Locastro Leads Scandinavia's First Major of 2015 with Impressive Performance
Date Published
The skies were dark and gloomy as the first round of the Scandinavian Open presented by Latitude 64º got underway in Skellefteå, Sweden. The unseasonably wet and cool weather had been consistent since late May, but tournament director Tomas Ekström and the Skellefteå Disc Golf Club had done an excellent job in preparing the course for the event. Despite the challenging conditions, the players were in high spirits as they faced off in the first of two PDGA Majors to take place in Scandinavia over the next two weeks.
In the open division, USA's Nikko Locastro was the standout performer, carding a stunning 12-under par 55 on the par 67 black course layout. His impressive drive on the 350m/1148ft, par 6 hole #1 set the tone for his round, and he never looked back as he took an early lead in the clubhouse. Locastro's performance was all the more remarkable considering the less than optimal conditions, which he attributed to. "I felt like I left a couple of strokes out on the course due to the weather," he said.
Other top players were hot on his heels, with Denmark's Karl Johan Nybo and Germany's Simon Lizotte finishing just one throw back at 11-under par. Three-time and defending World Champion Paul McBeth turned in a solid performance, carding a 10-under par to round out the lead card for Thursday's second round.
In the Open Women's division, world champion Catrina Allen dominated the field with a 2-over par round that earned her an early three-throw lead. Sweden's Sofie Sandström and Sarah Hokom of the United States finished in a tie for second place at 5-over par, while Valarie Jenkins was just one throw off their pace at 6-over par.
The Scandinavian Open is unique in that it randomly pairs men and women together during the first round, providing the ladies with a rare opportunity to play alongside male players. Round two will see the ladies paired according to score for the first time.
As the morning groups navigated the saturated course, rain sprinkled on them before subsiding towards late morning. The notable crowd of locals that turned out to spectate was a testament to the growing popularity of disc golf in Scandinavia. Thursday's weather forecast is calling for a 100% chance of rain, making it survival of the fittest out there.
The Scandinavian Open website has all the event information and media links you need, including first round scores and tee times for round two. Don't forget to follow along at PDGA Live for live hole-by-hole scoring on Thursday from Discgolf Terminalen in Skellefteå Sweden.
This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/scandinavian-open-underway-skelleftea-sweden