving, a real estate agent from Lakewood and the No. 1-ranked women’s player in World Long Drive, captured the women’s title at the Rumble on Sunday thanks to a 350-yard blast.
That came a day after another Coloradan, Chase Noell, claimed the amateur division victory at the same event.
For Lieving, it marks her second WLD win of the year and the sixth of her career, a total which includes the 2023 World Championship. Her previous victory this year came at the Duel in the Desert in Mesquite, Nev., in April. Lieving is in her third season on the WLD.
Lieving grew up in Geneseo in western Illinois, and played college golf at Arkansas State.
In the elite competition held on Sunday, Zack Holton of Birmingham, Ala.,the No. 4-ranked player in that division, became the first elite player to post two victories this season.
Meanwhile, Jack Smith hit the longest drive of the WLD season — 485 yards.
Chase Noell. (Photo graphic: World Long Drive on Instagram)
Two more World Long Drive events are scheduled this year at Bigfoot Turf Farm — two that were part of the original plans and one added about 10 weeks ago. The latest addition is the Smash In The Sun Sept. 5-7; it was originally scheduled for Mesquite. Then the World Championships are set for Sept. 25-27, also at Bigfoot Turf Farm.
Elsewhere on Sunday in high-level competitive golf:
— Former University of Colorado golfer Robyn Choi posted her third top-15 finish of the year on the LPGA Tour by tying for 13th on Sunday in The Standard Portland Classic.
Choi went 72-70-67-65 for a 14-under-par total, which left her 10 strokes behind champion Akie Iwai of Japan.
Earlier this year, Choi placed ninth- and 11th in LPGA Tour events.
— Another former Buff, Sabrina Iqbal, placed second at the Epson Tour’s Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic in Pendleton, Ore. Iqbal backed up rounds of 67-66 with a 4-under 68 on Sunday, leaving her at 15 under overall. Erika Hara won the title at 18 under.
Prior to Sunday, Iqbal’s best Epson finish this year was 29th place. SCORES
About the Writer: Gary Baines has covered golf in Colorado continuously since 1983. He was a sports writer at the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder, then the sports editor there, and has written regularly for ColoradoGolf.org since 2009. The University of Colorado Evans Scholar alum was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2022. He owns and operates ColoradoGolfJournal.com