Dynamic Discs Open Kicks Off with a Bang in Emporia, Kansas

The sun-kissed course at Jones Park in Emporia, Kansas, proved to be a formidable challenge for the top disc golfers as they kicked off the 2022 Dynamic Discs Open. The Supreme 18 layout, characterized by its lengthy holes and numerous obstacles, had the field reeling from the get-go.

Christine Jennings, the 2019 PDGA Rookie of the Year, played a stellar round, carding a 2-under-par score to tie for the lead alongside Paige Pierce. "I just felt like I played really clean," Jennings said with a smile after tapping in her birdie putt on the closing hole. "I put my discs under the basket, so I didn't have to putt much and when I did, I made them."

Thomas Gilbert was another standout performer, turning in a bogey-free round to take a slim one-stroke lead at 6-under-par. The MPO field is shaping up to be a closely contested affair, with six players tied for second place just two strokes off the pace.

The challenging conditions were evident throughout the day, as players struggled to navigate the wind-swept course. Brodie Smith, part of the logjam in a tie for second place, observed that "this course, when it's playing this windy, is all about giving yourself opportunities." He noted that the Supreme 18 demands precision and accuracy, making bogey, double bogey, or triple bogey an ever-present threat.

Paige Pierce expressed her satisfaction at salvaging a good round on the back nine but admitted that she wants to do better tomorrow. "It was good according to the field, but it did not feel good to me," she said. Jessica Weese and Cynthia Ricciotti secured their spots on the lead card with even-par rounds, while Elijah Bickel and Nolan Ramser will tee off last in the MPO field.

The statistics from day one paint a telling picture of just how tough the course proved to be. A whopping 179 OB strokes were combined on holes 1, 14, and 16 alone, with Hole 16 accounting for an astonishing 39 of those. The average score for the MPO field was 68.27, a staggering 3.27 strokes over par.

The stage is set for an electrifying second round as the players gear up to tackle the challenging Supreme 18 layout once more. Live coverage of the Dynamic Discs Open begins at 9 a.m. CT for FPO and 2:30 p.m. CT for MPO on the Disc Golf Network.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/supreme-18-shows-its-teeth