Paul McBeth and Paige Pierce Reign Supreme in PDGA World Rankings

The PDGA has released its latest World Rankings update, confirming that Paul McBeth and Paige Pierce will be entering the new season as the world's number one players in men's and women's divisions respectively. This is no surprise, given their outstanding performances in 2019, which included five consecutive major titles and Player of the Year accolades.

One notable change to this year's rankings formula involves a reweighting of points categories, designed to give more prominence to top-tier results. In the past, all six categories were equally weighted, potentially penalizing players for a single low finish. Now, if a player has accumulated points in four or more categories, their worst performance will be dropped – unless it's better than their overall average round rating (WRPR). This means that a single subpar result is less likely to drag down an otherwise stellar ranking.

This change is already evident in the updated rankings, where players like Eagle McMahon and Simon Lizotte have benefited from improved showings. McMahon, who was dropped to 10th place last year, has now risen to third spot after consistently strong performances on both the PDGA National Tour and Disc Golf Pro Tour.

Pierce's dominance continues unabated, with her second-place finish at the US Women's Disc Golf Championship being enough to earn her top spot. Her incredible consistency across all categories means that she'll be difficult to dethrone in the coming season.

Other notable movers include Chris Dickerson, who despite limited competition on the West Coast still managed a top-five ranking through outstanding performances at Pro Worlds and the US Disc Golf Championship. The rise of international women's players is also noteworthy, with Finnish players Henna Blomroos and Eveliina Salonen joining Estonia's Kristin Tattar in the world's top six.

Finally, it's worth noting that the PDGA World Rankings will now be updated mid-season, rather than just once annually. This change aims to provide a more accurate reflection of elite player performance throughout the season.

The full rankings can be viewed on the PDGA website, but one thing is clear: Paul McBeth and Paige Pierce are setting the bar high for their fellow competitors in the 2020 season.

MPO World Rankings:

1. Paul McBeth (1055 WRPR)

2. Richard Wysocki (1049 WRPR)

3. Eagle Wynne McMahon (1045 WRPR)

4. James Conrad (1035 WRPR)

5. Chris Dickerson (1040 WRPR)

FPO World Rankings:

1. Paige Pierce (979 WRPR)

2. Catrina Allen (976 WRPR)

3. Henna Blomroos (963 WRPR)

4. Kristin Tattar (962 WRPR)

5. Sarah Hokom (962 WRPR)

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