Sean Johnson

At an imposing 6'7, this week's Moonlighter might look the part but his path to professional sports had a dog leg or two. Sean Johnson grew up an athlete playing hockey and baseball and though he made a run at a professional baseball career, it was his skills from the ice that has helped him to launch. Johnson is now making a name for himself in professional long drive golf competitions. Sean Johnson has Iowa family connections but it was baseball that brought him to Western Iowa from Colorado. Johnson was recruited to play baseball for the Reivers in 2012. He joined one of the top JUCO programs in the country but had to adapt quickly to the rigors of college ball. Johnson was selected in the 31st round of the 2013 MLB draft by the Chicago Cubs after his freshman season. He chose to stay in Council Bluffs for the 2014 season and went 10-1 while helping Iowa Western win the 2014 national championship. He went on to play for Ole Miss in the SEC for three seasons. Injuries derailed his progress some while playing in the top conference and the biggest stadiums in college baseball. Johnson went on to play 4 seasons of independent ball before making the decision to hang up his spikes. Growing up, hockey was actually his best sport for the self described baby giraffe. Johnson was an aggressive player and opponents knew he was trying to use his slapshot to put it in the back of the net. His prep career included some elite competition and opportunities on the ice. In addition to baseball and hockey, Johnson loved to bomb golf balls almost 400 yards as a teenager. The combination of his height, athleticism and training as a hockey player allowed him to jump right into long drive competitions. Literally, just after his baseball career ended due to injury he Googled professional long drive and teed up a new career. From that first competition, Johnson got picked up by a coach to learn how actually develop as a long-drive golfer. He started working with Coach Bobby Peterson and converted his baseball & hockey swing into a true long-drive golf swing. Peterson swings it at 200+ MPH and is really just getting started on his new profession. The Professional Long Drive Association is just taking off and Johnson has the skills to be one of its stars.