Paige Pierce Stuns Field with Record-Breaking Round at Jonesboro Open

Paige Pierce's last-minute entry into the Jonesboro Open has paid off in spectacular fashion. Despite not being scheduled to compete, Pierce claimed the top spot on the leaderboard after posting an incredible 12-under par 54 on Friday morning at Disc Side of Heaven. Her record-breaking round gave her a 7-shot lead over Madison Walker and Sarah Hokom, who are tied for second place.

Pierce's outstanding performance was all the more impressive considering she had been out of town in Nantucket, helping with wedding plans for friends Tina Stanaitis and Eric Oakley. With her flight delayed by two hours, Pierce and Stanaitis made it to Jonesboro just after 11:30 pm on Thursday.

The defending champion's morning started on a less-than-perfect note, as she spilled coffee all over herself before the round began. To make matters worse, she initially misfired her drive off the first hole, settling for one of only two bogeys recorded by the field that day. However, thanks to some timely assistance from teammate Peter McBride, who brought her a green tea to perk her up, Pierce was able to regain her composure.

As the round progressed, Pierce's game only improved. She parked four shots down the stretch, including a tap-in eagle on the 9th hole, and finished with a commanding lead over the rest of the field. Her putting was particularly impressive, as she sank an astonishing 94% of her circle 1 putts.

Walker, who has been on a hot streak after three consecutive wins, also turned in a solid performance, carding a 5-under par 61 to secure second place. However, despite her momentum, Walker admitted that she was not aware of her impressive back nine until she reviewed the stats afterwards.

In contrast to Walker's struggles with approach shots, Pierce attributed her success to her putting and smooth overall game. As the top seed heads into Saturday's play-off, fans will be eagerly anticipating another thrilling round at Disc Side of Heaven, where real-time statistics and scoring are available through UDisc Live.

The Open Women's lead card is scheduled to tee off at 9 am CT on Saturday, with Pierce looking to extend her lead and claim victory in the Jonesboro Open.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/no-practice-no-problem-pierce-jonesboro