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.
After the first of four rounds all across the 21 divisions in the largest USWDGC in history, there are close battles from FPO all the way down to FJ10.
Missy Gannon set the mark at the brand-new Sprinkle Valley track, but her lead is just one stroke and there are leads by three or fewer strokes in nine more divisions in Austin, Texas.
Beginning Thursday, a record field of 350 players representing eight countries and 39 states will take over the Austin, Texas area for the 25th running of the USWDGC and the first PDGA Major of 2024.
Twenty-one divisions will compete for the Major title — from the No. 1 player in the world and defending FPO champion Kristin Tattar to PDGA No. 68 Sue Horn in FP70 to an ultra-competitive field of 42 players in FA1 to the rising stars in FJ15 to four players in FJ10.
PDGA Major events are the premier competitions for disc golf each year, featuring the world’s best disc golfers competing for Major titles in multiple skill, age, and gender-based divisions. These PDGA marquee events offer any city or town the chance to host an international sporting event in their community, to draw interest and attention to the location, and to generate a significant economic impact for local businesses.
Hosting a PDGA Major is a challenging task, and interest was shown from several involved local organizing committees (LOC), meaning selecting these events was difficult, as so many excellent bid packages were submitted.
The PDGA Women's Committee will soon be requesting nominations from current women / girl PDGA members for candidates for the Becky Zallek Women's Choice Award.
A record-setting field from throughout the United States and around the world descended on Cedarock Park in Burlington, North Carolina in Alamance County for the annual event and the action was intense from start to finish.
FJ12 champion MJ Gager and FP40 champion Jennifer Allen. Photo: Conrad Meyer / PDGA
Kristin Tattar wrote down that she wanted to win all of the PDGA Majors in 2023.
She would not be denied.
After four rounds at the Regulator course in Burlington, North Carolina, Tattar battled to the top at the 2023 United States Women’s Disc Golf Championships, becoming the first player in FPO history and second all-time to complete the season grand slam of winning all four PDGA Majors.
The Regulator course is already tough to begin with, and playing through cold, wet conditions made the course play multiple strokes harder than the day before. After a difficult day and a dramatic finish for the lead card on hole 18, the leaderboard once again has a familiar name sitting on top.
