Paul McBeth and Paige Pierce Reign Supreme in 2020 Disc Golf Rankings
Date Published
The world of professional disc golf has welcomed a new era, as Paul McBeth and Paige Pierce retain their positions at the top of the 2020 rankings. This is not surprising, given their exceptional performance in the 2019 season, where they both secured their fifth PDGA World Championship titles and were honored with Player of the Year accolades.
The latest update to the End of 2019 PDGA World Rankings was released today, showcasing McBeth's impressive consistency across six categories: average round rating over the previous 12 months (WRPR), victories at the European Open (EURO), and dominance on both the PDGA National Tour (NET) and Disc Golf Pro Tour (DGPT) stages. Pierce also excelled in these categories, solidifying her position as the top-ranked female player.
However, this year's rankings are notable for a significant change to the formula used by the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA). The revised system now drops the worst category of points if a player has received points in four or more categories. This adjustment aims to better reflect the level of talent among top players and minimize the impact of a single poor performance.
The new rankings have yielded some unexpected movements, with Eagle McMahon rising from 10th place to third and Chris Dickerson securing a top-five spot despite limited international competition. The rise of international women, particularly Finland's Henna Blomroos, Eveliina Salonen, and Estonia's Kristin Tattar, has also been notable.
Simon Lizotte, the German star, rebounded from his 2018 drop to 17th with a strong showing at Pro Worlds and multiple high finishes on the National Tour. Chris Clemons, disc golf's top-rated left-hander, made a significant jump up the rankings after a late-season surge.
The average age of the female players ranked between 14th and 20th is an impressive 19.25 years old, hinting at a bright future for the sport's next generation. The full MPO World Rankings and FPO (Female Professional) rankings can be found on the PDGA website.
McBeth and Pierce will undoubtedly face stiff competition in the upcoming season as they aim to maintain their positions at the top of the rankings.
This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/mcbeth-pierce-remain-atop-pdga-world-rankings