Defending USDGC champion Jeremy Koling from Charlotte has a one-stroke lead after round one
Hole No. 17 has caused several disc golfers to lose tournaments over the 19 years the United States Disc Golf Championship has been held at Winthrop University. The short downhill par 3 is guarded by hay bales in the front and the lake in the rear. Disc golfers have to put just the right amount of touch to land their disc on the “island” green.
Paul McBeth of Huntington Beach, Calif. stepped up to the tee with a one-stroke lead with only two holes to play in the opening round. After missing the island on his first two attempts, McBeth landed safely but walked away with a triple-bogey six and ended up finishing the round three shots off the lead tied for sixth place.
Defending USDCG champion Jeremy Koling of Charlotte had 11 birdies (and two bogeys) to finish with a 57 (-9). He is one stroke ahead of Fort Mill’s Ricky Wysocki and Greenwood, Arkansas’s Kevin Jones.
Three who mattered
Paige Pierce of Plano, Tex. One of two ladies playing in the open field, Pierce shot a six-over 72. A Facebook fan vote voted her on the feature card of the day along with Paul McBeth, Jeremy Koling and Eagle McMahon of Boulder, Co. Catrina Allen of Mesa, Az. shot a 69 (+3).
Andrew Duvall of Rock Hill. Son of course designer Harold Duvall was in charge of making tweaks to the course design prior to the tournament.
Chris Dickerson of Johnson City, Tn. He played the first 17 holes bogey-free but found the water on hole No. 18 and carded a 62 (-4). He is tied for 16th place.
They said it
“It wasn’t even close.”
Jeremey Koling describing his tee shot to his caddy while walking up to the green on hole No. 14. His disc landed short of the green in a hazard which is a one-stroke penalty. He carded a bogey 4 on the hole.
By the numbers
3.54. The average score on the 249-feet par-three hole No. 17 which ranked as the hardest hole on the course.
554 feet. The length of the par-four hole No. 10. Paul McBeth’s drive landed pin high about 25-feet from the basket. He made the eagle putt.
Want to go
When: Tournament continues through Saturday. Sunday is Spectator Day benefiting Throw Pink, when the cost is $10 to play the championship-level course.
Where: Winthrop University, Rock Hill, S.C. Park at Winthrop Coliseum, 1162 Eden Terrace
Tickets: Single-day, $10 (Commemorative USDGC golf disc to the first 500 spectators); VIP for all days of competition, $25.
More info: usdgc.com
Leader board
1. Jeremy Koling, Charlotte, -9 (57)
2. Ricky Wysocki, Fort Mill, -8 (58)
3. Kevin Jones, Greenwood, Ar., -8 (58)
4. Nate Sexton, Corvallis, Or., -7 (59)
5. A.J. Risley, San Marcos, Ca., -7 (59)
Complete scores: www.discgolfworldtour.com
This story was originally published October 4, 2017 at 6:54 PM with the headline "Defending USDGC champion Jeremy Koling from Charlotte has a one-stroke lead after round one."