Texas Twists and Turns: 2018 PDGA Amateur World Doubles Championships Heat Up

The sun was shining bright at the 2018 PDGA Amateur World Doubles Championships in Mt. Vernon, Texas, but it wasn't long before the storms rolled in, bringing with them a test of endurance for the top players. The Advanced Division saw some impressive play from Alex Ferreira and Luke Humphries (North Dallas Development Program), who shot an incredible 4-under par 64 on the Texas Twist course to take the lead.

However, their closest competitors, Brandon Malecek and Andrew Brown (Ultra-Stars), were hot on their heels, managing to hold onto second place despite a less-than-stellar Alternate Throw round of 3-over par 64. The rest of the Advanced Division field was put to the test by the challenging courses and unpredictable weather, with only seven teams finishing under par overall.

The morning round action saw Albert Bravo and Joe Cotez (West Texas Zombies) take charge in the Best Score format, but they struggled to maintain their lead after lunch, finishing the day in third place alongside Jeff Plaisance and Jacob Horning (Jeff and Jacob).

Meanwhile, the 40+ Am Masters started their weekend with Alternate Throw on Texas Twist, where Adam Bailey and Mark Berry (Dos Gringos) went 1-under par during the morning round and followed it up with a 4-under par afternoon round of Best Throw to take a two-stroke lead over Russel Shoffner and Robert Hammond (Shouldalaidup).

The Intermediate division saw some impressive play from John Davison & Caleb McKearan (Chain Bombers 2.0), who put together two solid rounds to end the day at -17, three better than the teams tied for second place. The 60+ Am Masters and 50+ Am Masters divisions also had their share of drama, with lightning delays and unexpected challenges testing the mettle of the top teams.

As the top teams in every division head into the final round on Sunday, they'll be hoping to have what it takes to emerge victorious in the combined format of Best Throw, Best Score, and Worst Throw. With a variety of courses and formats having already been tested, only the strongest teams will remain standing when the PDGA Amateur World Doubles Champion is crowned.

The 2018 PDGA Amateur World Doubles Championships are presented by Innova and HouckDesign, with support from the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, the City of Mt. Vernon, and the Franklin County Industrial Foundation.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/alternate-throw-leaves-only-seven-teams-under-par-after-am-world-doubles-opening-day