McBeth Reflects on Historic 1132-Rated Round at Memorial Championship

Paul McBeth has had his fair share of success on the disc golf course, with four consecutive PDGA World Championship titles and numerous other accomplishments under his belt. However, one achievement that still shines brightly is his record-breaking 1132-rated round at the Memorial Championship back in 2013. The feat has stood the test of time and remains the highest rated round in professional disc golf history.

We caught up with McBeth to revisit that fateful day five years ago and gain some insight into what made it so special. "I had won the first two Memorials, or the two previous years," he explained. "So coming to this tournament and not being really in contention – I think I was fifth or seventh card – it was kinda disappointing at that point." Despite feeling under pressure, McBeth's determination and "Never give up" attitude kicked in. He decided to push himself and aim for a 30s score, which would put him back in contention.

As he recalls the day, McBeth mentions that his focus was primarily on tee shots. "I think there might have been maybe three outside the circle that I hit and then one that almost dropped, but two inches low," he said. He also credits his aggressive mindset for helping him achieve such an incredible score. Every time he birdied, McBeth felt a surge of confidence, which encouraged him to push even harder.

However, despite his record-breaking performance, McBeth didn't exactly get the recognition he deserved at the time. In a playoff against Will Schusterick, who had failed to total his scorecard, McBeth's big round was overshadowed by the chaos and drama surrounding the Prodigy disc golf team's involvement in the tournament.

Looking back on that day, McBeth admits that it was a pivotal moment in his career. "That was the inception of Prodigy," he said. "That was the first year they came out, too... They were throwing all sorts of companies' discs, they were throwing whatever they want, but they were chanting 'Prodigy! Prodigy!' It was kinda – it kinda started that rivalry between all of us."

The playoff itself was a tense and dramatic affair. Schusterick ultimately emerged victorious, leaving McBeth to ponder what could have been. However, he's chosen not to dwell on the past, focusing instead on the lessons learned from that experience.

When asked where his record-breaking round ranks in terms of career highlights, McBeth replied, "It's up there, you know? It's huge... I also have the one at Maple Hill, which is the second highest rated round ever. Those two are held pretty high." He believes that it will always be talked about as long as Fountain Hills remains a prominent course in disc golf.

While McBeth has no doubt that someone may eventually tie his record, he's skeptical about anyone beating it. "I don't think they can outdo it because of that dumb hole 9," he joked. However, he does acknowledge the possibility of someone matching his feat and tying the record.

As a final question, we asked McBeth if he ever revisits the video of his record-breaking round to get himself pumped up for future competitions. "No I haven't (laughs), but maybe I should this week," he said with a smile.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/1132-revisited