The Longest Day | Professional Disc Golf Association

**TITLE:** "Windy Weather Can't Stop Pros at Des Moines Challenge"

**META_TITLE:** "Des Moines Challenge update: windy weather affects pro golfers"

**META_DESCRIPTION:** "Get the latest from the TruBank Des Moines Challenge presented by Discraft, as windy conditions and close competition shake up the leaderboard in the MPO and FPO divisions."

**ARTICLE:**

The weather at Pickard Park was anything but cooperative on Saturday, with gusting winds making it a challenging day for all competitors in the TruBank Des Moines Challenge presented by Discraft. Despite the difficulties, some players rose to the occasion and made significant moves up the leaderboard.

For staff and volunteers, the day began before sunrise as they worked tirelessly to set up equipment, tents, and signs for the event. Meanwhile, cameras needed new batteries, and operators made a final check on their equipment. Players, too, had a long day ahead of them, with many MPO groups resuming their first round from where they left off due to weather on Friday afternoon.

The restart horn sounded at 7:00 a.m., signaling the start of a busy day for both players and volunteers. Seven MPO groups still had not begun, but once they cycled through the first tee, the FPO division started their second round. To save time, MPO groups were not reshuffled by position as usual.

The conditions on "moving day" proved far more volatile than expected, with a swirling wind making it difficult for players to accurately gauge their shots. Eveliina Salonen led the field in strokes gained tee-to-green and closed to within three of Kristin Tattar's six-stroke lead. However, Salonen's bogey at the 18th hole kept her from taking over the top spot.

Meanwhile, Macie Velediaz joined Paige Pierce on the lead card after a steady performance, and with Sunday's calm forecast expected, scoring should come early and often. Back in the MPO division, up-and-coming players made their presence known, including Kevin Jones, who fired an 8-under second round to move up 39 places.

However, it was Paul McBeth who stole the show, rising from 105th place to a tie with Jones and Mason Ford in sixth after a blistering 12-under second round. McBeth started slowly but roared into contention with his incredible performance.

At the top of the leaderboard, Evan Smith leads the way at 18-under, while Simon Lizotte trails by just one stroke. Joel Freeman and Robert Burridge are tied for third at 16-under, and will complete the final round on lead cards.

With the weather expected to calm down on Sunday, players will look to make a strong finish in the TruBank Des Moines Challenge presented by Discraft. The Disc Golf Network's FPO stream will go live at 9:30 a.m. CT for coverage of the final day.

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