Holyn Handley opened the 2023 Dynamic Discs Open with a one-stroke lead. Picture: Kevin Huver / DGPT
In stark distinction to final yr’s howling winds, the 2023 Disc Golf Pro Tour — Dynamic Discs Open began off with sizzling climate and nearly no wind on the Emporia Nation Membership. The FPO and MPO fields hit the bottom working, ending with sizzling scores and tight leaderboards.
Staying on Observe
The Emporia Nation Membership Championship Course noticed a couple of modifications this yr for the FPO area, offering a couple of new challenges and extra possibilities to attain. Though the course averaged 2.25 strokes over par with each participant taking not less than one bogey, 4 gamers had been in a position to end the spherical with a 50% birdie fee.
Holyn Handley scored 9 birdies and solely took two bogeys within the opening spherical, ending on the prime of the leaderboard at seven strokes beneath par. After bogeying Gap 13 (probably the most tough on the day averaging nearly a full stroke over par), Handley birdied 14-16 to take the lead and end with one final birdie on Gap 18.
Handley picked up up on the again 9 for a 7-under opening spherical. Picture: Kevin Huver / DGPT
“I had a reasonably sluggish begin. In weekends previous, I’d let that derail my spherical,” Handley stated after taking the lead in Spherical 1, “As a result of I stayed in the suitable headspace, I used to be in a position to come again and have again 9.”
Handley was one-under via the primary seven holes however began to select up momentum with birdies on Holes 8 and 9. Persistently discovering methods to attain obtained Handley to the highest and her skill to scramble saved her from giving these strokes again. A 50% scramble fee won’t sound excessive, however the different three gamers to attain 9 birdies (Kristin Tattar, Holley Finley, and Hailey King) all ended their rounds with not less than 4 bogeys and a 0% scramble fee.
Ella Hansen is one stroke again in second place. Picture: Kevin Huver / DGPT
Handley’s sizzling spherical didn’t depart her with a lot respiration room, Ella Hansen completed at 6-under and they are going to be joined on the Spherical 2 lead card by Tattar and Missy Gannon who each completed at five-under. With a decent leaderboard, Handley appears to be like to enhance her sport to remain forward.
When requested if she had any modifications to make going into Spherical 2, Handley stated, “Getting my drives going, they had been lacking somewhat little bit of that pop and that energy that they usually have in order that value me a pair OB strokes and left me quick in some spots. I’m going to attempt to come out the gates attacking the course somewhat bit extra tomorrow.”
Handley has discovered herself within the lead loads of instances this season, leading to a number of prime ten finishes. We’ll see if she will be able to rating a good hotter spherical as she assaults the course on transferring day of the 2023 Dynamic Discs Open.
Heimburg Leads Locked-Up Leaderboard
With almost excellent circumstances, the MPO area took the chance to rack up birdies within the opening spherical of the 2023 Dynamic Discs Open, leading to one other locked-up leaderboard. Eight gamers are presently tied for 2nd place at 10-under and gamers who completed three strokes again of the lead will begin Spherical 2 tied for seventeenth place. Scores are so tight that each one 4 gamers on the fourth card on Saturday will likely be simply two strokes again of the lead.
Calvin Heimburg was stellar off the tee to take the lead after the primary spherical. Picture: Kevin Huver / DGPT
Calvin Heimburg presently sits on prime of the logjam at 11 strokes beneath par. Heimburg shot 12 birdies on the day, taking his solely bogey on Gap 2 after which going five-for-five on Holes 4 via 8.
“I threw the disc very well for probably the most half,” Heimburg stated of his efficiency off the tee in Spherical 1, “I didn’t actually make very many putts, I didn’t must. There have been quite a lot of putts I had that had been 15 toes and in, I believe the largest putt I made was on the island immediately.”
Heimburg’s longest putt of the day was a 27-foot birdie putt on the island inexperienced of Gap 16. In any other case, Heimburg’s drives usually left him with quick putts, tapping in six birdies from the bullseye and ending the day with 100% Circle 1X placing.
When requested about taking part in within the calm circumstances, Heimburg stated, “The course performs straightforward when the wind’s down. If the wind picks up, I believe there’s going to be fairly a bit extra separation and there are going to be only a few sizzling rounds.”
Matt Orum returned to motion in strong kind and is in an eight-way tie for second. Picture: Kevin Huver / DGPT
Out of the eight gamers who had been in a position to make the most of the calm circumstances to succeed in 10 strokes beneath par on day one, each Matthew Orum and Gannon Buhr had been ready to take action with out taking a single bogey. Whereas the circumstances are excellent, the dearth of scoring separation could make a single bogey really feel like an enormous setback. With no room to budge, gamers must constantly rating properly to remain on the prime and Heimburg is thought for his consistency. In a yr crammed with tight leaderboards and chase card winners, Heimburg is the one participant within the 2023 MPO area with a number of Elite Collection wins.
There are nonetheless two extra rounds for gamers to take care of their spot on the prime or claw their manner up the leaderboard within the 2023 Dynamic Discs Open.
