Scoggins Reigns Supreme and Lizotte's Cunning Plan Wins Over Hearts

The 2023 Discraft Great Lakes Open was a weekend of drama and excitement as top players battled it out on the Toboggan course. In the FPO field, Ohn Scoggins made history by securing her first Elite Series win, while in the MPO division, Simon Lizotte employed a clever game plan to edge out Eagle McMahon.

Scoggins' path to victory was not without its challenges. Coming into the final round with a six-stroke lead, she knew anything could happen on the tricky Toboggan course. However, her experience and focus helped her stay in the zone, even when Ella Hansen made a late push for the top spot. Scoggins' clutch birdie putt on hole 15 kept her four strokes ahead of Hansen going into the last few holes.

The crowd was on the edge of their seats as Scoggins approached the final hole, where she had to lay up for a bogey to maintain her lead. In the end, she tapped in one last putt for the win, securing her first Elite Series victory. "I've been trying this for so long," Scoggins exclaimed after hoisting the trophy on hole 18. "Finally I got one – it means a lot to me."

Scoggins' meticulous gameplay was a key factor in her success throughout the weekend. She relied on accurate approach shots rather than distance off the tee, and made 92% of her Circle 1 putts, leading the field with 10.96 strokes gained putting overall.

Meanwhile, Lizotte's cunning plan paid off in the MPO final round as he outsmarted McMahon to take home his second Elite Series win of the season. Coming into the day tied for first with McMahon and Kevin Jones, Lizotte got off to a hot start, making four birdies in a row from holes 1 through 4.

However, it was on hole 16 that Lizotte's plan truly came together. With McMahon up first, he hit his drive into a tree, forcing him to drop from a distance. In a bold move, Lizotte intentionally threw his drive out of bounds long, knowing it would give him a short par putt and take away McMahon's chances.

The shot was reminiscent of classic "Simon Lines," as Lizotte is known for his creative playing style. However, in this case, the move seemed more like a chess strategy, designed to outmaneuver his competition rather than simply trying to make a difficult shot. "I never thought of that game plan before I stepped up to that hole, but in the moment, it all came together," Lizotte said.

Lizotte took a conservative approach for the final two holes, playing safe and smart shots to secure his win without a single bogey on his scorecard. With one last short putt for par, he sealed his victory and secured his sixth Elite Series win since the 2022 OTB Open.

Both Scoggins and Lizotte are now gearing up for their next major event: the 2023 PDGA Professional Disc Golf World Championships in Jeffersonville, Vermont.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/great-finish-great-lakes