Paige Pierce Extends Lead at PDGA World Championships

Paige Pierce is proving to be an unstoppable force at this year's PDGA World Championships. Despite facing some early struggles on the opening hole, she bounced back in impressive fashion, carding a 6-under par 60 to move further ahead of the competition through the halfway point. The hot score marks her second consecutive 60, solidifying her position as the leader in the Women's Open division.

The Fort Gordon Marine/Navy Course presented Pierce with its fair share of challenges, featuring two holes over 750 feet and another two measuring over 1000 feet. However, she rose to the occasion, birdieing half of the holes on the undulating track. Her impressive performance has put her six strokes clear of defending champion Valarie Jenkins, who carded a 3-under par 63 for an overall score of 2-under par 131.

Lisa Fajkus maintained her position among the leaders, posting a 2-under par 64 to move into third place with an even-par total. Sarah Hokom and Catrina Allen are tied in fourth place after both carding 2-over par scores.

Pierce's troubles began early on, but she quickly regained momentum on the third hole. A towering hyzer shot over 400 feet and guardian trees landed her a 40-foot look at birdie, which she narrowly missed. However, this miscue marked the last significant error of her round as she went on to birdie six of the next eight holes.

The highlight of Pierce's round came on hole 9, where she executed two max-distance shots and had a long look at eagle from roughly 80 feet out. She finished strong with three consecutive birdies, showcasing her dominance over the course.

Valarie Jenkins was also in contention, producing some impressive moments off the tee. Her quality start included a drop-in par on hole 1 and parking hole 2 inside five feet. However, she did step up to the challenge on holes 14 and 18, birdieing both to finish out her round with momentum.

Lisa Fajkus's putter got going after an initial turn of events on hole 5, where she narrowly avoided being out of bounds. This sparked a hot streak as she grabbed three consecutive birdies, including an impressive uphill jump putt from 40 feet.

Fajkus's putting continued to shine down the stretch, with her converting an obstructed 33-footer for birdie on hole 16 and snagging another on 17. However, she stumbled on the final hole, collecting a bogey after a misdirected upshot kicked off a guardian tree.

Elaine King struggled in the lead group, carding a 5-over par 71 to fall out of contention. She shares seventh place with Ragna Bygde Lewis and Melody Waibel, who posted a 2-under par 64 on the day.

As the competition heads into the third round, Pierce, Jenkins, Fajkus, and Hokom will tee off at 1:10 p.m. Eastern, vying for their share of the title.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/2017proworlds/pierce-rebounds-tough-start-extend-her-margin-worlds