Paige Pierce Keeps Firm Grip on Lead at The Memorial Championship
Date Published
Paige Pierce is making it clear that she's not content with being last year's champion. The Texas native has dominated the first three days of The Memorial Championship, and her impressive play continues to leave the competition in awe. After carding a 6-under par 50 at Fountain Hills on Friday, Pierce now holds a commanding 7-stroke lead as she heads into the final day of the tournament.
Pierce's strong start has been accompanied by moments of uncertainty from her putting game, but she made up for it with an incredible finish. On the 14th hole, a crucial turning point in the round, Pierce showcased her signature jump putt to sink a 60-foot birdie attempt and gain momentum for the final stretch. She then proceeded to birdie the last five holes of the day, displaying remarkable accuracy from inside circle one.
The rest of the field struggled to keep pace with Pierce's blistering pace, but Jessica Weese and Jennifer Allen are still in contention, albeit far behind. Weese and Allen both shot 4-under par 52s on Friday, which earned them second and third place respectively. Lisa Fajkus moved up into third spot after a solid round of her own, carding a 5-under par 51 to leapfrog Jennifer Allen.
While Pierce has been the story so far, other players also made notable contributions to their chances at taking home the title. Weese's impressive scrambling performance, which notched an 89% rate, helped keep her in contention. Fajkus's exceptional putting, where she connected on 95% of her circle one attempts, allowed her to shoot the second-best round of the day.
Sarah Hokom's disappointing 1-over par 57 dropped her from a tie for second into fifth place, while Catrina Allen (-1), Kona Panis (E), and Madison Walker (+2) round out the top six. The action concludes on Saturday with the final day of The Memorial Championship taking place at the Vista Del Camino course.
This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/memorial-fpo-day-three-pierce-builds-commanding-lead