Rookies Shine in Disc Golf as Jennings and Humphries Take Home Top Honors

The world of professional disc golf has been abuzz with excitement as the 2019 PDGA Award Winners have been announced. Among them are two standout players who made a name for themselves in their rookie year: Christine Jennings and Luke Humphries. Both athletes demonstrated exceptional skill and dedication, earning them the Rookie of the Year crowns.

Jennings, a Dayton, Ohio native, proved to be a force to be reckoned with on the course. She managed to balance her full-time job while excelling in disc golf, notching 14 wins out of 29 events. Jennings' impressive performance was marked by a third-place finish at The Rumble and victories at the Flip City Open and Seviren Lang Memorial.

Humphries, who hails from Texas, also made waves with his exceptional gameplay. He traveled extensively throughout the country, participating in 27 out of 34 events and cashing checks in each one. Humphries' highlight reel includes a top-notch finish at the United States Disc Golf Championship, where he secured a 21st place spot.

In addition to the Rookie of the Year awards, other notable winners were announced. Paul McBeth was crowned Player of the Year for the fifth time, solidifying his position as one of the most dominant players in the sport. Kristin Tattar took home the European Player of the Year award, showcasing her impressive performance on both sides of the Atlantic.

Cale Leiviska received the Bob West Memorial Award for Sportsmanship, a testament to his exceptional behavior and sportsmanship on the course. His dedication to the game has not gone unnoticed, as he recently debuted his latest course design project, Airborn Disc Golf Preserve.

Other winners included Brent Hambrick Award for Tournament Director of the Year, which went to Heinold, who organized 11 events in 2019 and raised $36,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The Volunteer of the Year award was given to Newman, a long-time contributor to disc golf in New York, who has been involved in various initiatives such as course design and Throw Green.

The Senior Player of the Year went to Stanley, who had an impressive performance at the Amateur World Championship in Masters 60-plus. Finally, Jon Lyksett received the EDGE/PDGA Educational Award for his tireless work in promoting disc golf education through the EDGE program.

The PDGA Special Awards recognized contributions to the sport and organization, including Conrad Damon's invaluable service as Rules Committee Chair from 2009-2019.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/humphries-jennings-awarded-2019-pdga-rookie-year-honors