Chris Dickerson delivered under pressure throughout to become the 2020 United States Disc Golf Champion. Photo: Alyssa Van Lanen / PDGA
In the midst of battling for a career win, Chris Dickerson smiled when things started to go sideways, assisted a card mate with his lie and came up clutch in the biggest of moments.
The Tennessee native was, simply, all class throughout at the 2020 United States Disc Golf Championship.
Dickerson weathered the storm in two ways, battling through a torrential final-round downpour and an absolute heater from the chase card, to grab his first PDGA Major victory on Saturday at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Four shots separate Chris Dickerson and Kyle Klein heading into the 2020 USDGC Finale. Photo: Alyssa Van Lanen / PDGA Media
Let’s talk about rare company. In 1997, Tiger Woods famously won the Masters in his first year on the professional tour after winning the U.S. Amateur Championships in 1996. The only player in disc golf history to win an MPO pro major the year after winning an amateur major is Ricky Wysocki, who won the 2011 PDGA Championship a year after taking down AM Worlds in the Junior I division.
The Disc Golf Hall Of Fame is an independent organization dedicated to the promotion of disc golf, its premier pioneers, and players. Photo: PDGA Media
Induction into the Disc Golf Hall of Fame is an honor reserved for only a very few of those who will ever pick up a disc. It is beyond a world record or championship title. It transcends celebrity and commercial success. It cannot be bought; it must be earned as much by character as by skill. It must be earned, most of all, through the respect of one’s peers.
Chris Dickerson led a wild second day at Winthrop to build a two-stroke lead heading into moving day. Photo: Alyssa Van Lanen / DGPT
Alex Russell saw the cameras arrive on Hole 16 and knew he had something special in the works. Chris Dickerson went into laser mode and torched the course. Somewhat quietly, Eagle McMahon strung together a second-straight, double-digit day.
It was a head-spinning day full of action at Winthrop Arena and we’re just now heading into moving day.
Anthony Barela (left) posted the best score on the USDGC Winthrop Gold layout since Paul McBeth's opening round in 2018. Photo: Alyssa Van Lanen
Former PDGA Amateur World Champion Anthony Barela is poised to make a bid for his first professional major title after taking the early lead at the 2020 United States Disc Golf Championship with a blistering 1088-rated (unofficial) opener.
Paige Pierce tees during round one of the 2019 United States Disc Golf Championship. A full Open Women's field will join the tournament this year for the 2020 Women's National Disc Golf Championship. Photo: Eino Ansio
In 1999 and 2000, the Women’s National Disc Golf Championship took place in Rock Hill, S.C., alongside the United States Disc Golf Championship. Directed by Innova Discs co-founder Harold Duvall, the tournament was the first PDGA Major that was built specifically for women and was the precursor to what is now known as the United States Women’s Disc Golf Championship.
