By Charlie Mead · Disc Golf Hall of Famer · INDIGO Foundation
Guest commentary written October 7, 2026. Republished with permission.
Today sees the start of the Throw Pink Championship. Forty Six of the best women players in the world will start their rounds at 07.54 from Hole 1 on a course that demands all the skills and strengths that they can muster as the season draws to a close. Winthrop’s Throw Pink course is long; it demands different throws from every tee; it has elevation; it has rocks! And it has enough OB to threaten the most stable of minds.
Hole 3. like its sister at Hole 11, the danger lies in the irregular but precisely placed OB islands – and the rocks that live there. Hole 3 demands a precise drive – maybe short of the centre island, then a power drive to make the Oak tree Mando in the dip, before swinging a left to right approach around the bales of hay – then a putt to make birdie. Maybe.
Hole 5. Throw across the lake on your second shot if fearless, brave or foolhardy – or your third if you wish to – the ultimate risk reward. Yet even if you make it across the water any miss timed putt can end up wet. There are no easy Par 5’s on this course – though Kristin and Eveliina may say differently.
Hole 17. The nemesis of many. The downfall of leaders. The hope of those to come. A birdie – park it close enough without risk of the lake swallowing you up – or going back over the bales for a 4. That may be preferable to missing the green short, wide or long and throwing from the Drop Zone – where hanging branches will snag any throw that has a left to right curve on it.
So, what will be the challenge this week, apart from the threat of a mini-cyclone hitting Sunday? It it does, and play is abandoned, that will favour players who perform well over three rounds yet fade on round 4. Will the women need more stamina than usual? More focus and concentration? More precision – by following through with plans, putting spin on their discs, not short-arming their approach shots or putts? Yes to all of those. And who will be able to do that – consistently ?
Those of you that have followed my Blogs and articles over the past two years know that I am prone to a few predictions. Last year I got it right – Missy Gannon had come back from winning Gold at The World Games in China with a different approach to her game. Her five previous events to TP had seen her finish 5th, 2nd, 1st, 2nd, 1st – which had earned her over $32K. Another $15K followed her victory at Throw Pink. Ms Money indeed.
There is also another force out there to challenge the outright favourite this year. After her outstanding performance at Worlds in August Eveliina should find the more open space she has at Winthrop in her favour. Yet this phenomenon – this other energy that has gained significant momentum in the past year, suggest that the adage of experience triumphing over youth may well be overturned.
There have only been four winners of Throw Pink. Will there be another repeat – or will there be the breakthrough that so nearly happened in the past two years. The unforgettable final round at Worlds in Finland in ’25 stands out of course – but any victory of youth over experience will be a positive one.
At Throw Pink this year there are 11 women all aged 19 or under. (See the full list at the end of this article). This group includes the youngest woman to ever play at Throw Pink – the 13 year old Eva Lutsenko, from South Carolina. There are 46 women playing the event – the under 19’s make up 24% of the field. Is this unusual? One of this group throws first (Eliezra) and nearly two hours later one throws the final tee-shot on Hole 1 (Rebecca). This is an omen of top and tailing that can’t be ignored.
There are factors that have changed the reality of Throw Pink. It is a studied course. The player dynamics have changed. Young women are qualifying at he expense of their more experienced peers Note that the two qualifiers from Monday for TP were 17 and 15 – not the experienced women in their 30’s.
What has caused this to happen? It is not because of the Covid conundrum – where the boom has reversed and there has been a recession of people playing in the past three years. To get an insight I spoke to Peyton and Kylie Kohut and later to their father. Overall, they confirmed many the conversations I have had with Rebecca Don and her parents; with Eliezra and her mother; with other parents and their children – especially Ida Nesse and Therese Cuevas. There are common themes – the desire to improve, to be the best version of themselves possible, to learn – and to do this quickly so they can take their place on the DGPT Tour and be competitive at PDGA Majors.
