Daisy Chains 2012: A Weekend of Disc Golf Excellence for Women

The second edition of the highly anticipated Daisy Chains disc golf tournament took place on April 21st at Pinto Lake in Watsonville, California. The event, which has become an annual tradition, drew top female players from across the country to compete in a weekend of exciting matches and challenges.

Organized by Christine Hernlund and her team, the Daisy Chains staff had set their sights high after the success of last year's inaugural tournament. This time around, they were able to break away from the Women's Global Event, which had previously coincided with the event, allowing them to focus on other aspects and create a unique experience for all participants.

The course at Pinto Lake presented a thrilling challenge for players, featuring plenty of obstacles, shorter pin placements, and temporary tees that encouraged birdie opportunities. The layout was carefully designed by Sharon and Leroy Jenkins to cater specifically to the needs of female players, making it an exceptional test of skill and strategy.

On Saturday morning, participants arrived at the event to participate in a "skill shot challenge" hosted by Sarah Hokom. This fun and interactive session allowed ladies to warm up, try different throwing styles, and learn new techniques to apply to their game.

One of the standout performers of the weekend was newlywed Catrina Ulibarri, who shot an impressive five under par 1014-rated round on Saturday. Despite a couple of unfortunate roll-aways in her final rounds, she managed to maintain her lead and secure second place behind Valarie Jenkins.

The ladies' league competition saw "Team KK" emerge victorious, comprising Johanna Atkinson, Jennifer Umstead, Kristine King, and Lorena Randall. They outshone the defending champions, the Tahoe Ladies, and earned the title of West Coast Ladies League Champions.

On Sunday, players were divided into divisions, with the exception of the "Nursing Mothers Card" group, which included Ebee Pinca, Jenna Johnson, and Christine Hernlund. These ladies demonstrated incredible multitasking skills by balancing their shots with the needs of their babies in tow.

Valarie Jenkins emerged as the overall winner, edging out Catrina Ulibarri by a narrow margin. McKayla Thomas, who made her professional debut last year at Daisy Chains, secured third place and cemented her position in the Pro division.

Suzie Weigand continued her winning streak, capturing her second consecutive Advanced title, while Santa Cruz residents Jenna Johnson and Suzie Weigand dominated the Advanced division with their impressive scores.

Christine Hernlund had to step away from organizing duties to compete in a sudden-death playoff for the Intermediate title, which she ultimately won against Mindy Carbajal and Autumn Long. Kelly Owen took home the Recreational division award after significantly improving her score by 12 strokes in her second round.

Jennifer Morgan of Nevada secured the Advanced Masters division by six strokes, while the top performers were rewarded with a $100-per-hole skins match on Sunday evening. Although no team emerged victorious, they decided to split the prize money between themselves, creating an even more enjoyable and social experience for all involved.

The event also raised over $1,150 for the Walnut Avenue Women's Center through raffle ticket sales, adding another layer of importance to the tournament's charitable efforts.

As a testament to its success, Daisy Chains has been designated as the first event in the Poppy Series Women's tour, which consists of five tournaments in Northern California and Nevada. The points system will allow competitors to earn more opportunities for competition and networking throughout the region.

The weekend concluded with a sense of camaraderie and accomplishment, as all participants left with full bellies, handmade gifts, players' packs, Poppy Series points, new friendships, and cherished memories.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/daisy-chains-womens-tournament