Disc Golf History Made as James Conrad Sets Course Record at Jonesboro Open

The 2023 Play It Again Sports Jonesboro Open presented by Prodigy witnessed a historic day in Round 2, with James Conrad etching his name into the record books. The PDGA World Champion's stunning performance saw him clear the old course record by three strokes, shooting an incredible 17-under par at Disc Side of Heaven.

Conrad's dominant display was marked by 15 birdies and an eagle, with only two pars throughout the round. His approach shot on Hole 16 clipped a tree but continued towards the basket, resulting in an impressive eagle. The final moment of his record-breaking round saw him sink a 40-foot putt, running it in to the applause of spectators and players alike.

The Arkansas native's achievement is tentatively rated 1103, which could make it the first 1100-plus rated round at a DGPT event since Garrett Gurthie's 1101-rated round at the 2019 MVP Open. Conrad himself was remarkably calm throughout the round, stating that he felt "locked in" and "in the zone."

The MPO field saw tight competition at the top of the leaderboard, with Calvin Heimburg and Eagle McMahon tying for first place at 26 strokes under par after shooting bogey-free 13-under rounds two days in a row. They have attributed their success to the calm conditions but warned that the wind could pick up on Championship Sunday.

In contrast, the FPO field endured cold and rainy conditions in Round 2, but the rain died out, leaving perfect scoring conditions for the players. Kat Mertsch emerged as the leader after shooting seven-under for the day and currently sits at 17 strokes under par. Aria Castruita follows closely behind, also scoring a seven-under round to place second on the leaderboard.

Missy Gannon scored eight-under, avoiding taking a bogey in Round 2, while Hailey King rounds out the lead card despite a rough second day. The final round promises another tight finish for the FPO field, with only three strokes separating the top four players.

With Championship Sunday looming large, the action-packed Jonesboro Open continues to captivate audiences. Fans can catch all the excitement 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/one-record-books