Blaine Kinkel wins US Amateur Disc Golf Championship | Professional Disc Golf Association
Date Published
The 2009 United States Amateur Disc Golf Championship has come to a close, and the new national champion is none other than Blaine Kinkel of Charleston, South Carolina. Kinkel dominated the tournament from start to finish, posting impressive scores on each of the first two days to take an early lead. With a total score of -12 after the second round, he had a three-throw edge over Taylor Cimala and an eight-throw advantage over Tony Mitchell in third place.
However, Kinkel's victory was far from assured. In the final round on Sunday, both he and Cimala struggled to find their rhythm, while Jamie Mosier and Tony Mitchell began to close the gap. At one point, it seemed as though the tournament might come down to a nail-biting finish, with Kinkel and Cimala tied for the lead and Mosier and Mitchell just a few throws behind.
But Kinkel ultimately pulled away from his competitors, carding a score of 64 (+2) on the final day to bring his total to -10. Cimala, meanwhile, was unable to regain momentum and finished with a score of 66 (+4), dropping him to eighth place overall.
In a stunning turn of events, Brad Frase, who had started the round with a total of -2, posted an incredible score of 55 (-7) to close the gap. When the cards were tallied at tournament central, it was confirmed that Kinkel had taken the title by a mere one-throw margin over Frase.
As champion, Kinkel received a crystal trophy and an invitation to compete in the 2009 USDGC. The top 15 finishers were also awarded beautiful trophies, while the top 50 players received merchandise vouchers. Tournament Director Philip Shelton was praised for his exceptional management of the event staff, which included starter Mark Ellis and scoring director Todd White.
The Toboggan course proved to be an ideal venue for the championship, with Discraft, Vitamin Water, and other sponsors providing invaluable support. With the 2010 US Amateur Disc Golf Championship just around the corner, amateur disc golfers are already gearing up to compete in next year's event.
This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/kinkel-wins-usadgc