Revamped World Championship Format Set for 2017

In response to the rapid growth of disc golf over the past few years, the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) is introducing significant changes to its World Championship format. Beginning in 2017, a new separate event will be contested specifically for age-protected divisions, providing an opportunity for more professional players to compete.

The PDGA Majors Committee was tasked with addressing limitations in the current Worlds model, which had become increasingly congested due to the large number of divisions on offer. As the sport's popularity has led to a significant increase in membership numbers, tournament entries, and media coverage, the need for change became apparent. The committee identified that the existing format was no longer sustainable, with elite-level players being excluded from competing due to registration issues.

After careful consideration, the committee decided to create a new PDGA Professional Masters World Championships event, while retaining the MPO (Men's Pro Open) and FPO (Women's Pro Open) divisions in the restructured PDGA Professional World Championships. This change will provide more opportunities for professional age-restricted members to participate in their respective events.

The benefits of this revised format are numerous. The new Pro Masters Worlds event will offer an increased number of professional age-restricted players a chance to compete, as space has been created by relocating the MPO and FPO divisions to their own separate event. Qualified players will now have the option to participate in both Pro Worlds and Pro Masters Worlds.

The newly structured Pro World Championships will boast an elite-level World Championship that can be marketed and promoted effectively. This change will also allow for a guaranteed time to register for Worlds, eliminating the current "race to click" scenario that has become synonymous with registration. The highest level players will now have a guaranteed spot in the event.

In response to feedback from top touring professionals, the Majors Committee has developed a new format for Pro Worlds, consisting of four rounds played over four consecutive days, without semi-finals or finals. This revised format is expected to attract more bidding opportunities, as the minimum course requirement has been reduced to two courses. This will not only reduce travel and practice time for competitors but also increase the potential for international bids.

To further enhance marketing efforts, it is planned to have a $100,000 payout for the inaugural Pro Worlds event. PDGA Executive Director Brian Graham stated that this change reflects the growth of the sport and the increased demand from members to participate in World Championship events.

For those interested in hosting one of these prestigious events, bid packages are now available on the PDGA website. The Professional Disc Golf Association welcomes bids from around the world and encourages experienced disc golf clubs, nonprofit businesses, or individuals working with community sports commissions to submit their proposals.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/worlds-apart