Quad Cities Hosts Thrilling 2017 PDGA Amateur & Junior Disc Golf World Championships

The quad cities played host to an electrifying week-long event as the world's top amateur and junior disc golfers gathered for the 2017 PDGA Amateur & Junior Disc Golf World Championships. Over 600 participants from around the globe competed in six full rounds, followed by a seventh round for select divisions, before facing off in intense Final 9 showdowns at West Lake Park.

Despite grueling conditions, including heavy rainfall and sweltering temperatures, the competitors showed remarkable resilience and determination. Close scores and heart-stopping moments filled every division, making it clear that no one was willing to give up until the very end.

Organizing an event of this magnitude is a daunting task, but the Quad Cities team rose to the challenge with ease. When Mother Nature intervened by flooding two courses scheduled for Saturday's semifinals, the tournament staff remained calm and devised a backup plan, which they executed seamlessly.

The semifinal rounds took place on Saturday morning, while smaller divisions competed in their Final 9 showdowns at West Lake. The Advanced Women's division saw a nail-biting playoff between Iowa's Sarah Gilpin and Minnesota's Lauren Butler to determine who would advance to the finals. In the end, Sarah edged out Lauren by the smallest of margins.

The Finals unfolded under clear skies on Sunday, despite the soggy conditions from the previous day's downpour. The 100+ degree temperatures added an extra layer of difficulty for the players as they battled through nine holes at West Lake. Every few minutes, new World Champions emerged, tapping in on the 9th hole to claim their titles.

One of the most thrilling moments came when California's Roy Quilantan faced off against Florida's Ben Champion and Colorado's Noah Zeller in a three-way playoff for the Advanced Masters title. The decisive moment arrived on hole 2, where Roy's incredible blind putt from 80 feet forced Noah to attempt a 35-foot putt to extend the competition. Unfortunately for Noah, his putt fell short.

Meanwhile, North Carolina's Heather Zimmerman dominated the Amateur Women's division from start to finish, securing her World Champion title with an impressive bogey-free performance on the Final 9 course at West Lake. Wisconsin's Hailey King and Colorado's Missy Gannon trailed closely behind, but ultimately secured second and third place respectively.

The Advanced men's division saw a heart-stopping battle between North Carolina's AJ Carey and Illinois's Dylan Lhotak for first place. The two players traded blows throughout the Final 9, with AJ eventually emerging victorious after Dylan's double bogey on hole 3 gave him a one-stroke lead that he could not recover from.

In the end, it was AJ who tapped in on the 9th hole to claim his title as 2017 PDGA Advanced World Champion. With the tournament now behind them, all participants and spectators can look forward to their safe travels home. The Quad Cities team deserves immense praise for hosting an unforgettable event that showcased the world's top amateur disc golfers.

VIDEO: Watch the thrilling moments from the Advanced Division Final 9 at The Disc Golf Guy YouTube channel.

The PDGA would like to extend its heartfelt congratulations to all new World Champions and express its gratitude to the organizers, volunteers, sponsors, spectators, and competitors for making this event an unforgettable success.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/2017amworlds/15-new-am-jr-world-champions-crowned-west-lake-park