Record-Breaking Week in Estonia as Salonen Dominates and Buhr Shines at 2026 PDGA European Open

A historic week unfolded on the vibrant metal baskets of Tallinn, Estonia, during the 2026 PDGA European Open. This marked a significant shift for the tournament, traditionally held in Finland, signifying its transition into a rotating Major format across Europe and paving the way towards future hosting of the Professional World Championships.

The spotlight was firmly on two top professionals: Eveliina Salonen (FPO) and Gannon Buhr (MPO). Both players delivered exceptional performances, not only setting history but also demonstrating remarkable dominance under pressure. In the FPO division, Salonen etched her name into the record books by securing her fifth PDGA Major victory – a career grand slam for women's Majors. Her triumph was particularly noteworthy as she mirrored this dominant style from the event's start to finish. She began the week setting the pace and closed it out with a commanding display of skill, clinching the title by an impressive four strokes margin.

Buhr continued his own narrative in the MPO category. Entering the final round (which wasn't explicitly detailed as occurring on Sunday but from context seems part of this week), he held a significant 9-stroke lead over Ricky Wysocki, who put up a valiant fight but couldn't close the gap. Buhr went on to claim his fifth Major title overall and his third consecutive win after starting the year strong at two Elite Series events (notably, *The Open* in Scotland). This achievement solidified his position as the top-ranked player globally for much of 2026, boasting a nearly 50% win rate across Majors and Elite Series events that year.

While Salonen captured the FPO title, Buhr matched his own personal best round during the event. His performance averaged an impressive 1078 rating throughout the competition – another key figure highlighting his mastery over challenging courses in Estonia.

The European Open podium featured promising young talent as well. Sweden's Julia Fors secured a strong second-place finish (four strokes behind Salonen), showcasing her potential for future success at major championships. From the Czech Republic, Kristýna Jurčíková demonstrated impressive consistency, being on the first card out and finishing with three-straight lead appearances leading into the final round.

Meanwhile, in parallel developments across disc golf, the 2026 PDGA Junior Worlds got underway in Pittsburgh on Tuesday (the exact date wasn't specified). American juniors, including Gavin (likely referring to Gavin Moore or another prominent player whose name was blocked), were showing strong form from the start. Three brothers – William Buker leading MJ12 solo by one stroke, Cody Buker tied for the lead with two other players in MJ10 also separated by one throw, and Jack Buker leading MJ08 by a single point – highlighted the intense competition expected at this major event. This opening day saw eight junior divisions separated by just two or fewer strokes, reflecting a trend of closely contested leaderboards throughout the week.

The 2026 PDGA European Open in Estonia served as more than just an opportunity for elite players to shine; it was also a platform for future stars like Fors and Jurčíková. Salonen's dominance completed her grand slam journey, while Buhr continued his reign at the top of men's professional disc golf with another Major title. The subsequent kickoff of the Junior Worlds in Pittsburgh promised more fireworks as young players prepared for battles across various divisions.

This article was researched and written with AI assistance using the Disc Golf Buzz synthesis engine, drawing from multiple sources: pdga.com (https://www.pdga.com/news/salonen-buhr-crowned), pdga.com (https://www.pdga.com/news/underway-steel-city), dgpt.com (https://www.dgpt.com/news/2026-ledgestone-open-preview/), en.wikipedia.org (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gannon_Buhr). Search powered by: Tavily, Brave Search, SerpAPI/Google. Written with AI assistance: Ollama/deepseek-r1. Original reporting credit belongs to the source journalists.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/salonen-buhr-crowned