Elite Disc Golfers Prepare for Thrilling Showdown at The Memorial Championship
Date Published
As the anticipation builds for the start of the 2011 PDGA National Tour Elite Series presented by Vibram, one thing is clear: this season promises to be an exciting one. Despite the lack of discs flying through the air (at least not yet!), the intrigue surrounding the top players has already reached a fever pitch.
At the top of the leaderboard, Nikko Locastro's bid for his third consecutive Player of the Year award will likely be challenged by none other than David Feldberg, who claimed five NT events in 2010 and currently holds the number one ranking. Feldberg's impressive resume is all the more noteworthy given that he finished as Locastro's POY runner-up last year.
Meanwhile, Nate Doss, a two-time World Champion (2005 and 2007), recently took down Locastro by six throws at the Gentlemen's Club Classic in Las Vegas. It's clear that Doss will be a force to be reckoned with this week in Arizona. Not to mention that other talented players like Cale Leiviska, Paul Ulibarri, and Devon Owens are also vying for top honors.
But the competition extends beyond just the men's open division. Valarie Jenkins, the reigning PDGA Player of the Year (and women's open division leader), solidified her number one ranking with a win in Las Vegas this past weekend. Her impressive feat marks her fourth consecutive year as POY, putting her alongside Juliana Korver and Ken Climo as the only disc golfers to achieve this remarkable milestone.
However, Jenkins' success has not come without being pushed by talented competitors like Liz Lopez (2008 Rookie of the Year) and Paige Pierce (2010 Rookie of the Year). All these ladies will be in the field at The Memorial Championship, ensuring that fans won't have to wait long for some thrilling drama.
The PDGA is also taking bold new steps with the NT this year, focusing on creating a fun event-type atmosphere, hosting regional events, and broadcasting several NT events live via DiscGolfPlanet.TV. With 2011's nine-event schedule, the PDGA feels confident that its mission to spotlight disc golf's best events, courses, players, and host clubs will continue to be fulfilled for fans, players, and strategic partners alike.
Fans can catch all the action live from The Memorial Championship in Arizona by tuning into DiscGolfPlanet.tv. The broadcast begins on Thursday at 11:15 am Mountain Standard Time and continues through Friday and Saturday. Additionally, special bonus coverage of The Memorial Championship will occur on Tuesday, as DiscGolfPlanet.tv provides a live feed from the Memorial Press Conference in Fountain Hills at 2:15 pm MST.
With so many advancements taking place in the sport, one thing is certain – 2011 promises to be an exciting year for disc golf, especially for Vibram Disc Golf, which is proudly presenting the PDGA National Tour Elite Series.
This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/2011-memorial-preview