Beach and Babcock Set Sizzling Pace in Des Moines Challenge

The first round of the 2023 TruBank Des Moines Challenge Presented by Discraft has come to a close, with both the FPO and MPO fields producing thrilling performances. At Pickard Park, Emily Beach and Kristin Tattar topped the FPO leaderboard after scoring an impressive seven-under par each.

Beach's standout round was marked by exceptional accuracy off the tee, hitting 80% of fairways and gaining 4.81 shots from tee to green, according to UDisc. Her long drives often put her in prime position for birdie attempts, showcasing a unique advantage over other players. As a left-handed player in a predominantly right-handed field, Beach's individualized approach paid dividends.

"I feel solid with my game," Beach noted after the round. "Last season I played it safe and laid up a lot more often, but this year I've worked on taking advantage of my distance."

Brian Earhart, a commentator and fellow left-hander, praised Beach for her adaptability: "As one of the only left-handed players in the FPO division, Emily has to cultivate an entirely new game plan each week. Her success is a testament to her ability to adapt and innovate on the course."

Defending champion Kristin Tattar's nine birdies on the day were impressive, but she also incurred bogeys on holes 5 and 16, costing her precious strokes. When asked about his potential for improvement in Round 2, Tattar cautioned: "I think there are many more birdie opportunities out there, but it will be challenging if the wind picks up or rain sets in."

Paige Pierce and Macie Velediaz joined Beach and Tattar at the top of the leaderboard with scores of six-under and five-under par, respectively.

The MPO field also delivered an electrifying display, with seven players tied for third place just three strokes behind the lead. Iowa natives Gavin Babcock and Gannon Buhr rose to the top, sharing the course record with a tie for the lead after completing Round 1 at 13 strokes under par.

Babcock's flawless round saw him avoid bogeys entirely, earning two pars on holes 5 through 18. His performance in high-pressure situations has proven invaluable, including a fifth-place finish at the 2022 PDGA Champions Cup.

When asked about playing with an audience watching, Babcock exclaimed: "I feed off that energy, so I'm looking to keep it up and enjoy this home crowd's love for me."

Gannon Buhr's round began slowly, but he turned things around after missing a putt inside the circle on hole 2. He went on to birdie an astonishing eight holes in a row and finish with 14 total birdies.

"I felt hopeless again," Buhr confessed about his early struggles, "but I managed to string together some impressive shots and get back into contention." With two Elite Series wins under his belt this season, Buhr is confident in his ability to perform under pressure.

As the tournament heads into Round 2, Babcock and Buhr will hold a one-stroke lead over seven players tied for third place. Anything can happen with such minimal separation between leaders and just two rounds remaining.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/homefield-advantage