Allen and Barela Extend Leads as DGPT Las Vegas Challenge Continues

The second round of the 2023 Disc Golf Pro Tour (DGPT) - Las Vegas Challenge has seen a significant shift in the leaderboard, with top players extending their leads. On the FPO side, defending champion Catrina Allen took control of the tournament, recording a scorching hot round at 10-under par.

Allen's impressive performance was marked by eight birdies, two eagles, and only two bogeys. Her lead now stands at six strokes over the rest of the field, a position she has never lost when holding such an advantage in an Elite or Major event. According to StatMando, Allen's consistency is a testament to her skill level.

In an interview after her round, Allen revealed that she had been feeling nervous but was determined to rise above it and play with confidence. Her putter played a crucial role in her success, as she secured several key birdies with precise putting. Allen maintained an impressive 88% Circle 1X Putting rate throughout the day.

While Allen's lead appears daunting, other players are eager to close the gap and make a push for victory. Henna Blomroos and Missy Gannon both recorded seven-under par rounds, propelling them into second and third place respectively. Ella Hansen made significant gains with a nine-under round, jumping 21 places on the leaderboard.

The FPO field will return to the Infinite course for round three, providing opportunities for players to narrow the gap between themselves and Allen.

On the MPO side, Anthony Barela has emerged as a strong contender for his first major victory. He carded an impressive 20-under par round, including ten birdies and one eagle. This performance marked a significant turning point in his tournament, as he took the lead with a three-stroke advantage over Kevin Jones.

Barela's success on the Innova course was largely due to his ability to stay bogey-free, even when faced with challenging situations. He expressed confidence in his game plan for round three, focusing on positioning himself for key birdie opportunities and making more putts from distance.

As the MPO field heads into the third round, Barela's lead is closely followed by Jones at 17 strokes under par. The weather conditions are expected to be quite different for round three, with rain forecasted for the Millennium course.

The Disc Golf Network will resume live coverage of the tournament at 12pm Eastern / 9am Pacific.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/vegas-leaders-double-down