Borrowing ideas from the traditional game of golf, Harold Duvall, Jonathan Poole, and Dave Dunipace began planning an event that would quickly shape the future of disc golf’s competitive scene. From those plans grew the United States Disc Golf Championship. Through its unique structure, highly acclaimed course, and distinct qualifying procedure, the “USDGC” established itself as one of disc golf’s most prestigious events.
1999
In an effort to bring the best disc golfers together, the USDGC combines all players who qualify into a single division. Virtually every other disc golf tournament in the world offers divisions based on age, gender and skill level.
Disc golfers love the relaxed tournament structure, as they can enjoy good food, music, and even watch other competitors play their rounds.
Ken Climo, Florida
Total Score: 204; Won by 15
1999 Leaderboard
2000
Juliana Korver finished 37th the highest finish by a female player in the traditional USDGC format.
Ken Climo, Florida
Total Score: 226; Won by 5
2000 Leaderboard
2002
Matt Peckham played a pivotal role in Innova’s introducing live scoring for the final round of a disc golf event on the tournament website. Hole-by-hole updates were radioed in to Matt, who manually posted the scores in real-time on the homepage. This innovation may very well mark one of the first instances of live scoring for a disc golf event on the internet, setting the stage for future advancements in event coverage and fan engagement.
Ken Climo, Florida
Total Score: 237; Won by 7
2002 Leaderboard
Golden Rake: Sam Covington
2005
SPECTATOR DAY IS BORN
For the first six years, the tournament ran consecutive days, Thursday through Sunday, with competitors playing one round a day. In 2005, the schedule was adjusted so that the final round would be held on Saturday. The primary reason was to offer spectators an opportunity to play Winthrop in exact tournament conditions.
Dave Feldberg, Oregon
Total Score: 244; Won by 2
2005 Leaderboard
Golden Rake: Sammy Poole
2006
Barry gets his 3rd ring. The USDGC Dots were born to show the position of each throw from the lead group. At the same time, we went live with the first ever radio show lead by MaceMan.
Barry Schultz, Wisconsin
Total Score: 236; Won by 11
2006 Leaderboard
Golden Rake: Pat and Rock Searle
2007
Ken Climo wins his 5th USDGC title. Almost as many rings as Tom Brady. The USDGC Dots were improved by showing the flight of the disc after each shot was made by the lead group.
Ken Climo, Florida
Total Score: 233; Won by 11
2007 Leaderboard
Golden Rake: Billy Crump
2008
Nate Doss, California
Total Score: 236; Won by 4
2006 Leaderboard
Golden Rake: Lisa McDaniel and Bill Jacobson
2009
Locastro, 21 years old, produced a bogey-free round and ended with a 57 (-11), while the 5-time major champion Feldberg logged in a 62 (-6) and lost by two strokes. Read more
Nikko Locastro, Missouri
Total Score: 238; Won by 2
2009 Leaderboard
Golden Rake: James Nichols
2010
In a final round that saw the lead swing back and forth during a dramatic back nine of OB thrills and spills, Will Schusterick managed to navigate the treacherous yellow OB rope the best as he beat the world’s elite including USDGC defending champion Nikko Locastro, who just barely fell short of his repeat title. Read more
Will Schusterick, Tennessee
Total Score: 244; Won by 2
2010 Leaderboard
Golden Rake: Mike Norris
2011
John Key’s nine and a half hour ride back home to Florida will be a lot more enjoyable after becoming the 2011 USDGC Performance Edition Champion on Saturday. Read more
John Key, Florida
Won by 4
Golden Rake: Bear Roberts
USDGC Performance Flight Champion
2011 – John Key, Florida / Won by 15 – Leader Board
2012
For the first time since 2007, the USDGC has a repeat champion. Will Schusterick of Nashville, TN, can boast Championship crowns from 2010 and now 2012 after outlasting Ricky Wysocki by two strokes on Saturday. Read more
Will Schusterick, Tennessee
Total Score: 224; Won by 2
2012 Leaderboard
Golden Rake: Terry Roddy
USDGC Performance Flight Champion
2012 – Jared Neal, Alabama / Won by 7 – Leader Board
2013
Making big plays when he needed to, Brinster, of Warwick, N.Y., submitted a 62 (-5) to end at (-31) for the Championship and at long last shed his drought of major tournament victories. Read more
Steve Brinster, New York
Total Score: 237; Won by 1
2013 Leaderboard
Golden Rake: Sam Nicholson and Stan McDaniel
USDGC Performance Flight Champion
2013 – Taylor Maslowski, Massachusetts / Won by 6 – Leader Board
2014
For the third time since 2010, Will Schusterick claimed the US Disc Golf Championship title, but this one, which required two extra sudden death playoff holes, was earned like none of his others. Read more
Throw Pink’s Inaugural Year – Read more
Will Schusterick, Tennessee
Total Score: 249; Won in playoff
2014 Leaderboard
Golden Rake: Dave Sollars
USDGC Performance Flight Champion
2014 – Paige Pierce, Texas / Won by 9 – Leader Board
2015
Disc golf history was made at the USDGC during Saturday’s final round when Paul McBeth won his first USDGC and completed disc golf’s Grand Slam in the process when he beat Richard Wysocki by five strokes. Read more
Paul McBeth, California
Total Score: 242; Won by 5
2015 Leaderboard
Golden Rake: Ken Rollins
USDGC Performance Flight Champion
2015 – Nick Hanson, Idaho / Won by 2 – Leader Board
2016
Due to safety concerns from the severe weather from Hurricane Matthew and major logistical problems that would not allow the event to be postponed until Sunday, event officials called off the tournament after three rounds, making the round 3 standings the final result, and Koling the 2016 US Disc Golf Champion. Read more
Jeremy Koling, North Carolina
Total Score: *180; Won by 4 – *Final round canceled due to Hurricane Matthew.
