Junior Disc Golf World Champs Reach Tense Finale
Date Published
As the 2018 Junior Disc Golf World Championships presented by Dynamic Discs enters its final hours, the excitement is building among the nearly 200 junior competitors gathered at Jones East and West in Emporia, Kansas. With most divisions having played 90 holes over three days, the field is whittled down to just one round left on Saturday morning for many players hovering around the cut line.
In a unique twist, the smaller field size allows all top four players from nine of the eleven competing divisions to advance directly to the Final 9 rounds at Emporia Country Club later in the afternoon. The 6 & Under boys and girls will each automatically qualify two players, creating a thrilling final foursome.
The Junior Girls divisions are virtually set, with their top four spots already secured. However, every other division is witnessing intense battles, with several competitors separated by just a few strokes from advancing to the finals. In the 10 & Under division, two players are tied for fifth place, just one stroke behind fourth place, while in the 12 & Under division, a single spot is up for grabs, with the fifth and sixth place players neck and neck.
The largest divisions, 15 & Under and 18 & Under, are experiencing nail-biting finishes. Emporia's Isaiah Esquivel and Kentucky's Zach Arlinghaus have taken the lead in their respective divisions after dueling it out at Jones East and West on Friday. Meanwhile, eight to ten competitors in each division remain in contention for a spot in the final rounds.
One standout performance came from Jason Hardin Jr., who dominated his round at Jones East on Friday morning. After starting strong, he produced an incredible uphill ace on hole six, which gave him momentum for the rest of the round. He followed up with several birdies and even managed to drive chains on hole 10, although unfortunately, it didn't result in another ace. Hardin's epic round concluded at 11 under par, solidifying his lead going into the final morning round.
The margin between second place and eighth place in the Junior 18 & Under division is just ten strokes, making every shot count for the remaining competitors. With only one more round left to play, aggressive yet strategic golf will be key to advancing to the finals.
Follow the intense showdowns this morning via live scores on pdgalive.com, and stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion at Emporia Country Club later in the afternoon as the 2018 Junior Disc Golf World Championships presented by Dynamic Discs come to an end.
This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/one-round-rule-them-all