Zachary Tesone played steady, limiting himself to just one bogey during the second round. Photo: Conrad Meyer / PDGA

Toboggan Bites

If anyone thought this was going to be an easy ride, that notion was quickly dispelled as the Toboggan course, home of the 2022 United States Amateur Disc Golf Championship, sunk its teeth into the field during Friday’s opening round.

Only nine players out of 158 managed to get under par, with three of those – Zachary Tesone, Ilkin Groh and Paul Krans – breaking away from the field.

On Saturday, those same three players managed to hang on to the top positions, despite each scoring higher than they had on Friday as the wear and tear of the Toboggan’s relentless hills bore down on weary legs and the pressure of competing for a major championship mounted.

Ilkin Groh leaves the intensity behind as he has a laugh during his post round interview. Photo: Conrad Meyer / PDGA

Tesone and Groh entered round two as the co-leaders at 6-under par, two ahead of Krans.

They matched each, par for par, through the first three holes until an errant scramble shot from Groh on hole 4, which has so far played as the easiest hole course according to PDGA Live, gave Tesone the two-throw advantage that he would eventually walk off the course with.

But it was not to be without a struggle as the two battled back and forth, neither player able to sustain momentum after moments of brilliance.

On hole 5, a beautiful 480 ft. par 3 that plays as a downhill tunnel shot over a grass-lined fairway through the woods, Groh flashed the basket for an ace but failed to connect on his comeback putt for birdie.

On hole 7, a challenging 667 ft. par 4 that plays as a dogleg left from a landing spot among a grove of trees in the fairway, Groh threw a fantastic approach shot from an awkward position next to a tree that restricted his follow through. His birdie putt was dead center chains before spitting directly back out of the basket.

Groh finally got his first birdie of the day – and a stroke back on Tesone – on hole 8, and another one with a solo birdie on hole 10, only to surrender them back with a pair of missed C1 putts on holes 11 and 12.

“The middle of the course, I took a couple of bogies – just not playing well,” Groh said. “Bad putts, bad decisions on my part. But just the fact that I was able to mentally tough it out and come through still in second, just two back. I have as good of a shot as anybody. If I bring my A-game tomorrow, I can still win this thing.”

Groh got a stroke back late in the round when, on hole 17, a daunting 840 ft. par-4 that finishes with a protected green high up on a hill, he threw an incredible towering approach shot from well out of position that hit the basket and nearly dropped in for an eagle.

Tesone, meanwhile, played a steadier brand of golf with only one bogey to go with his two birdies, and was pleased with his performance despite some frustrations.

“I’m feeling good, but I definitely left a lot out there,” Tesone said after coming off the course.  “I didn’t properly adjust for the wind. Yesterday with an early morning round I didn’t have as much wind in my face, but today it felt like every hole there was a headwind or a crosswind that wasn’t really helping me.

“But I played safe and played smart. The one bogey I took was more of a bad decision as opposed to a bad throw. Other than that, I felt like I played within my game.”

Sides Joins the Party

Braeden Sides carded six birdies to go along with three bogeys to match the hot round of the day. Photo: Conrad Meyer / PDGA

Tesone, Groh and Krans will be joined on the final day lead card by Braeden Sides, who matched the hot round of the day at 3-under par to move up nine spots into a tie for fourth place.

Sides, a 963-rated 20-year-old from North Augusta, South Carolina, has played every single day since he was introduced to the sport by a high school friend in 2019.

“I just put in the time and effort,” Sides said about reaching this level only three years into his disc golf career. “I knew this was something that I wanted to excel at and so anything I had to do to get better, I would do, and anybody that I had to reach out to, to get better, I would reach out to them.”

Sides said that his stamina will be an advantage during the final round, especially if his competitors continue to feel the effects of the relentless hills on the Toboggan course.

“I’m just going to be less tired than everybody else. And by hole 18, I’m going to be just as ready as I was by hole one.”

The lead card tees off at 2:48 p.m ET for the final round of the 2022 United States Amateur Disc Golf Championship. Follow along with Live Scoring, and check our Scores & Coverage page for complete coverage.