At the young age of 16, Sam Ferrans was already a skilled disc golfer, but he needed a note from his parents to travel to the 1984 PDGA Pro World Championship, his first major tournament outside of Southern California. Despite only receiving his PDGA number a month before the event, Sam’s determination and talent shone through.
Prior to the 1984 Pro Worlds, Sam had experienced two tough losses at overall events, including a heartbreaking defeat by just 4/10 of a point at the Junior Worlds in 1983. These losses served as motivation for Sam, who spent every day practicing at La Mirada from sunrise to sunset in preparation for the Pro Worlds.
The tournament, held at Ellison Park in Rochester, New York, featured a permanent course and a temporary course specifically created for the event. Fortunately for Sam, the permanent course favored power players like himself. Armed with a selection of discs and a towel, Sam faced off against the best players in the world.
After a slow start in the first round, Sam made a comeback in the second and third rounds, shooting the course record of -8 both times. Going into the final 18 holes, he had built up a 6-stroke lead. Despite some early nerves, Sam’s determination and focus paid off as he tapped the pole on hole 6, known as the Top of the World, with his trusty Aero disc. This shot solidified his lead and he went on to win the tournament by 5 strokes.
Upon returning to Southern California, Sam proudly shared his victory with the growing disc golf community, including the founders of Innova Champion Discs. This win marked the beginning of a successful relationship between Sam and Innova, and solidified his place as the youngest PDGA Pro World Champion in history.
Leave a Reply