Kylie (18) and Peyton (15) have a clear view of how they both got to this stage in their Disc Golf career. Though Kylie is not playing this week she is caddying for Peyton; as Peyton caddied for Kylie at PDGA Worlds in August. They started playing in Covid lockdown – as did nearly all the other young women. Their father “dragged us to courses in Utah. And now Michigan”. They didn’t have a sporting history. They learnt quickly and Peyton played FJ10 and 18 in her first competitive events. By the end of 2024 – at 13 – she had won 20 competitions, including a win at FJ18 at Ledgestone. Current Rating 921 and earnings of $3,230
Kylie had won 31 events by the end of ’24 – she played more being 3 years older – including 15 wins that year in FA1. By now they both played in the same divisions and decided to turn Professional for the 2025 season, but keep her Am status by not accepting prize money. Being home schooled they had the flexibility to both learn and play as it suited the family. Dad went along – to every event. This was to be a family decision; an experience for them all to learn.
At The River City Open Kylie beat Colleen McInnes. This was a win that proved she had what it took to be on tour. She refused the prize money that day to remain Am. She refused payment again at the Great Lakes CCS Open in ’25 where she finished 2 shots behind Ohn Scoggins and Rebecca Don. Surely she must turn full Pro now?
It wasn’t until late March this year that she succumbed. She finished in the cash at the Queen City Classic and since has put over $6K away for safe keeping – maybe! Her rating is currently 944 – high enough for her to qualify for a DGPT Tour card and enter PDGA major events in 2027.
It wasn’t the money that gave either sister the desire to win. They are both serious about their game – they have grown into the sport as they have grown. They learnt the technical aspects of how a golf disc works. Both are sponsored by MVP and are already throwing 13-speed discs accurately – suggests they have put their knowledge to good use.
We talked about the physical demands – Peyton has not fully developed yet and will keep growing for at least three years. This puts demands on a young body. The sort of demands that need to be managed. They have not let their enthusiasm lead them into over practicing and straining muscles and bones. Orthopaedic injuries in all young women who become good at their first choice of sport are common, rarely treated well even if recognised, and can come back to bite them seriously in their early to mid-twenties. Elbow, shoulder and knee injuries are must common – and with those injuries a loss of performance and a general decline in morale. Prevention we are told…..
This hasn’t happened to either sister. It has happened to a number of other young women, who have backed down from the excessive practice regimes that permeate the sport. Sometimes role models don’t do you any favours. The parallel with the physical demands of the sport are with gymnastics. There are no young men of 13 who have won gold medals at Olympic Games – and it is a similar story with Disc Golf. Where are the 10 young men in MPO? There is currently only one who is constantly on tour. And that is one of the key points – the developmental progress of young women, when well-managed, achieves a much higher success rate than a body overworked. And allows a longer career.
Psychologically, both the Kohut sisters have a realistic yet aspiring view of their careers. Both want to continue to get better. To challenge themselves. To challenge others. That emotional response suggests that they will cope with their own demands very well – especially on the course. Peyton may not win this week. She will give a vey good account of herself in trying.
Predictions. These are a few thoughts:
• Rebecca Don will win.
• There will be 7 of this cohort of young women (including Rebecca) who will finish in the top 20; 3 in the top 10. Last year there was only one – and Cadence is not playing this year
• All those who played last year will do better this year.
• Catrina Allen will finish higher than 31st (this is my banker!)
Then I will review this review. Just to see how right or wrong I can be…..and why?
PS I’m not good at gambling.
The Young Ones:
Eva Lutsenko USA- 13
Julia Fors SWE – 14
Peyton Kohut USA – 15
Therese Cuevas USA – 15
MJ Gager USA – 15
Addison Woodard USA – 17
Ann Deputy USA – 17
Ilda Lehtomaki FIN – 17
Elizabete Peksana LAT – 17
Eliezra Midtlyng USA – 18
Rebecca Don CAN – 18
Charlie Mead · INDIGO Foundation · October 7, 2026
