Two down. 13 USDGC Qualifiers to go.
With the 2016 disc golf season newly arrived, 15 of the world’s top disc golfers have already secured their spots for the USDGC (Oct. 5-8) after qualifying at the Memorial Championship and the Disc Golf World Tour’s La Mirada Open.
Check out the eligible competitors so far here.
With its warm spring weather, down-to-the-wire action, and star studded field, the Memorial Championship (March 2-5) in Arizona has annually ushered-in amazing players to the USDGC, right out of the gate. And this year was no exception.
A week later in California, the DGWT was qualifying players for the first time at the La Mirada Open. Here, DGWT Director Jussi Meresmaa’s grand vision of a one division global tour made up of highly marketed, finely detailed events, was brought to life.
The USDGC has partnered with the DGWT for the 2016 and 2017 seasons, making the Winthrop Gold Course the site of not only the US title, but the DGWT Points title as well. To earn the points title, a player must come out on top after accumulating points throughout the season and at the USDGC. Learn more about the points race here.
Many, including players, are already impressed with the DGWT’s attention to detail at La Mirada. However, the event’s success didn’t come easy, according to Meresmaa. He said it took a lot of effort to get the tour off on the right foot.
“La Mirada Open was a well organized event and raised the bar pretty high on DGWT,” said Meresmaa, who also gave credit to local promoter Jeff Spohr for all of his help.
There are plenty more opportunities to qualify for the USDGC. Next up is the Glass Blown Open in Emporia, KS (April 28-30) followed by the second stop on the DGWT, the Konopiste Open in the Czech Republic. Here’s a look at the remaining USDGC qualifiers.
Instead of five qualifying spots, DGWT stops have 10. Meresmaa says since the DGWT finale is at Winthrop, it’s important that the DGWT qualifiers play a significant role in USDGC qualifying. Plus, “DGWT brings more international flavor to the USDGC,” said Meresmaa.
USDGC Event Director Jonathan Poole agrees. “The USDGC has always sought to bring the best of the best together. Our hope is that the partnership (with DGWT) will help foster a spirit of unity and competitiveness worldwide, and in turn make the Championship field even stronger and more diverse," said Poole.
USDGC fans will have a lot to keep up with this season. With USDGC qualifying and the DGWT Points race underway, this year’s road to Winthrop already stands to be the most exciting yet.