2017 MPO Worlds - Augusta

[Broken Shoulder]

John E's putts looked fine to me.

Also, whoever said earlier that McBeth won't win another Worlds if they're only 4 rounds apparently has already forgotten his other wins this year, including the weather shortened ones.

 

[UP Mountain Man]

Nobody's catching Ricky tomorrow. That's another championship for Cleveland!

I know two people that disagree with your prediction:

Myself

Adam Hammes

Chatting with Adam yesterday. Apparently, the kid didn't just go down to GA. to enjoy his first Pro Worlds. He's there to win. We discussed his solid game plan for today. I'm not one to doubt Adam when he's working towards a goal ...

Go Hambone!

 

[UP Mountain Man]

Fun Fact: This was the first text I got from Adam, yesterday morning, before his -10 round ..."I am sick I threw up like 10 times last night. I feel awful not sure if I'll be able to push through"

I can't wait to watch the video

 

[UP Mountain Man]

Here's one for the numbers guys:

Ricky's only beat me ONE time. Adam beats me every week. ;-)

 

[DavidSauls]

Perhaps, if this did become the PDGA Championship, we could have a true Worlds where Americans qualify in from the USDGC and Europeans qualify in from the Euro Masters/Open from the previous year, say, top 36 each (Americans at the Euro tournament and Europeans at the USDGC don't qualify from those tournaments), and then for Asia-Pacific either have some smaller country level tournaments or just allow the players who meet a certain ratings/points threshold to register. Canadians could follow this too or qualify in from either USDGC or the European tournament.

It would be fitting (and so much less pretentious) if the World Championships were played in more than one country. The US has a championship already last time I looked.

We're a ways away from any of that, for a number of reasons:

* The PDGA doesn't place Worlds, with the exception of this one; it takes bids. The first requirement would be having a non-U.S. location want to do it.
* The U.S. is still centrally located to the vast majority of the world's disc golfers.
* Pro Worlds is a financial and logistical strain for whoever runs it. Being located far from the bulk of players wouldn't help. Although.....
* The change in format, separating Open from the age-protected divisions, and only requiring 2 courses, will help in that regard. It'll make it easier for more places to bid, including Europe.

At any rate, it would take a lot more than changing the name of the current Worlds to make a replacement Worlds happen.

There might also be a question of whether the membership would want this. It is, after all, a membership organization, and the bulk of the membership is American.

None of which is to say we won't get to point of having Worlds outside of the U.S. Perhaps sooner than I expect.

Or, just as the United States championship popped up with a somewhat-misleading name---it's not limited to United States players---perhaps Worlds will continue, and someone will create something entirely new: the International Disc Golf Championship.

 

[dehaas]

There seems to be a couple of different discussions going on in the thread at once so I'll share a few thoughts.

I've always thought worlds was weird because it's in the middle of the touring season. To say you're the world champ then having more tournaments just seems strange. This is why I've thought of the USDGC as a more prestigious event.

I like the idea of using fewer courses from open worlds for a couple of reasons. You can use 2 high quality courses and gave the best playing on a course to actually test their skill. You're weeding out lesser courses that were only used because you had to have enough to handle the amount of players. This also allows for more cities to bid if you need fewer courses, less volunteers needed to get fewer courses prepared, fewer courses for players to practice and video teams to scope out.

With all that being said though, something needs to be done to differentiate worlds from other events. Prior it was the sheer size of competitors and the week long grind. I'd agree that the changes made doesn't make it much different than other top notch events like the BSF. I like the idea of having a cut maybe for a final round or something. It seems like there's been a focus the last couple of years in converting large tournaments into events. I think the vast improvements in video coverage is helping drive that. More rounds is gonna cost more money to maintain consistent coverage.

 

[DavidSauls]

I've always thought worlds was weird because it's in the middle of the touring season. To say you're the world champ then having more tournaments just seems strange. This is why I've thought of the USDGC as a more prestigious event.

Or a little before the middle, in this case. It's sort of the 2016 championship, because entry is based on 2016 play. I suspect this is tradition---like the more-rounds was---which evolved because when World began, there was no real "touring season", or organized tour.

I wouldn't consider the USDGC more prestigious, but it was almost instantly prestigious for more than just its spot on the calendar: from the beginning, it was event you couldn't simply sign up for, but had to play your way into. Until recently, a duffer like me could play Pro Worlds, even Open, if I wanted to, but except when they offered sponsors' spots at the USDGC, there was never a prayer that I could play it.

