Young Disc Golf Stars Shine at 2024 Amateur World Championships

The pressure was off for Virginia Polkinghorne and Ryan Monn as they navigated their way through Championship Saturday at the 2024 PDGA Amateur Disc Golf World Championships in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Both athletes had done enough to secure their spots atop the leaderboard earlier in the week, allowing them to coast to victory.

Polkinghorne, a Missouri native who celebrated her 16th birthday just days prior, dominated the competition from start to finish. With a 10-stroke lead entering the final round, she sealed her seventh overall PDGA Major and first Amateur World Championship title with a six-stroke win. This achievement adds to her impressive résumé, which includes six Junior World titles and a US Women's Disc Golf Championship (USWDGC) win in 2023.

Meanwhile, Brook Johnson of West Virginia made the most of the challenging conditions at Brewer Park, carding a scintillating 7-under score. This performance propelled her into a tie for second place with Therese Cuevas. Addison Woodard also rose through the ranks, recording the second-best score of the day to secure a spot in the top four alongside Ginelle Kohl.

The FA1 division, which boasted an unprecedented 114 players, set a record for the largest single-division field in women's disc golf history. Polkinghorne's victory marked the culmination of an incredible week for the athletes competing in this division.

Later that afternoon, Monn took to the course, and with his impressive 1077-rated round on Friday still fresh in everyone's minds, he opened up a significant 9-stroke lead. His 5-under performance was more than enough to secure a six-stroke win, giving him titles at USADGC, Junior Worlds, and now Am Worlds – a remarkable achievement often referred to as the "Am Slam."

Riven Tanner made an impressive push to solo second place with a 10-under score on Saturday. Ethan Owens rounded out the top three, while Ryan Edgerton, James Collier, John Ryan III, and Andrew Hedgspeth all earned their places on the podium.

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They weren't quite victory laps, but Virginia Polkinghorne and Ryan Monn had done enough work earlier in the week to make Championship Saturday at the 2024 PDGA Amateur Disc Golf World Championships presented by Discraft a relatively-stress free walk in the park.

Both walked it all the way in to the finish in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Final Standings, Photos and Coverage of 2024 Am Worlds >>

Polkinghorne claimed her seventh overall PDGA Major and first Amateur World Champion crown to add to six Junior World titles and a USWDGC win in 2023. Up by 10 entering the final round, the Missouri native, just after her 16th birthday, closed her wire-to-wire victory with a six-stroke win.

West Virginia's Brook Johnson had the hot round of the day — a clean 7-under in windy conditions at Brewer Park — to jump three spots into a tie for second with Therese Cuevas. With the second-hottest round of the day, Addison Woodard rose to a trophy spot in a tie for fourth with Ginelle Kohl.

It capped a record-setting week for the FA1 division, which, at 114 players, is the largest single-division field in women's disc golf history.

Later in the afternoon, the situation was similar for Monn, who opened up a 9-stroke lead with his 1077-rated birthday round on Friday. There wasn't much pressure the entire round as his 5-under day was more than enough for a six-stroke win to close out the 'Am Slam' with titles at USADGC, Junior Worlds and, now, Am Worlds.

Riven Tanner tore up Brewer Park on Saturday to the tune of a 10-under, 1029-rated day to jump two spots into solo second place. Ethan Owens rounded out the podium in third place and Ryan Edgerton, James Collier, John Ryan III and Andrew Hedgspeth claimed trophies in Grand Rapids.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/champions-crowned-2