Chaos and Resilience Reign Supreme at Glass Blown Open
Date Published
The first round of the 2016 Glass Blown Open (GBO) was marked by unexpected chaos and resilience as players faced torrential downpours, flooding, and unplayable holes at Peter Pan Disc Golf Course. The Marion Reservoir, located 60 miles west of Emporia, experienced an extraordinary 18-foot rise in water levels due to the storms, causing the Cottonwood River to overflow onto the course.
By Thursday morning, several holes were completely submerged, leaving players to navigate unfamiliar terrain and make drastic changes to ensure a safe and fair competition. The GBO staff worked tirelessly by flashlight to plan new holes, relocate baskets, and lay down temporary tee pads.
In the women's division, Catrina Allen led the pack with a 55, carding par after par despite frigid temperatures and gusty winds. Her performance earned her a cushion heading into the second round, but she wasn't the only one making waves. Ellen Widboom finished the day with a 56, securing a spot on the lead card alongside Karina Nowels and Paige Bjerkaas.
The men's division saw a surprise twist as none of the top players made it to the top of the leaderboard. Instead, Cameron Todd and Eric Oakley shot blistering rounds of 45, setting a high bar that only Ricky Wysocki was able to match with a 46. Zachary Newhouse completed the lead card with his identical score.
As the competitors head into Round 2 at Jones Park East, the stage is set for an exciting showdown. With over 30 players within four strokes of the leaders, the battle for the top spot will be fierce. Fans can follow along with live scoring on PDGA Live to witness the drama unfold.
This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/gbo-round-1-brings-new-faces-lead-card