I expect Worlds will always be the most prestigious title---not to everyone, but to most, and particularly to the players competing for it. But there are a number of ways it could change to differentiate itself from other events, in the future. Doesn't have to be 6 rounds; could be even more epic courses, or small fields where only the best qualify, or big payout, or something else.

This all isn't unique to disc golf, though. Golf's most prestigious events aren't at the end of the season, and aren't dramatically different formats than other events. Nor auto racing; NASCAR basically starts the season in Daytona, just another race. Nor, as I understand it, is tennis. Those are "championships", of course, but they are prestigious.

 

[davetherocketguy]

I know three people that disagree with your prediction:

Myself

JohnE

Adam Hammes

FTFY

 

[Cgkdisc]

The timing for Worlds may not seem as odd if you understand the history. Since Worlds started out as more days than a weekend, it was hosted in the summer when school was out. I don't believe invites were needed until a tour points system was instituted in the 80s. Tour points were manually accumulated in bigger events from July thru June, not the calendar year, to determine qualifications to enter Worlds in late July to late August.

This procedure continued until sometime in the mid-90s when the PDGA went to calendar year renewals. They also shifted to calculating tour points on a calendar year so qualifiers would have more time to schedule time off and travel plans prior to Worlds. Of course, due to better weather, the school year and bias toward a flying disc celebration versus hard core competition, the Worlds has remained in the summer.

 

[joots]

Only three holes in for the ladies, and Val has fought her way to being 4 down. Okay, she has only parred her three holes, but Paige has bogeyed two of em. I still believe Paige is going to win, 'cuz I don't believe a solid season should just boil down to one round of meltdown. Hell, at least we might have something exciting to watch...

 

[SD86]

I dont like being "that guy," but after watching Round 2 front 9 on CCDG...were and of John E's step putts legal? It looked to me like he foot faulted every time, but I'm also watching it on my phone...

I thought one of them was a foot fault, and the other might or might not have been. It's like the bang-bang play at first base in baseball... gotta see the slo-mo to be sure.

And this is all the more reason to outlaw the step putt. Nothing personal to JohnE, here, but it should just be outlawed.

 

[SD86]

My $0.02: I would prefer the Worlds to be 5 1/2 or 6 rounds. They could do that on these two courses; we don't need four courses. With the good mix of open and woods, these courses have been fine. But I do think 6 rounds is the ideal for the World Championships.

My $0.03: Paige is awesome. Val is awesome. Lovin' what the FPO is doing at this tournament...

 

[takman]

So, to be certain, is there any live stream going on anywhere?

 

[McCready]

Freakin' Ricky, man.

No kidding. I'm in awe and also hate him.

 

[Batmanx2008]

According to Twitter lisa got the birdie 4 on hole 9 not Paige. So live scoring is off. It's only a 2 stoke difference between Paige and val.

Unless Pdga Twitter is wrong

 

[brutalbrutus]

I cannot believe he only got a 1066 for that round... Well I guess I don't have to wait on spoilers now... Mcbeth... does he have an arm or hand injury or is it just humidity grip problems? Never seen him struggle with his grip so much. So many early releases in this event off the tee. Give that man a bag of climbing chalk for cripes sake...

 

[araytx]

I suspect you may be correct. He seems to get hot starting later and needs that extra time to catch Ricky.

I wouldn't count on Ricky winning four in a row. I wouldn't not count on it either. But there are a lot of hot young guns coming up. Interesting times.

Four in a row, hmmm, maybe not. That was an awesome accomplishment by both Champ (twice) and Paul.

But four total ? at least. Probably.

 

[Halcón]

Come on Val!

 

[brutalbrutus]

Four in a row, hmmm, maybe not. That was an awesome accomplishment by both Champ (twice) and Paul.

But four total ? at least. Probably.

In a couple years, if he gets close to ricky's level of course management, I think Eagle will be the best player in the world. The only thing he is missing right now, is experience. Ricky is a better putter at the moment but eagle isn't far behind, his putts are just laser straight and glide forever. He has a much better BH game(just needs a tad more consistency and maybe a tad less "go for It" at certain times) and his FH isn't far behind ricky as far as accuracy.

 

[araytx]

In a couple years, if he gets close to ricky's level of course management, I think Eagle will be the best player in the world. The only thing he is missing right now, is experience. Ricky is a better putter at the moment but eagle isn't far behind, his putts are just laser straight and glide forever. He has a much better BH game(just needs a tad more consistency and maybe a tad less "go for It" at certain times) and his FH isn't far behind ricky as far as accuracy.

Don't disagree at all. But all that being true can't really prevent Rick from getting four total, assuming he finishes it off this year.