Houghton Sets Blistering Pace on Opening Day of College Disc Golf Championship

The 2023 College Disc Golf National Championship kicked off on Wednesday morning with a competitive and exciting first round. Houghton University's men's team got the tournament underway, setting an aggressive pace that would be unmatched throughout the day.

Houghton's team captain, Owen Fall, attributed their success to their confidence going into the tournament. "We came in feeling confident," he said. "We shot what we expected to, actually one more than we expected with the eagle on 17, so that was a bonus." The team's strength lies in their putting ability, which paid off as they made a strong start.

In the Division I men's team standings, Houghton currently holds the top spot, one stroke ahead of Illinois State and Cincinnati. Emporia State is hot on their heels, just one stroke behind.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma State's women's duo, Masey Brannon and Markayla Clayton, made a promising start in their first year competing at the college level. They found themselves tied for first place with Southern Arkansas, featuring defending women's singles national champion Whitney Brown. Brannon credited a 40-foot birdie putt on the first hole for giving them a confidence boost.

The duo's strengths lie in their complementary playing styles – Brannon's flexibility and Clayton's accuracy proving to be a winning combination. "This course fits our game really well," Brannon said. "We don't have a ton of distance, but Markayla throws really great straight shots and I have more of the flex shots so it definitely works out."

In Men's Division I singles, Missouri's Noah Free put in an impressive performance, shooting 10-under par to take the lead after day one. He got off to a flying start by birdieing the first four holes on the Boulders track. Defending champion Davis York is just one stroke behind.

In other divisional standings, Wisconsin-Platteville leads Iowa State in Men's Division II team standings, while North Carolina State took the top spot in DIII after opening day. NC State's Zachary Olson also leads the DIII singles flight.

The tournament resumes today at North Cove Leisure & Disc Golf Club in Marion, North Carolina, with over 700 players competing across various divisions.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/fast-starts-national