Des Moines Challenge Heats Up with Competitive Field and Thrilling Course Layout
Date Published
The Dynamic Discs Open has just concluded, but the excitement doesn't stop there. The 2023 Disc Golf Pro Tour (DGPT) – TruBank Des Moines Challenge Presented by Discraft is set to kick off this weekend in Des Moines, Iowa. This marks the 33rd edition of the event and its third year as a prestigious Elite Series Event.
The tournament will take place at Pickard Park, designed by five-time PDGA World Champion Julianna Korver. The course boasts an 8,405-foot par 64 for female professionals (FPO) and a 9,752-foot par 64 for male professionals (MPO). What makes this layout particularly challenging is the mix of diverse hole types and shot shapes that demand well-rounded gameplay.
Long par 5s like holes 10 and 18 require players to showcase their distance control while maintaining accuracy. Meanwhile, technical wooded holes such as hole 12 present a different kind of challenge, with obstacles like double mandos off the tee. Additionally, water carries on holes 4 and 5 will test players' mettle, particularly on hole 5's alluring island green that tempts them into attempting ace runs.
Last year's champion, Kristin Tattar, is back to defend her title after dominating the FPO field with a four-stroke lead. Her impressive performance was part of an incredible season where she won three Elite Series events and maintained a streak of never placing lower than third up until that point.
On the MPO side, Simon Lizotte took down the 2022 Des Moines Challenge in a nail-biting playoff against Robert Burridge. The two players matched strokes through the first three holes before a thrilling showdown on hole 4 ultimately decided the winner. Lizotte secured his victory by birdieing eight of the last nine holes.
This weekend's weather forecast promises sunshine and high temperatures, with only a slight chance of rain on Saturday. Don't miss out on the action-packed competition as top pros battle it out for the coveted title.
For those interested in following the tournament live, here are some essential details:
* Live coverage will be available through The Disc Golf Network (DGN), featuring post-produced coverage and exclusive content.
* Friday's FPO Feature Card tees off at 10:55 a.m. ET, while the MPO Feature Card begins at 4:55 p.m. ET.
* A press conference with select players will take place on Thursday from 1-2:20 p.m. CT, live-streamed on the DGPT's YouTube channel.
* For those who prefer free coverage, the first round of both divisions will be simulcast on the DGPT YouTube channel.
Stay tuned for daily recap articles and follow PDGA.com for all the latest news and updates from the 2023 Elite Series.
This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/heat-tour