DDO: Parker Welck Takes Home First Elite Series Win
The Dynamic Discs Open and Emporia, Kansas have been the site of memorable wins, including past world championships and epic showings when it was formerly the Glass Blown Open. You can add another career-defining victory to that list after yesterday.
Parker Welck came into Championship Sunday two strokes off the lead in a tie for third, having competed in his first lead card at an Elite series event the day prior. He tied the current Emporia Country Club course record with a 12-under par final round rated 1070 to win the first Disc Golf Pro Tour and Elite series tournament of his career by one stroke.
Parker led the field in Strokes Gained from Tee to Green (15.39) and Birdie percentage (63%) and was top four in Circle 2 Putting, Circle 1 in Regulation, and Scramble rate. In the final round, hole 14 proved to be the difference maker and Parker showed off his range. Down two strokes, Parker made it into Circle 2 for an eagle look and converted the downhill 50-footer as part of a three-stroke swing that gave Parker the lead for good.
Parker has a solid start to his first full season on the tour. He shot a 1077-rated round at the OTB Open on the way to a 23rd place showing, his second Elite/Major top 25 this season up to that point following a 16th place showing at WACO. Welck has already earned a spot at the United States Disc Golf Championship after finishing third at the 2023 Challenge @ Goat Hill Park.
What are some of Parker Welck's favorite discs?
Coming off his best-ever Elite event finish at the Portland Open (5th), Alden Harris bested his own mark by finishing DDO in a tie for third place.
Alden owned a share of the lead after two rounds and continued his strong play to earn the podium place. He was 12th or better in six UDisc Live statistical categories, including Strokes Gained in Circle 1X and Fairway Hits.
Ezra Robinson used eight birdies on the back 9 of the final round to jump three spots into a tie for sixth place, his career-best Elite event finish. Ezra is also fresh off a top 10 at the Zoo Town Open since returning to the tour after a short break. He tied Parker's division-leading Biride rate.
Top 50 Results
Kevin Jones fought through tough breaks to finish 21st and record his fourth top 25 Elite series finish of the season. He did not miss a putt inside Circle 1 in the final round and made six Circle 2 putts over the weekend, ranking 16th in C2 percentage.
In her first event back on tour after working on her backhand throwing form, Caroline Henderson finished 27th in FPO. The practice paid off as Caroline was 12th in finding Circle 1 in Regulation and 15th in Fairway Hits.
Jumping up 10 spots during the final round into a 29th place finish was Harper Thompson. In his best showing at an Elite event since last year's Idlewild Open, Harper was 4th in the division in Fairway Hits.
G.T. Hancock and Isaac Robinson tied for 30th. It was G.T.'s best Elite finish in 2023, and Isaac made 10 outside-of-the-circle putts over the weekend, good for third in the division at Strokes Gained from C2.
Ahead of Isaac on the putting charts was Gannon Buhr, who finished 50th. He was first in Strokes Gained Putting and Strokes Gained from C2.
Lydia Cochran (39th) and Alyssa Pierson (45th) were the only other Prodigy FPO players at DDO.
European Pro Tour
Rachel Turton took down the EuroTour #2 - Konopiště Open in the Czech Republic, with Kaidi Allsalu finishing just behind in second place.
The win is Rachel's second on the EuroTour, following her first at the Caledonian Open in 2021, and 26th career victory in 43 events. She is currently rated 938.
