Paige Pierce Seizes Four-Shot Lead at US Women's Championships

The 2021 United States Women’s Disc Golf Championships got underway at Johnson Springview Park in Rocklin, bringing together 263 players from 17 divisions and three courses for the first PDGA Pro Major of the year. The atmosphere was filled with friendly competition and camaraderie as players took to the course on Friday.

Kelley Snyder and her fellow competitors set the tone early on, showcasing their competitive spirits while still enjoying each other's company. “Women’s tournaments are always going to be the most fun you can have at an event,” said Madison Walker, a five-time PDGA World Champion. “We're all about being competitive, but we also have our heads in the game because we enjoy ourselves so much.”

The Open Women's division saw Paige Pierce emerge as the leader after carding seven birdies and only one bogey on the Auburn course. Her impressive score gave her a four-shot lead over fellow competitors, including Juliana Korver who finished strong with two birdies to take the top spot in the FP40 field.

Korver isn't alone in her fight for victory; Nancy Shillinger leads FP50 by four strokes, Disc Golf Hall of Famer Andi Young is five strokes ahead in FP60, and Laurie Cloyes-Chupa has a significant lead in FP65. The Advanced division will feature a Texas showdown between Melody Castruita and Aria Castruita, who are tied for the top spot with 58s at Rocklin DGC.

Other divisions also saw standout performances on Friday, including Serenity Madison's four-stroke lead in FA40, Rhonda Parkhurst's dominant lead in FA50, Sue Perales' big lead in FA55, and Marcia Focht's one-shot advantage in FA60. The Intermediate field is particularly close, with Stephania Ma of San Francisco leading by a single stroke and eight players within three strokes.

Pierce was thrilled to have taken the lead after her impressive performance on the Auburn course. “This is the most technical of the courses, so I assumed it would be my worst round,” she said. “But to come out on top like this feels amazing.” Pierce minimized damage on tricky holes and connected with 100% of her C1X putts, giving her a solid foundation for the rest of the tournament.

When asked about her strategy for Saturday's competition, Pierce stated that she wants to be more direct with her approach. “I was happy to get out of here with just one bogey, but I want to do better tomorrow.”

The competition will shift to Shady Oaks DGC in Orangevale on Saturday, where live coverage of the USWDGC kicks off at 1 p.m. PT on the Disc Golf Network.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/pierce-leads-fpo-tight-races-throughout-uswdgc