David Mobley certainly has a flair for the dramatic.

Saving his best shot for his sixth and final ball in both the semifinals and finals, Mobley successfully defended his Tennessee Long Drive Shoot-Out on Saturday afternoon at Graysburg Hills Golf Course with a winning drive of 410 yds., 2 feet.

That was a mere 12 inches longer than the shot hit by runnerup Patrick Hopper, but it was enough to give Mobley the $10,000 first place money and make him the first three-time winner of the Shoot-Out.

As has been the case in past years, the Tennessee Shoot-Out brought together a strong field of long drive professionals from across the country, ranging from California to South Carolina. It was the ninth annual event, which is arranged each year by Laughlin Memorial Hospital to benefit scholarship programs provided by the hospital.

Mobley, from Huntersville, N.C., has been hitting in long drive competition for 20 years and considers himself one of the "old-timers" on the circuit at 43 years of age.

"It's amazing how far these young guys can hit it," Mobley laughed. "This Hopper kid ... I've got a daughter his age (21) ... are you kiddin' me?"

Mobley didn't arrive in Greeneville until around 3 a.m. Saturday. That's because on Friday he was in Sioux Falls, S.D., for an event and didn't leave there until around 5 p.m.

"I hadn't really trained that much for long drive," he said. "I probably hit maybe 50 balls on the range today, just enough to get warmed up, then I quit because I didn't want to wear myself out.

"But I've been playing a lot of golf, and I've been hitting the driver really, really well," he added.

In the semifinals, Mobley used his sixth and final ball to rip a drive down the No. 1 fairway at Graysburg 406 yds. to get him into the final 10 players. Then in the finals, again he didn't get his 410 yd.-shot until the sixth and final ball.

"I didn't try to press; I just kept telling myself to go with what I've got," Mobley said. "I knew I was close. You just have to be patient and let it happen. And if it doesn't happen, it doesn't."

Hopper, from Gaffney, S.C., had taken the lead with his drive of 410 yds. earlier, and he appeared ready to claim the championship until Mobley unleashed his final drive.

"It's tough, but it happens," Hopper said, who won $4,100 for second place. "Everybody out here hits it a mile. I thought I had a lot more in me so I'm a little big disappointed."

Matt Riggs, a former Tusculum College football player who became hooked on long drive competition last year when he finished sixth in the Tennessee Shoot-Out, placed third this time with a drive of 406 yds. He won $3,200.

The remainder of the top 10: Chad Roberts, fourth, 401 yds. ($2500); Steve Monroe, fifth, 400 yds. ($1950); Jeff Crittenden, sixth, 399 yds. ($1800); Jeff Swihart, seventh, 386 yds. ($1550); Robbie Biershank, eighth, 384 yds. ($1200); Frank Miller, ninth, 376 yds. ($900); Tom Klintworth, 10th (free entry fee next year).

"This is a fantastic tournament and I really enjoy coming here," Mobley said. "A big thanks goes to Laughlin (Memorial Hospital) and the staff of workers that they put together to make this thing happen."