Texas Teams Take on Challenging Courses in Amateur Doubles Disc Golf Championships
Date Published
The first round of the Amateur Doubles Disc Golf World Championships Presented by Innova Champion Discs and Houck Design took place in Talco and Mt. Vernon, Texas, amidst a mix of strong winds and unseasonable weather patterns. The four picturesque courses at Selah and Trey Deuce Ranches were primed for competition after weeks of preparation, and the nearly 240 participants from across Texas and Oklahoma rose to the challenge.
The Advanced division kicked off the tournament with a round of Best Disc Doubles on the par-64 monster known as Trey Deuce. The course's winding fairways and meandering creek beds proved treacherous for even the most skilled players, but the pairing of Dan Miller and Andrew Mahowald, "the Surly Hodags," and Tyler Cravens and Tyler Berg, aka "Revenge of the 36 Strokes," emerged on top with a score of seven under par.
The teams continued to impress in the second round of Alternate Shot on the Texas Twist course. Ricky Ovaitt and Adam Case finished Day 1 strong, tied for first place alongside James Gauthier and Johnnie Wade, who trailed by just two strokes. Bates Hopkins and Luke Humphries were only one shot back, carding a score of seven under par.
The Advanced Women's Division was not to be overlooked, with the Mandujano sisters, Alexis and Valerie, dominating the competition at 16 strokes under par. The Discabled Divas' Denise Gentry and Lourdes Herrera followed closely behind with an impressive five-under-par score.
In a new addition to the tournament, the Mixed Division featured teams consisting of one male and one female teammate. Lauren Adams and her husband Louis were tied for the lead at three over par alongside Kim and Eric Householder. Kim's impressive drive from Seattle added an extra layer of excitement to their team's performance.
The Intermediate Division hosted a field of 43 teams, with Jesse Ramirez and Chance England emerging as leaders after a tumultuous two rounds on the Lakeside course. The demanding "6-6-6" format, which included best shot, best disc, and worst shot doubles, pushed the players to their limits.
In other divisions, Adam Bailey and Jerry Stoken led the Advanced Masters field with a score of three under par, while Benjamin Avalos and Alfredo Rodriguez trailed by just one throw. The Grandmasters division saw "A Ray" and Mike Anderson dominating the competition at nine under par. Finally, the Senior Grandmasters trucked through the courses at Selah Ranch with impressive scores from Paul Wright and Dave Inger leading the pack.
Stay tuned for more recaps and scores as the tournament continues, and catch up on Central Coast Disc Golf's video recap of this year's event!
This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/2017-amateur-world-doubles-championships-officially-underway-texas