Wild Finish Set for Throw Pink Women's Disc Golf Championship

The weather and leaderboard at the Winthrop Arena took a dramatic turn on Friday during the third round of the Throw Pink Women's Disc Golf Championship. The day was filled with unexpected twists and turns that left players scrambling to keep up. In the end, Missy Gannon emerged as the new leader, holding a one-stroke advantage over Hailey King and Valerie Mandujano.

The day began with Paige Pierce, who had been in control for much of the tournament, faltering under the pressure. A steady rain made the conditions even tougher at Winthrop, and Pierce struggled to find her rhythm. She went five over through the first three holes, which put a significant dent in her lead. Mandujano, on the other hand, was firing on all cylinders, birdieing five of the first six holes to take the outright lead.

However, as conditions worsened on the back nine, Mandujano's momentum stalled. A double bogey on the 18th hole gave Gannon the opportunity to take over and seize the solo lead. The Canadian player delivered a stunning performance, carding a 4-under 64 in a bogey-free round to jump five spots to the top of the leaderboard.

Gannon's impressive play was marked by a remarkable 89% success rate from C1X and an equally impressive 95% mark in fairway hits. When asked about her rise to the top, Gannon expressed humility and determination: "I didn't have expectations to be in the lead, but I know there can be huge scoring swings on this course... I put together a round I was proud of, and knew I could do."

As Gannon takes the reins heading into the final round, she is joined by King and Mandujano, who are tied for second place. Ohn Scoggins rounds out the lead card with an even par round, just two strokes behind the leaders. Macie Velediaz's hot round on Friday pulled her within three strokes of the lead, while Kona Star Panis and Deann Carey trail by five.

The drama that unfolded on Friday sets the stage for a thrilling finish to the championship on Championship Saturday. With 18 holes left to play, anything can happen at Winthrop Arena. The players will be heading out onto the course with renewed determination, ready to give it their all in pursuit of the title. As Gannon so aptly put it, "Let's get it!" Live coverage of the TPWDGC kicks off on the Disc Golf Network at 9:30 a.m. ET.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/gannon-emerges-top-after-wild-day-winthrop