FPO disc golf is better when it’s not just Kristin Tattar dominating the scene …
Paige Pierce is a key part of the equation.
Good news, disc golf fans: She’s back.
For now, at least.
You might find this hard to believe, but do you recall Pierce’s last win? And not just on the Pro Tour, either. I’m talking about ANY kind of disc golf event. It was the 2022 European Open – in July. In fact, her win in Austin puts an end to a nearly eight-month winless drought …
The longest of her career.
In an FPO field that seriously lacks parity, having the winningest disc golfer in the division’s history suddenly missing from contention was brutally obvious. If you’re one of the best, there’s no hiding – people notice. But it wasn’t just a lack of wins that did Pierce in for eight months …
It was not even sniffing the podium; it was flat-out pedestrian golf. And perhaps most damning of all, it was an indifference to it – a proud, public acceptance that winning no longer mattered.
Remember THIS gem of a quote?
“I’m lacking the killer instinct right now, and I don’t care to get it back for some reason. I just want to throw good shots. And when I don’t, I’m upset, but there’s no – there’s no more of me punching my hand. And it feels good – it feels d*mn good. There’s no stress in my life.”
Again …
Eight months.
For the first time in a long time, Paige’s head (and game) appears to be back on track …
All is right in the world.
At the Open at Austin, Pierce went into the final round leading Tattar by one …
She then left her in the dust.
So much so, Tattar wrapped up the event in a two-way tie for fifth place with Holyn Handley. Kristin’s 929-rated final round was the lowest she’s thrown since August of 2021. It’s also the lowest she’s ever carded at an Elite Series tournament. Furthermore, the result marked the first time Tattar failed to podium at an Elite Series gig in her entire career: Salt, meet Wound.
Her undoing?
You could (accurately) argue herself, but for the sake of this article …
P².
There’s some ground to stand on here: In Austin, Pierce nabbed her 49th Elite Series win. En route to making it happen, she was sixth in strokes gained putting (4.73) and seventh in strokes gained from tee to green (14.77). When both facets of the game are cooking, wins come easily.
Perhaps I preemptively tweeted this after WACO …
When watching Paul McBeth carve up a course, it's easy to forget you're seeing the greatest MPO disc golfer to have ever hucked a frisbee …
— Green Splatter (@GreenSplatter) March 10, 2023
But you know what's even EASIER to forget?
Kristin Tattar's the same thing on the FPO side.
I can admit when (for now) I’m wrong.
Clearly, Tattar’s still the woman to beat.
But Paige taking down a sixth World Championship no longer seems like a pipe dream …
Austin was a sizable step in the right direction.
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