Hailey King took down her first PDGA Major in her home state. Photo: Justin Anderson / PDGA

In her home state, Hailey King is now a PDGA Major champion.

King’s crowning capped off a thrilling finale to the 2022 PDGA United States Women’s Disc Golf Championships this past weekend in Madison, Wisconsin.

Full Coverage of the 2022 USWDGC »

“When I woke up this morning, I could not get the thought of me winning out of my head and I was trying so hard to calm my mind,” King said. “I just had a feeling when I woke up that I was going to take it down.”

Hailey King won an amateur event at Elver Park in 2016. She won the USWDGC at Elver Park on Sunday. Photo: Justin Anderson / PDGA

It’s been a furious trajectory for King, who won one of her first PDGA amateur events at Elver Park six years ago. She took down four PDGA Elite Series events in 2021 and was the final PDGA National Tour series winner.

“It feels amazing to play one of my first amateur events here and to win my first Major here, it means the world,” King said. “It’s just amazing to finally do it.”

Valerie Mandujano surged on Sunday to push for the win, ultimately finishing second on the same site of her 2016 PDGA Junior World Championship. The USWDGC was her highest finish in an FPO Major, as it was for Ohn Scoggins, the reigning PDGA Masters World Champion, who finished in third.

It was just one of several story lines throughout the record-setting USWDGC this year:

Jennifer Allen is now a two-time PDGA Major champion. Photo: Justin Anderson / PDGA

Allen Grabs Second Major

In FP40, Jennifer Allen rolled to a 10-stroke win, less than a year from winning the FP40 title at the 2021 Tim Selinske U.S. Masters Championships. Allen led by two strokes after the first round and grew her lead from there.

Melodie Bailey finished second and Switzerland’s Natalie Holloköi finished third.

Heistand Park is a special place for Barrett White. Photo: MarKing / PDGA

White Wins at Special Place

Barrett White couldn’t have picked a better place to compete in her 400th PDGA event and ultimately winning her 10th PDGA Major and sixth USWDGC crown.

In 1993, White moved to Madison, Wisconsin to serve on the board that was hosting the Ultimate World Championships. After the event concluded, the board decided to make a charitable contribution to the area.

They landed on installing a disc golf course and the location was Hiestand Park.

On Sunday, White rolled to a 14-stroke win at Hiestand and the flying discs legend’s career came full circle.

Sandy Gast celebrates her latest PDGA Major victory. Photo: MarKing / PDGA

Winning Together

Florida’s Pam Reineke and Sandy Gast, who shared the PDGA’s Rookie of the Year honor in 1992 won together again on Sunday in FP60 and FP65, respectively.

They have a combined 13 PDGA Major titles.

Emily Yale started playing disc golf just two years ago. Photo: Justin Anderson / PDGA

Yale Surges onto the Scene

Utah’s Emily Yale is two-for-two on checking the boxes in the sport’s recent boom.

She comes from an ultimate background and made the move to disc golf during the pandemic. Yale jumped right in with 23 events and 17 wins since joining the PDGA in 2020.

Now, she’s a Major champion in FA1.

Thirteen-year-old Virginia Polkinghorne finished second, just three strokes back.

Kim Keen took down the FA40 title in her hometown. Photo: Hayden Henry / PDGA

Keen Returns to Disc Golf

A few months ago, Kim Keen figured it was time to start practicing again since a Major was coming to her hometown.

Keen won the Advanced Women’s title at the 2006 Memorial and competed for nearly 10 years before other obligations and hobbies took over.

In her first PDGA tournament since 2016, Keen won the FA40 title by four strokes.

Erin Fitzpatrick won at USWDGC and now heads to Masters Worlds. Photo: Hayden Henry / PDGA

Tour de Midwest

Erin Fitzpatrick joined a large contingent from Florida to compete in the USWDGC and then head down the PDGA Masters Disc Golf World Championship in Peoria, Illinois.

She’ll do on the heels of a Major championship win in FA50.

Kati Chachere won the Intermediate title by one stroke. Photo: Jennie Weigand / PDGA

Down to the Wire

Kati Chachere grabbed a birdie to tie things up on Hole 14 on Sunday and then parked the final hole of the tournament for a one-stroke win over Emma Rafuse.

Sisters Therese and Athena Cuevas are PDGA Major champions together. Photo: Jennie Weigand / PDGA

They’ve Got Next

Six years after the Mandujano sisters both won Junior World championships in Madison, the sister duo of Therese Cuevas and Athena Cuevas left Wisconsin as Major winners together.