Disc Golf World Championships Heat Up in Charlotte
Date Published
The stage is set for an exciting conclusion at the 2018 PDGA Amateur Disc Golf World Championships in Charlotte, North Carolina. Thursday's scores have been posted, and most divisions are down to their final round before the fields are significantly reduced for Saturday morning's semifinals. For the players, the battles at the top of the leaderboards take a back seat to the ones taking place at the cut line on moving day.
Mark Huether, Assistant Tournament Director and current leader in the Advanced Masters 40+ division, has been juggling his duties with competing in the event. After putting in countless hours of work to set up and run Am Worlds, Huether took a few hours each day to compete alongside the other players. "It's been two years of stress and endless hours of work," he said. "It's hard to relax and just play." Despite his position at the top of the leaderboard, Huether is happier to see players enjoying their time at the event.
One player who has been making a strong impression in the Advanced Women's division is Valarie Mandujano. The 19-year-old three-time junior world champion has spent most of her disc golf career practicing and competing with her sister, two-time junior world champion Alexis Mandujano. "It's more of a sibling battle!" Valarie said. "We are used to being on the lead card together, but even as competitors, we still root for each other."
The women will play rounds five and six today, with their field of 56 being cut to the top 20 (plus any ties) after tonight's scores are posted. The Advanced division is already five rounds deep and will head out to Nevin Park for one last hurrah before the semis. At 288 players strong, only the top 72 will make it through for a chance to compete at Hornets Nest on Saturday morning.
In the Advanced Men's division, Luke Humphries is leading the pack with an impressive performance. After Thursday's round, he increased his margin from five to six and threw the hot round of 10-under par 45 in the afternoon at Bradford Park. He will be joined by Michael Grummert, Zach Haynes, and Andrew Cornwell on the lead card at Nevin for their final round before the semis.
The competition is heating up, and with hundreds of players vying for a chance to compete on Saturday's semifinals and finals, anything can happen. Follow along at pdgalive.com for scores and updates as the drama unfolds in Charlotte.
This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/humphries-extends-lead-mandujano-sisters-set-lead-card-family-feud