National Tour Kicks Off with Thrilling First Round in Arizona
Date Published
The sun-kissed hills of Fountain Hills, Arizona, played host to the opening day of the 2010 PDGA National Tour as the Memorial Championship got underway. Under clear blue skies, a talented field of 185 professional players teed off at The Memorial Championship course, presented by Discraft. The morning's senior grandmaster division set the tone for an exciting competition, with players battling it out in scorching heat.
As the day progressed, the focus shifted to the showcase group featuring some of the top Open pros on the PDGA tour. Nikko Locastro stole the show with a standout performance, carding a remarkable -9. However, it was three players who stole the headlines – Barry Schultz, Paul McBeth, and Devan Owens – as they all shot incredible -11 scores to share the first-round lead. Joining them in Thursday's second round lead group at Vista Del Camino will be Locastro, who continues to impress.
In a surprising turn of events, new contenders emerged in the Women's Open division. Brittany Breed, an 893-rated player from Oceanside, California, jumped out to a first-round lead with a +4 score. She will be joined on the lead card by Liz Carr, Melody King, and Monica Millstead, all tied at +5. As they face the more technical Vista course in the second round, it remains to be seen if this new crop of players can maintain their pace.
In other divisions, Dan Ginnelly shared the Masters division lead with a scorching -10 score on his home course, alongside Alabama's Tim Keith. Robert Ryan and Dean Tannock trailed by three strokes at -7, while Bobby Giago and Jim "No Spin" Myers held a narrow lead in the Grandmasters division at -3. Dr. Rick Voakes took top spot in the Senior Grandmaster division with a -3 score.
As the pro divisions move on to the Vista Del Camino course for round two, fans can expect more excitement from these skilled competitors. The amateur SuperTour event will also tee off on Thursday, offering a glimpse into the future stars of disc golf.
Stay tuned to PDGA.com for comprehensive coverage and live scoring updates from Scottsdale. Photo galleries and scoreboards are available online at various links provided.
This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/memorial-underway