Each the FPO and MPO fields noticed acquainted faces holding down the lead in the course of the closing spherical of the 2023 DGPT — Preserve Championship Powered by Prodigy. Catrina Allen got here out on high after battling forwards and backwards with Kristin Tattar and Ricky Wysocki saved charging to keep up a cushty cushion over the remainder of the MPO subject.
Catrina Allen held off a final-round push from Kristin Tattar. Picture: Kevin Huver / DGPT
Allen Perseveres on the Protect
“There was by no means a second the place I felt I might chill out till Gap 18,” mentioned Catrina Allen after tapping in a single final putt to win the 2023 Protect Championship.
Spherical 2 noticed the beginning of a battle for the lead between Allen and Kristin Tattar that continued by way of the ultimate spherical. Allen began Championship Sunday three strokes forward of Tattar and must hold preventing by way of each gap to keep up her lead as Tattar made a push to catch up.
After beginning sturdy with three birdies within the first six holes, Allen bumped into bother with an errant drive on Gap 7 adopted by an airball putt from circle two. Tattar made her birdie putt, leaving Allen to scrub up the par earlier than giving any extra strokes away. Allen’s par putt missed the basket fully and her bogey putt bounced off the highest band, leaving her with a tap-in for her first double bogey of the event. Allen’s momentary placing struggles resulted in a three-stroke swing that diminished her result in only one stroke over Tattar.
No panic from Allen on Championship Sunday in Minnesota. Picture: Kevin Huver / DGPT
“I’m not getting in panic mode,” Allen mentioned of her instant response on the course, “We’re simply going to regulate on the following tee as an alternative of interested by how I simply misplaced three strokes. Like I mentioned, only a nice mindset.”
Even after Tattar took a birdie on Gap 8 to shut the hole and tie for the lead, Allen by no means misplaced focus and by no means let Tattar take the outright lead. The pair matched strokes for the following two holes and Allen regained her lead when Tattar took three bogeys from Holes 11 by way of 14.
Whereas Tattar made a number of pricey errors, Allen prevented giving up any extra strokes, ultimately constructing her lead as much as 4 strokes by the ultimate gap. Allen confirmed the identical resilience as in Spherical 2, efficiently scrambling on a number of holes to complete the weekend with a 75% scramble fee.
Catrina Allen took down the Protect Championship in her dwelling state. Picture: Kevin Huver / DGPT
Lastly with a second to chill out, Allen had one final lay-up for a straightforward bogey to win her second Elite Sequence Occasion of the season. Based on StatMando, Allen is now 23-2 when coming into the ultimate spherical with not less than a 3-stroke lead.
Up subsequent, Allen and lots of different high FPO gamers are headed to Norway for the 2023 PCS Open after which Finland only one week later for the 2023 European Open.
Ricky Wysocki traces up a shot on the Protect Championship. Picture: Kevin Huver / DGPT
Wysocki Clutches Up
Ricky Wysocki additionally went wire-to-wire within the 2023 Protect Championship, capturing three double-digit rounds in a row. After lacking a lot of the season whereas working by way of an damage, this weekend noticed a return to type for Wysocki together with his first Elite Sequence win of the season and his second win on tour in 2023 together with a Silver Sequence win on the Cascade Problem.
When requested about adjusting his sport to accommodate for the Lyme Illness flare-ups that saved him out for the start of the season, Wysocki mentioned, “I used to be clean with my type; I wasn’t making an attempt to do something loopy. I feel that’s what saved me in management out right here.”
Wysocki stayed in management by way of the ultimate spherical, setting the tempo for the remainder of the sphere regardless of the strain of a closing spherical lead card. After a gradual begin with three pars in a row, Wysocki obtained his momentum going with an enormous sky anyhzer method over the woods on Gap 6 to present him a birdie putt by way of a niche within the timber. On the again 9, Wysocki picked up the tempo as he took six extra birdies, together with two profitable putts from circle 2.
“I obtained these momentum strokes the place I wanted to get them to maintain Calvin and everybody behind me. I used to be actually pleased with the way in which I used to be capable of management the event, I feel that’s one thing I do very well when I’ve a lead,” Wysocki mentioned after the ultimate spherical, “I really feel like that’s after I play my greatest.”
All through the ultimate spherical, Wysocki by no means gave up the lead, ending with one final eagle on Gap 18 to win his second title on the Protect. Wysocki received by 5 strokes over second place, the biggest margin of victory within the MPO subject for any Elite Sequence occasion up to now this season. Maybe the largest consider Wysocki’s dominating efficiency was his 69% birdie fee all through the event. Based on UDisc, that is one of the best occasion birdie fee by any participant this season. The final time any participant had a greater occasion birdie fee was 72% by Matt Orum on the 2021 Stafford Open.
“I simply really feel like I play so effectively below the strain with the massive crowds that Minnesota had out right here this week,” Wysocki mentioned after signing his initials onto the Protect Championship trophy for the second time.
Now together with his first Elite Sequence win of the season and a confidence increase simply weeks earlier than the second Main of the 12 months, Wysocki will be part of the MPO subject as they head to Øverås, Norway for the 2023 PCS Open.
