Chaos Reigns as Top Seeds Advance in Down-to-the-Wire DGPT Championship
Date Published
The penultimate day of the 2023 Disc Golf Pro Tour Championship presented by Barbasol lived up to its billing as a nail-biter, with some of the sport's biggest names advancing to the weekend while others fell just short. The tournament's top seeds took center stage at Matt Keatts Memorial DGC in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the playing field is now whittled down to 20 competitors.
A dramatic day saw several high-profile players breathe a sigh of relief as they secured their spots in the final two rounds. Calvin Heimburg, Isaac Robinson, Gannon Buhr, Ricky Wysocki, and Eagle McMahon all navigated the challenging course with ease, finishing among the top seeds in the MPO field. Kristin Tattar, Missy Gannon, Ohn Scoggins, Kat Mertsch, and Hailey King also advanced to the weekend, solidifying their positions as strong contenders.
However, not everyone was so fortunate. Niklas Anttila, who didn't receive a starting stroke advantage under the new Tour Championship format, found himself in a precarious position until the final hole on Friday. Adam Hammes's scorching 8-under round set a course record but ultimately proved insufficient to guarantee his spot in the tournament; he had to wait anxiously all day to see if it would be enough.
The FPO field witnessed its own share of drama, with Ali Smith making a stunning comeback by going under par on the final holes to jump seven spots and secure her spot by two strokes. Stacie Rawnsley also narrowly advanced by one stroke in a solid finish, while Jennifer Allen had to change her travel plans after realizing she wouldn't be advancing.
The day's play was marked by a series of upsets and surprises, with Ricky Wysocki dropping a 6-under round despite two bogies and a double. Calvin Heimburg finished the semifinals at 10-under (-16 with his entering stroke advantage) after Thursday's 7-under opening round.
As the tournament enters its final stages, fans can look forward to more thrilling action in Round 2. Live coverage will begin at 9 a.m. ET for FPO and 2 p.m. ET for MPO on the Disc Golf Network, with active PDGA members receiving a 50% discount on their DGN subscription.
This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/down-wire