A Tale of Two Divisions
A Tale of Two Divisions
DGPT+ Prodigy Presents WACO – Round 3 Recap
Kristin Tattar began the day trailing by six. She'll sleep on a five-stroke lead. Photo: Kevin Huver / DGPT
Through the halfway mark, both divisions playing the 2024 edition of the DGPT+ Prodigy presents WACO elite series event featured a jam of players at the top, with little separation amongst the leaders. On Saturday’s “moving day,” movement undoubtedly occurred… but in remarkably different ways in the two divisions.
DGPT - Prodigy Presents WACO – Full Scores & Stats via PDGA Live »
FPO
Ella Hansen lead Kristin Tattar by six when the round started, but thanks to a double-bogey at the first for Hansen and five birdies by Tattar, that lead was erased on the front nine. Tattar stepped to the 10th tee ahead by one. The lead would grow to three when the group emerged from the woods and into the blustery, exposed conditions of the closing stretch.
All of the members of the final foursome would encounter at least one bogey-or-worse in the final third of the round. Only Tattar found the birdies necessary to play the stretch even to par. Her 7-under round (unofficially rated 1031) completed an 11-stroke-swing – Tattar will lead by 5 headed to Sunday’s final round at the Lake Waco Golf Club.
Hansen’s four-over-par round was enough to keep her in the top two. With scoring conditions expected to be markedly better, and Hansen having bested the field by three in Friday’s round at the “LACO,” the conclusion of the event remains in doubt.
The lead card will have two new members on Sunday morning. Hailey King’s steady movement up the leaderboard since day one finally places her in the final grouping. She is two behind Hansen and seven back of Tattar.
Eveliina Salonen (-8) managed the north breeze and its chill better than most en route to a 5-under-par day. That hotter round earns Salonen the lead-card spot over Holly Handley and Ohn Scoggins, also tied in fourth position.
Henna Bloomroos (-5) and Lykke Lorentzen (-2) are the only other players in the field under par for the championship. They will join Handley and Scoggins on the chase card.
It may take both strategy and a slip up by the leader for Ohn Scoggins (pictured with husband-caddie Justin) and others to make a run at Kristin Tattar on Sunday. Photo: Kevin Huver / DGPT
MPO
Would the MPO field move apart or move in unison? Despite the cool, windy conditions, it became obvious in the early going that double-digits-under-par would be a possible – even necessary – pace of play for those in contention. And foursome after foursome responded to the challenge.
Like a NASCAR pack of race cars on a super-speedway, the men at the top of the field kept up a breathtaking pace, never separating from one another as they rushed toward the head of the pack. As many as six players were tied in the lead at different moments of the afternoon, with more lurking just behind.
But would the BEast’s infamous closing stretch of holes 17 and 18 cause the “big one,” wrecking the scorecards of multiple participants and slingshotting a few onto the lead card for Sunday?
Nope.
In fact, the top 13 players tallied just two bogies collectively on the final two holes. Overnight, there will be a tie for first, a tie for third, a three-way tie for fifth, and all 13 are within 5 of the lead.
The baker’s dozen includes fan-favorites Paul Ulibarri and Jeremy Koling, and babyfaced champions Kyle Klein and Cole Redalen in the mix. And they’ll chase a lead foursome of similar texture.
At the top, Gannon Buhr and Luke Humphries, tied at 27-under-par. Next are Mason Ford and Nate Sexton, just one back.
It’s a mix of youth, experience and playing-styles not often seen in contention this late in an event.
And amongst those at the top, scoring was more volatile during Friday’s second round at Lake Waco Golf Club, where Sunday’s final lap will be contested.
It’s anybody’s race.
Daylight Saving Time Begins Tomorrow in the U.S.
Coverage of the final rounds continues Sunday on the Disc Golf Network with a new morning start time – 9:30 a.m. CT.
Comments
Going long out of bounds and
Going long out of bounds and rebounding back in off a spectator boundary barricade is a random bounce of luck is quite frankly, not good course design, especially for a dgpt event. Such scenarios should and could easily be eliminated. More of a low-light than a highlight.