The first round of the 2024 PDGA Pro World Championships co-sponsored by Innova showcased the true difficulty of the New London Tech course. With a +1 score that was over 1000 rated for the day, players were met with a challenging course that tested their skills. Despite some players wishing they had performed better, they still praised the fair and well-designed venue. It’s important to remember that while you can lose a tournament on Day One, you can’t win it.
Several Innova athletes are in a strong position to make a run for the World title, including Kat Mertsch who sits in 2nd place in FPO and Bradley Williams who is in 5th place in MPO. Here are some of the top Innova storylines from the first round:
– Kat Mertsch is currently in solo 2nd place after shooting a 1013-rated, -7 on the New London Tech course. She will head to the Innova Champion Course at Ivy Hill with a strong start.
– Bradley Williams turned it on in the back 9, hitting 8 birdies in a row between holes 10 and 17. He currently leads the field in Parked percentage and sits in 5th place at -8.
– Henna Blomroos will be on tomorrow’s lead card in a tie for 3rd place. She leads in Fairway Hits, C1 and C2 Hits in Regulation, and Strokes Gained Tee to Green after Round One.
– Anneli Tõugjas-Männiste, making her World Championship debut, is in a tie for 11th place and ahead of many top-ranked FPO players.
– Five Team Innova players had perfect C1 putting on Day One, including Holly Finley who went 14 for 14 from inside the circle. Emerson Keith also had a highlight 90-foot throw-in for birdie on hole 14.
– With only one round completed, it’s still anyone’s game. The next round at Ivy Hill will present a completely different set of challenges for the players. Calvin Heimburg, who shot -4, is among the many players in the thick of the competition.
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