Thrilling Finish at Alabama Disc Golf Championship

The sun rose over Athens, Alabama on Sunday morning, bringing with it a cold and gray day for the final round of the 2011 Alabama Disc Golf Championship. The wind had died down slightly from the previous day's gusts, but the low temperatures were still a concern for the competitors. As they took to the course, only a few brief drizzles broke up an otherwise dry morning.

In the women's divisions, there was little surprise as the top players maintained their leads throughout the round. Valerie Jenkins continued her dominance in the FPO division, carding a 998-rated round of 60 to win by an impressive 18 strokes. Phil Arthur and Dr. Rick Voakes also secured their wins in the MPM and MPG divisions respectively, with Phil shooting a 57 and Dr. Voakes holding off Lavone Wolfe by just 3 strokes.

However, it was a different story in the men's MPO division, where the lead changed hands twice and a battle for second place raged on throughout the round. Nikko Locastro started strong, holding a three-stroke advantage over Derek Billings and four strokes over Nate Doss and Barry Schultz. But as the competition heated up, Derek quickly closed the gap, tying Nikko after just five holes.

The two players continued to trade blows, with Nikko regaining the lead on Hole 9 and never looking back. Meanwhile, a three-way tie developed for second place, with Barry and Nate trading positions over several holes. In the end, it was Barry who emerged victorious, carding an incredible 1085-rated round of 49 – the only sub-50 score of the tournament.

Despite a valiant effort from his opponents, Nikko Locastro's solid performance earned him the win, with a final score of 51 and a prize purse of $2,065. The victory also boosted his chances in the Drive for the Championship sponsored by Vibram Disc Golf, earning him 100 points towards the prestigious title.

The full standings from the tournament can be found on the Alabama DGC website, while those interested in following the National Tour Standings and the Drive for the Championship can visit the NT Point Series page.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/aldgc-wrap-up