Northern California Pro Jessica Weese Leads at Great Lakes Open

Jessica Weese, a talented Northern California disc golfer, made an impressive entrance at the Great Lakes Open on Friday morning. Despite a chaotic start to her day, which nearly saw her sleep through her 8:20 am tee time, Weese took full advantage of the Toboggan course's challenging layout to card a 2-under par 59.

The close call was not without its comedic moments. Weese revealed that she only woke up when her housemate's alarm went off, and then had to rush through her morning routine in record time. "I was like, 'Crap I have to book it,'" she recalled, laughing about the stress of making her 20-minute drive to the course with just five minutes to spare.

Despite the frenzied start, Weese's game was on point as soon as she arrived at the Toboggan. Her impressive round included an early eagle and three birdies in the last five holes, which left her firmly atop the leaderboard. Sarah Hokom of Michigan trails closely behind with a 1-under par 61, while four other players – Rebecca Cox, Holly Finley, Ellen Widboom, and Jessica Weese's fellow Northern Californian – are tied for third after shooting even-par rounds.

One factor contributing to Weese's strong performance was her precision on the course. She led the field in accuracy, thanks in part to her ability to navigate the thick rough that defines the Toboggan layout. However, what truly set her apart was her putter. Her 94 percent circle-1 conversion rate was the best of the day and significantly higher than her season-long average.

When asked about her putting form, Weese humbly attributed it to being "just feeling good" on Friday morning. Hokom, who came into play with three consecutive tournament victories under her belt, struggled with accuracy but made up for it by scrambling effectively from the rough. Cox and Finley both demonstrated impressive prowess on the green, converting every putt inside circle 1 and adding a dramatic save to their resumes.

The leaderboard is set to change in the coming rounds, with several players vying for a spot at the top. Saturday's second round will see the Open Women's lead card tee off at 8:30 am EST, while edited shot-by-shot coverage can be streamed on the Disc Golf Pro Tour's YouTube channel starting at 2:00 pm.

As for Weese, she's relieved to have avoided a repeat of her chaotic morning routine. "Definitely not gonna plan to do that again," she joked about her last-minute strategy.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/weese-beats-clock-grab-glo-lead