HUNTINGTON -- Golfer Steve Thacker didn't get the results he wanted, but had no complaints about the overall experience.

The Huntington firefighter was one of 144 entries in the Open Division of the 2009 Re/Max World Long Drive Championship last week in Mesquite, Nev. ESPN will televise a 90-minute highlights package on Dec. 20 and re-air it Christmas Day on ESPN2.

"It was all first class," Thacker said. "You have bleachers behind the tee area. When anyone busted one, the crowd got excited and made a lot of noise. You have a chair on the range with your name on it. The biggest names are there and you get to meet them. There were some nerves early, but when I won the first round I settled down and everything was OK. It was all I thought it would be."

The down side for Thacker was going out after three rounds.

Thacker started booming tee shots last Wednesday in Group 4. The left-hander blasted one 329 yards in Round 1 to lead his group of six and go to Round 2. In that round, Thacker's best blast went 295 yards and left him fifth in the group. Thacker dropped into the consolation bracket for Round 4. His best shot covered 330, leaving him third and out as only the top two moved on.

"It was absolutely miserable," Thacker said, pointing to wind blowing in excess of 40 mph (and into the player's face most of the time) and sand kicking up. "The drive I hit 329, I absolutely murdered it. It felt good. That's how bad it was. I did get five shots (out of six) in the grid and that was something. Some of the guys were lucky to get three in."

Although he went out in Round 4, Thacker did finish ahead of 1993 champion Brian Pavlet, who had a best of 315.

Prior to the competition, Thacker met five-time winner Jason Zuback on the practice range as their spots were side by side.

"I got kind of excited," Thacker said of meeting a long-drive legend. "I got a picture of him and his golf bag. We talked. He offered some good advice."

Competition continued Thursday and Friday to get down to the finals on Friday night where Canadian Jamie Sadlowski pulled off a repeat victory.

Sadlowski, 21, racked up a best drive of 384 yards in the finals against Jerimie Montgomery, whose best on a cool night was 351. Sadlowski earned $150,000 and Montgomery made $70,000.

Thacker said his goal now is to make it back to Mesquite.

"Each time out you learn something," he said. "It's still kind of new to me. I felt I was supposed to be there."

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