Championship Sunday Arrives

2024 USWDGC — Day 3 Recap

Sunday, March 24, 2024 - 01:52

Welcome to Championship Sunday at the 2024 United States Women’s Disc Golf Championships presented by Mint Discs.

Twenty-one PDGA Major champions will be crowned in Austin, Texas — some for the first time and others taking another top prize in disc golf and it’s going to be a photo finish in several divisions of the record-setting field at the 25th USWDGC.

It was another day of lead changes at the top of FPO with Missy Gannon and Eveliina Salonen going back-and-forth throughout the day at Sprinkle Valley.

In the end, as it has been since the opening round, Gannon finished the day on top.

Salonen, however, closed the gap to two strokes by matching Gannon’s opening round 7-under score with one of her own and sits at 12-under through three rounds. Gannon (-14) followed with a 6-under round.

A three-stroke swing on hole 5 tied things up between the two and they traded blows from there — a combo of strong drives, scrambling and clutch putts, all keys on Sprinkle Valley.

Both hit 14 fairways, scrambled at a 90% clip, and hit on 14 C1X putts.

They also pulled away from the field in the hunt for a Major, which would be the first for Gannon and second for Salonen, who won the 2018 Konopiste Open.

Holyn Handley jumped two spots into solo third with a 6-under total. Finland’s Heidi Laine jumped eight spots to round out the lead card at 5-under.

Stephanie Vincent. Photo: Justin Anderson / PDGA

There are two new leaders heading into Sunday’s finale: Stephanie Vincent in FP40 and Kim King in FA55.

Vincent picked up a few key birdies down the stretch and will take a two-stroke lead over Jennifer Allen as the Austinite looks to defend the home turf. King, meanwhile, reclaimed the lead in what has been a back-and-forth week with Angie Taylor. King’s lead is two strokes as well.

Another Texan native is looking to keep this Major title in the Lone Star State in FA70. Denise Gentry tied things up with Patti Adams, who led by eight strokes after the first round.

There are five divisions separated by fewer than four strokes.

Addison Woodard grew her lead to four strokes in FA1; Nikki Haney held on to her three-stroke lead in FA3; Susan Zepeda closed the gap to three strokes behind Vanessa Shumard in FA4; Aubrey Terry had the hot round in FJ18 and trails Canada’s Rebecca Don by four strokes; and Eva Lutsenko trimmed Athena Cuevas’ lead to three in FJ12.

Sue Horn. Photo: PDGA Media

Here’s a quick look around the rest of the action in Austin:

Juliana Korver pushed her lead back to six strokes over Des Reading in FP50.
In FP55, Chris O’Cleary grew her lead to 14 strokes.
Pam Reineke is closing in on her fifth USWDGC title and 11th Major in FP60.
In FP65, Sandy Gast is also closing in on her fifth USWDGC win and 11th Major.
Sue Horn — the lowest PDGA number in the field at 68 — is heading for her first USWDGC title and third Major.
In FP75, North Carolina’s Lynne Gerber is in control.
Also in control: Janae Chaney in FA40; Allie Lawler in FA50 with the hot round by seven strokes on Saturday; Donna Stanley in FA60.
There are somewhat comfortable leads in three more divisions: Micah Tilford grew her lead from two strokes to seven in FA2; Shelby Cowen is averaging a 957 rating and leads by six in FJ15; and Hayden Harper grew her lead from one to six strokes in FJ10.