Southern Arkansas University's Madi Chitwood Leads at National Collegiate Disc Golf Championship

Southern Arkansas University junior nursing major Madi Chitwood is making a name for herself in the world of disc golf. With just 363 days of competitive experience under her belt, she's sitting pretty at the top of the individual women's standings at the National Collegiate Disc Golf Championship, hosted at the International Disc Golf Center's "Steady" Ed Headrick Memorial course.

Chitwood's impressive performance on Thursday saw her card a 5-over par 72, giving her a significant lead in the competition. Oregon's Reily Warren came close with a 7-over par 74, while defending champion Alex Lambert and Liberty's Hannah Trotz are tied for third place at 12-over. Chitwood's teammate Whitney Brown rounded out the top five after posting an 18-over par score.

But what's truly remarkable about Chitwood's achievement is her rating of 901, a staggering 110 points above her usual player rating. This demonstrates not only her exceptional skills but also her ability to adapt and perform under pressure.

When asked about her approach to the tournament, Chitwood explained that she focused on playing better than last year and utilizing her experience from the previous NCDGC to stay confident on the challenging Headrick course. "Really, I just wanted to play better golf than I did last year," she said. "I was comparing myself to myself. I definitely think, nerves-wise, it was good for me to have the experience I did last year."

Chitwood's lack of extensive tournament experience hasn't held her back; in fact, she credits her SAU teammates with helping her stay accountable and motivated through regular competitive rounds. When faced with the daunting task of playing against top women's players for the first time this year, Chitwood remained focused on staying on course and scrambling effectively.

The 21-year-old also expressed gratitude for having a reliable forehand and backhand at her disposal, which came in handy on several occasions, including a notable par on the par-4 fifth hole that featured a choice between two water hazards over Clarks Hill Lake. "I feel like I'm a lot more accurate with my forehand," Chitwood said, "and I took that one and I was very happy to par that hole."

While Chitwood's individual performance is impressive, she's not solely focused on winning the singles title. As part of the SAU team, she's eager to contribute to their seven-shot cushion over defending champions Liberty in the team doubles competition on Friday.

"I would definitely love for SAU to win as a team," Chitwood said. "That's my focus right now."

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/chitwood-antosca-lead-ncdgc-individual-competitions