Junior Disc Golf World Champs Heat Up in Emporia, Kansas
Date Published
The sun was shining bright on Tuesday at the 2025 PDGA Junior Disc Golf World Championships in Emporia, Kansas, but it was the competitors who truly shone with their exceptional skills on the course. The tournament saw a flurry of impressive performances from young golfers across various divisions, setting the stage for an exciting competition.
In the MJ18 division, Zeb Kaylor and Noah Feil are tied for fourth place after shooting above-par rounds. However, Owen Masse stole the show with a sizzling -7 round, tying him for second place alongside Caleb Tucker and Gabriel Von Aschen. Meanwhile, Drake Sauls took the lead in the lower PDGA number contest.
The first ace of the tournament was thrown by Owen Smith on hole 11 at Champions Landing, measuring just 316 feet. This incredible feat marked a high point in an already action-packed day.
In the FJ18 division, Virginia Polkinghorne continued her impressive form from yesterday's round, shooting a commanding 9-under at Peter Pan and taking a four-stroke lead. Shelby Cowen, the highest rated player in FJ18, shot just under her rating at 910 but sits at -5 going into round two.
In the MJ15 division, Finn Etter of Burlington, Vermont, made a statement with his impressive -9 round at Jones East, earning him the top-rated round so far in the tournament. Nikolai Wotan Heel of Austria shot a 7-under to sit in second place.
The FJ15 leaders are Alison Tweedie of New Zealand and Hailey Huber, who both impressed with their bogey-free rounds. Tweedie leads the pack with a 975-rated 10-under at Peter Pan, while Huber sits in second place with an 8-under.
Ties for the lead were seen in the MJ12 division between Jaxton Taylor and Elijah Kresge, both shooting 8-unders at Peter Pan. Nathan Brewer and Isaac Crawford are tied for fourth place, each achieving bogey-free rounds.
Eva Lutsenko, the current highest FJ12 player in the world, leads her division with a 919-rated 5-under at Jones West. She aims to defend her world title, having won the FJ12 division in 2024 and earning two USWDGC titles in the same category.
In the MJ10 division, Hudson Kasper of Wichita, Kansas, takes the lead with a 5-under at Jones West. Preston Hunt shot a 4-under, while Arian Jenkins and Rylan Haag are tied for third place.
Sarah Wadsworth, the highest rated J10 in the tournament, leads her FJ10 pack after shooting a bogey-free round with a 3-under at Jones West. Keely Bain is five throws back from Hailey Fitzgerald, who sits at 3-over.
In the MJ08 division, James Read shot a 2-under for the lead, while Marky LaValley took the long drive win and shot a plus-1 at Jones West. Rohan Kiser shot a 6-over to take fourth place.
The FJ08 division saw Nora De Jong of Florida taking the lead, with everyone in the four-strong field earning a spot on the lead card for the week. Ellie Lohmeyer is five throws back from De Jong's impressive score.
This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/junior-worlds-starts-hot