Disc Golfers Battle Through Windy Conditions at Okinawa Open

The winds howled through the Nakijin Village General Athletic Park on the island of Okinawa, Japan, as disc golfers from around the world battled it out in the 14th running of the Okinawa Open. The event marked a significant milestone for the PDGA Asia Tour, which had traveled over 900 miles from the Philippines to reach its southernmost point.

In the MPO division, Jacky Chen, son of Su Mei Yang and a seasoned competitor on the tour, showed his mettle by winning in a hard-fought three-way battle with Manabu Kajiyama and Joey Bruno. The course proved to be unforgiving, with gusts of wind up to 30mph causing chaos among players. Chen's consistency and ability to stay focused under pressure were key factors in his success.

The thrilling finale saw Chen take the lead with a birdie on the 13th hole, which he followed up with an eagle on the 14th. However, disaster nearly struck when he pulled his drive out of bounds on the 17th, leaving him just one stroke ahead going into the final hole. A confident edge-of-circle putt sealed the win for Chen, who was visibly relieved to have earned the top spot.

Meanwhile, in the FPO division, Su Mei Yang continued her remarkable form from the Lipad Pilipinas tour stop in Japan. With a commanding eight-stroke lead after round one, Yang's accuracy off the tee and solid putting proved too much for her rivals. Although she struggled with the wind on Saturday, Yang made up for it in the final round to secure a wire-to-wire win.

The Okinawa Open was not without its surprises, however. The local rule allowing players to take their disc from the water if they could see it in the shallows added an extra layer of excitement and challenge for competitors. Players wading into the crystal-clear waters to take their shots was a common sight along the beach near basket 13.

As the tour heads to its next stop in Shanghai, the competition is heating up. With Su Mei Yang and Chia-Fang Chen vying for top spot in the FPO division, and Jacky Chen looking to maintain his momentum in MPO, fans can expect an exciting conclusion to the 2026 PDGA Asia Tour.

The standings are set to be extremely close going into the final tournament, with the ultimate prize within reach. Will Su Mei or Chia-Fang take home the title, or will another player make a stunning comeback? The world of disc golf will be watching as the tour reaches its climax in Shanghai.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/family-win-chen-yang-win-okinawa