Holyn Handley Stuns Field with Dramatic Win at Throw Pink Women's Championship

In a thrilling conclusion to the 2023 Throw Pink Women's Disc Golf Championship, Holyn Handley stunned the field with a dramatic comeback to claim her first title. The tournament saw some of the world's top female players compete at Winthrop Arena, with several rounds producing double-digit scores amidst challenging conditions.

Despite starting six strokes behind the lead card in the final round, Handley focused on securing a podium finish rather than aiming for victory. "I thought play good and you can get a top 3," she said after the tournament. However, as Handley continued to perform well throughout the round, she began to feel a change in energy among the crowd and her competitors.

Handley's momentum carried over into the final holes, but with a surprising twist - she had no idea she was leading until just before throwing her last tee shot on hole 18. Unbeknownst to her, Handley had taken a 2-stroke lead over Kristin Tattar by this point.

As Handley realized her position, pressure mounted, and she faced a daunting task to maintain her lead. Her drive on the final hole went out of bounds (OB), followed by an OB second approach shot, leaving her with a critical 34-foot putt to save bogey. To everyone's surprise, Handley successfully sank the putt, finishing with a hot 10-under round.

However, Tattar was not about to give up easily. On hole 18, she executed a precise approach shot to birdie and force a playoff between the two players. This set the stage for an intense showdown on the infamous hole 17, where Handley and Tattar had never before won a playoff at an FPO PDGA event.

In a heart-stopping finish, Handley played it safe on her first attempt, landing in bounds on the island green. Tattar's subsequent drive went OB long, forcing her to drop into the zone. Her final approach shot reached the island but left her with a difficult bogey putt, giving Handley an easy up-and-down for par and securing her first tour win.

Handley reflected on her momentous victory: "I was really happy with where I put it because I was like 'I can make that putt if I need to'... and then Kristin tried to park it and pulled it over a little bit, and my jaw just dropped. I don't see her making mistakes like that very often."

This stunning turn of events has cemented Handley's place in the world of disc golf as she becomes the first chase card winner at the TPWDGC and marks an exciting beginning to the Disc Golf Pro Tour Championship season.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/chase-card-champion