The third round of the 25th United States Disc Golf Championship and 3rd Throw Pink Women’s Disc Golf Championship was filled with thrills, drama, and an unexpected adversary: the relentless and gusty winds that swept across the Winthrop University Arena Course.
In the Throw Pink Women’s Disc Golf Championship, leader Eveliina Salonen faced a stiff challenge from fellow competitors attempting to dethrone her. Meanwhile, in the US Disc Golf Championship, the world watched as the athletes on the lead card switched places. Let’s dive in and cover what happened Saturday during the USDGC and TPWDGC.
Round 3 Recap of the Throw Pink Women’s Disc Golf Championship
Eveliina Salonen was able to hold onto her 1st place position during round 3 of the TPWDGC. Salonen started the day at -14 and finished at 19 under. Overall, she shot a 5 under round, a 2 point improvement from round 2. The competitor was able to scramble on hole 2 to save par, but wasn’t as lucky on holes 3 and 14, landing her in 2nd place. Determined to climb back to first, Salonen made an aggressive play on the notoriously difficult hole 18, resulting in an impressive birdie and 1st place position.
Joining Salonen in first was Kristin Tattar, who started round 3 on the chase card at -9 and fought her way up 5 positions to T1. Tattar, who is currently ranked 1st in the world, shot a whopping 10 birdies, taking the 1st place ranking in birdies from Salonen. Hole 8 tested the competitor, who threw OB, but had a successful scramble for par. The shot of the day for Tattar was on 467’ hole 15, where she locked into the basket and made an impressive C2 putt through the trees for the bird. Tattar’s performance on hole 6 certainly merits recognition, as her drive landed impeccably beneath the basket, setting up a straightforward birdie and highlighting her skill and precision on the course.
Maintaining her 3rd place position, Ella Hansen, who began the 3rd round at 11 under, concluded with a final score of -17. Hansen played consistently throughout, encountering only 2 out-of-bounds shots that led to bogeys and showcasing her prowess with an eagle on the challenging 362’ Hole 9. However, on Hole 18, a collective gasp swept through the gallery as we all cringed at the heart-wrenching sound of her disc hitting the rim of the basket instead of finding chains. A potential birdie slipped from her grasp, forcing Hansen to settle for a par finish.
Holyn Handley started Saturday with a score of 10 under and finished 13 under, dropping 1 spot to 5th. An accident on hole 18 turned into one of the most impressive putts of the day. Handley slipped, causing her disc to just miss its target and slip over the first wall down towards the lake. Still inbounds, Handley climbed down to make the incredibly steep 16’ putt. Her disc met the chains in a remarkable fashion, securing a par.
Round 3 Recap of the US Disc Golf Championship
Going into day 3, Joel Freeman was in the lead at 19 under. The wind, which got stronger as the day continued, tested Freeman constantly. The athlete threw 5 OB shots, one of which was hole 14, which he has struggled to conquer in this tournament. One of the other OB’s was on the 371’ hole 6. Freeman had a successful scramble and was able to save par with a massive 49’ putt! Another 49’ putt occurred on hole 16, where he got a birdie. Despite making some majestic putts, Freeman dropped to T3 and is heading into round 4 at 17 down.
Sullivan Tipton is tied with Freeman for 3rd. Tipton played steady with 5 bogeys and 5 birdies, leaving him with an even round and an immaculate 100% C1X putting rating.
Bradley Williams, who had jumped 11 spots yesterday landing in the 4th place position, climbed up again. Williams, who started day 3 fifteen under, rose to 2nd place with a -19 total. The athlete played to win, trusting the wind to work with him as he threw long drives. His most impressive play of the day was his epic 60’ putt on hole 16, saving him par after an OB shot on the drive. Williams is one to keep an eye on going into the final day.
With a 3 point lead, Kyle Klein took 1st on round 3 and continues to rank 1st in number of birdies secured during this tournament. He also is ranked 1st in C1X putting at 89%. If Klein is able to continue keeping his drives on the fairway and putts lasered into the basket, he will win the 25th USDGC.
The final round of the championship ought to be an exciting one, with none of the first place athletes holding a massive lead. As we enter the final round, brace yourselves for an exhilarating round filled with aggressive plays from athletes striving for that coveted 1st place position and $30,000 payout. Tune in to the live coverage on the DGN broadcast or witness the excitement in person with a pass from DGU!