Momentum Swings in Favor of Top Players at Las Vegas Challenge

The momentum from last season's finish carried over into this offseason for several top players at the Disc Golf Pro Tour (DGPT) - Las Vegas Challenge. Drew Gibson, who had a scorching end to 2021, continued his hot streak by playing every day and maintaining his focus on fine-tuning his game.

"I kept throwing and trying to stay in that same groove," Gibson explained after posting an impressive 13-under, 1091-rated round, catapulting him 40 spots up the leaderboard. "I just tried to keep playing my best golf, which I've been doing since the end of last year."

Gibson's unrelenting approach paid off, as he finds himself tied for third at 18-under going into moving day on Saturday. He credits his positive mindset and love for the game with helping him stay focused and driven.

"I knew what needed to happen, and I just went out there and played my best," Gibson said. "When you're enjoying yourself, it makes it a lot easier to perform at your highest level."

Meanwhile, 16-year-old Gannon Buhr is making waves in the men's division with his 9-under round on Friday, propelling him into a tie for the lead alongside Calvin Heimburg. Heimburg has maintained a consistent pace throughout the tournament, with a sneaky 10-under round on the Innova course.

Anthony Barela rounds out the top of the leaderboard at 18-under after an equally impressive 10-under round on Friday. Eight players are within four strokes of the leaders as the competition shifts to the Factory Store course for the remainder of the tournament.

On the women's side, Catrina Allen continues her dominance with a 11-under second round, solidifying her lead by six strokes. The current leader attributes her success to staying bogey-free and having confidence in her game.

"I just feel good and confident," Allen stated. "That feels really good going into Sunday's finale."

Allen leads the tournament in parked percentage (36%) and strokes gained tee-to-green (15.28), according to UDisc statistics. Paige Pierce and Kristin Tattar are tied for second at 13-under, while Eveliina Salonen rounds out the top of the leaderboard at 12-under.

The Las Vegas Challenge will conclude on Sunday with live coverage available on the Disc Golf Network.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/keep-it-rolling