Pierce In Control Early at Winthrop | Professional Disc Golf Association

**TITLE:** Paige Pierce Dominates Round One of Throw Pink Women's Championship

**META_TITLE:** Paige Pierce leads Throw Pink Women's Disc Golf Championship after round one

**META_DESCRIPTION:** Five-time PDGA World Champion Paige Pierce takes control with a five-stroke lead in the first round of the Throw Pink Women's Disc Golf Championship. Find out who else is in contention and what Pierce attributes her success to.

Paige Pierce asserted her dominance from the outset at the Winthrop Arena, opening up a commanding five-stroke lead after the first round of the Throw Pink Women's Disc Golf Championship. The five-time PDGA World Champion explained that she had been working with a sports psychologist to focus on the things within her control, and it seemed to pay off in a big way.

"I was in control today," Pierce said confidently. "Not only did I avoid taking any out-of-bounds strokes, but I also navigated the course without having to worry about hazards." She added that her drives felt particularly strong, giving her a sense of confidence throughout the round.

Pierce's impressive performance saw her card a 7-under 61, with an impressive 91% rate of hitting fairways. Her putting game was also on point, converting two circle two putts and leading in strokes gained putting. Pierce credited her ability to stay focused and avoid getting distracted by the challenges of the course for her success.

"I took a little extra time at each tee pad to make sure I was choosing the right disc and aiming for the right spot," she explained. "It's easy to get caught up in what you don't want to happen, but I tried to stay focused on what I wanted to achieve."

While Pierce is well ahead of the pack, several players are still within striking distance. Valerie Mandujano and Heather Young are tied for second place at 2-under par, with Sarah Hokom rounding out the lead card at even par. Mandujano led the field in strokes gained tee-to-green, while Young had a strong putting game.

The finishing holes of Winthrop proved to be particularly challenging, with holes 17 and 18 playing as over 1 stroke over par. Pierce's ability to navigate these tough holes without incident has given her a significant advantage heading into round two.

As the players prepare for Thursday's action, fans can tune in live on Disc Golf Network at 9:30 a.m. ET to see if Pierce can maintain her lead or if any of the chasing pack can mount a challenge.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/pierce-control-early-winthrop