The best disc golfers in the world are gathering in Rock Hill this week. They’ll be competing in the U.S. Disc Golf Championship. One of them may make history.
The tournament is to disc golf what the U.S. Open is to traditional golf. In fact, disc golf is a lot like traditional golf. Players drive and putt. But instead of balls and clubs they throw discs. And instead of holes, they aim for baskets a few feet off the ground. The course at Winthrop University where this week’s championship is being held is disc golf’s Augusta according to event director Jonathan Poole.
"It’s probably the most photographed course, and we’ve had a lot of great championship headlines here," Poole says.
This year is a little different because of one player. Twenty-three-year-old Paul McBeth of California is disc golf’s Tiger Woods. He’s won three championships this year, and if he wins this tournament he’ll be the first disc golfer to ever win all of the pro disc golf championships in a single year.
“This one is one of the most difficult to win because the course is so challenging and the field is so strong," Pool says. "Even though he’s had a lot of success elsewhere, he’s never won here."
The winner gets about $8,000 of the overall $50,000 purse. The tournament won’t be televised, but it will be streamed online. The first round is today. The final round is Saturday.