Paige Pierce Extends Lead to Six Strokes at Memorial Championship
Date Published
Paige Pierce continued to assert her dominance on the course, extending her lead to six strokes after a scorching hot 1-over par 61 performance in the third round of the Memorial Championship. Held at Vista del Camino Park, Pierce's impressive showing has solidified her position as the top contender going into the final round.
Sarah Hokom remains the closest threat to Pierce's lead, finishing the day with a respectable 2-over par 62 score. Although she managed to get within one stroke of the lead on several occasions, Hokom was ultimately unable to match Pierce's incredible play. Hokom's total stands at 3-over par 174, placing her six strokes behind the leader.
Meanwhile, Catrina Allen and Madison Walker continue to vie for positions in the top five. After a solid performance that included a triple-bogey on hole 7, Allen now trails Pierce by 12 strokes. Walker remains in fourth place with a 10-over par 181 total, while Jessica Weese rounds out the top five at 11-over par 182.
The competition heated up yesterday as Hokom and Pierce battled for control of the lead. The two players carded identical scores on the first five holes, including birdies on the 360-foot third hole. However, it was Pierce who stumbled on the sixth hole, carding a double bogey after her approach shot hit an early tree.
Hokom capitalized on Pierce's mistake by throwing in a forehand approach shot from over 60 feet to card a crucial birdie. This narrowed the gap between Hokom and Pierce to just one stroke, but the lead was short-lived. Pierce quickly rebounded with consecutive birdies on holes 7 and 8, solidifying her grip on the top spot.
Hokom's bid for the lead ultimately fell short as she missed her birdie putt on hole 7 and put her tee shot inside five feet on hole 8. Despite a valiant effort to scramble back into contention, Hokom was unable to match Pierce's momentum. The leader's impressive round included four birdies and just one bogey.
The field has been cut in half for the final round, with Melody Waibel narrowly making the cut at 27-over par 198. She edged out Canada native Sandi Hendel by just one stroke. The lead card will tee off at Fountain Hills at 9:56 a.m. local time, with live scores available via UDisc.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
Photo of Paige Pierce courtesy of the Disc Golf Pro Tour. Story originally published at Ultiworld Disc Golf.
This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/pierce-extends-lead-memorial-final