Paige Pierce Dominates Beaver State Fling with Record-Breaking Performance

Paige Pierce has been one of the most dominant forces in professional disc golf for nearly a decade, but she had always managed to evade victory at the Beaver State Fling – that was until this year. The nine-year veteran finally checked off the prestigious event from her list with a record-breaking performance on Sunday.

Pierce took a 15-stroke lead into the final round at Milo McIver State Park's Riverbend West Course, and it quickly became apparent that no one was going to catch her. She shot an incredible 2-under par 59 in the fourth round, narrowly missing out on becoming the first Open Women's player to break 1000 in all four rounds of a PDGA National Tour or Major event.

Instead, Pierce topped 1000 in three out of four rounds for the third time in her career. She joins an elite group of women who have achieved this feat, with Pierce averaging over 1008 rating throughout those events.

Pierce has been on a tear all season, with six consecutive wins and 13 overall victories. Despite being heavily favored to win at the Beaver State Fling, she remained focused on her long-term goals. "Every tournament, every round, every shot is a build up to Worlds in my mind, from January until Worlds comes," Pierce explained.

The competition for second place was fierce, with Valarie Jenkins and Catrina Allen trading places throughout much of the final round. However, Allen's struggles on the 15th hole ultimately cost her valuable ground, allowing Jenkins to take advantage and secure a well-deserved runner-up spot.

Jenkins, who has already had two top-3 finishes at National Tour events this season, praised Pierce's incredible play and acknowledged that she is pushing the limits of what women's disc golf can achieve. "You have to root for her because she's throwing insane shots and making these killer putts," Jenkins said. "It's amazing to see what she can do."

As the players prepare to head into the PDGA Professional Disc Golf World Championship in just over a week, both Pierce and Jenkins emphasized the importance of mental preparation. According to Pierce, repetition under pressure has been key for her this season, while Jenkins believes that it all comes down to mindset.

"If you can set your mind to it there's nothing stopping you from doing that," Jenkins said, echoing her sentiments from last year's World Championship victory. "It's a different mindset, but one that is crucial if you want to win the World Championship."

With Pro Worlds just around the corner, the world of professional disc golf will be watching with bated breath as these two dominant forces battle it out for the top prize.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/pierce-wins-18-first-career-beaver-state-fling-title