2016 Leaderboard
Golden Rake: Nate Lane
2017
Championship Saturday lead card coverage with Nate Sexton, Ricky Wysocki, Philo Brathwaite and Jeremy Koling.
During Sexton’s USDGC Trophy acceptance speech he said he was somewhat surprised to be standing where he was. “I wanted to believe I was capable of winning a tournament like this, and I guess I am,” said Sexton on the stage near hole 18. Read more
Nathan Sexton, Oregon
Total Score: 232; Won by 5
2017 Leaderboard
Golden Rake: Tom Usselman
2018
Fending off a hard charging lead card that included Nate Sexton, Kevin Jones and James Conrad; Paul McBeth (-34) outlasted them all and claimed his second U.S. title Saturday during the USDGC. Read more
Paul McBeth, California
Total Score: 234; Won by 3
2018 Leaderboard
Golden Rake: Marty Borucki
2019
James Conrad, Virginia
Total Score: 249; Won by 1
2019 Leaderboard
Golden Rake: Diana and Doug Singleton
2020
Chris Dickerson, Tennessee
Total Score: 238; Won by 1
2020 Leaderboard
Golden Rake: Mom and Bill “Old Man” Wallis, John Nichols
2021
Paul McBeth, California
Total Score: 238; Won by 1 in play-off
2021 Leaderboard
Golden Rake: Chris “Stick” MacLeod
2022
Gannon Buhr, Iowa
Total Score: 223; Won by 1
2022 Leaderboard
Golden Rake: David Barfield and Bobby Hermann
2023
The 25th Anniversary of the United States Disc Golf Championship. The Official USDGC Starter, Andy Greene, retires from Hole 1’s tee box after 25 glorious years.
Kyle Klein
Total Score: -27; Won by 1
2023 Leaderboard
Golden Rake: Alan Neal
2024
After a rough Hurricane passed through SC and NC, the staff worked harder than ever to get the course championship-ready.
USDGC Champion: Gannon Buhr
Total Score: -34; Won by 2 strokes
TPWDGC Champion: Kristin Tattar
Total Score: -22; Won by 6 strokes
Golden Rake: Pat Bowles
Award for Exceptional Course Work: Michael Shugart
United States Disc Golf Distance Champions:
Jasper Tyllf & Taylor Chocek
Title Count By Athlete
5: Ken Climo
3: Barry Schultz, Will Schusterick & Paul McBeth
2: Gannon Buhr
1: Dave Feldberg, Nate Doss, Nikko Locastro, Steve Brinster, Jeremy Koling, Nate Sexton, James Conrad, Chris Dickerson, and Kyle Klein
Title Count By State
5: Florida
4: Tennessee & California
3: Wisconsin
2: Oregon, Iowa
1: Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, & Virginia
WINTHROP GOLD DG COURSE
Winthrop University’s Disc Golf Course has been the site of the USDGC since its inception in 1999. Although the course has seen minor changes each year, it always presents a combination of narrow fairways, lots of out-of-bounds area, elevated baskets, and plenty of water.
Known to be physically, emotionally and mentally challenging, Winthrop allows for creativity in shot-making and a unique focus on shot placement, rather than on pure distance alone.
