As the 2020 Disc Golf Pro Tour Championship premiered on ESPN Tuesday night, social media lit up with people tuning in. None were more notable than PGA Tour pro and former Masters champion Bubba Watson.

Watson is no stranger to disc golf. He has a PDGA number and recently helped install a temporary course at a minor league baseball field this summer.

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Brodie Smith has extended his contract with Discraft by two years, keeping him with the Michigan manufacturer through 2022.

“After an incredible first year I’m looking forward to the future,” Smith said in his announcement. “I think it’s safe to say now…I’m going to be slinging them discs for a long time!”

Smith joined the PDGA in late 2019 and is currently rated 996. He has a B-tier win from the Magnolia Open, and nine top 10 finishes from 19 events. His highest Elite Series finish was 70th at the Great Lakes Open.

Paul McBeth is the proud new owner of a convertible McLaren 570S Spider, a luxury sports car that sells at retail starting at $208,800.

McBeth shared a picture of both a delivery trailer and the 2019 model year McLaren — black with red trim — on his Instagram story. McBeth confirmed to Ultiworld Disc Golf that he bought the car new from a dealership in Michigan, where Discraft is headquartered. (more…)

Former PDGA Radio co-host and 2015 PDGA Rookie of the Year Sara Sinclair is moving from Innova to Prodigy Discs for the 2021 season.

“I was incredibly flattered when Michael Sullivan reached out letting me know he has been following my journey over the past 18 months as I have experienced lots of personal growth in health, fitness and nutrition as well as my work around female empowerment and authenticity,” said Sinclair in her announcement.

“The biggest challenge for me will be switching up my discs after throwing Innova for about a decade, but I can’t wait to try some new plastic and start building my bag!”

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Citing injury, frustration, and an ill-timed parking lot fender-bender, Simon Lizotte is ending his season early and withdrawing from this week’s Disc Golf Pro Tour Championship.

“Since last weekend my elbow has been feeling worse and I had to quit a practice round yesterday. I should have taken a break way earlier,” said Lizotte in a Facebook post. “After weeks and weeks of feeling like nothing is working, I’ve come to a point [where] going home feels like my last option. I tried to push through and make things happen.”

Lizotte finished 69th at last week’s USDGC. It was the second year in a row he failed to cash at the major.

Paige Pierce became the first Open Women’s player to reach a PDGA player rating of 990 or higher with the October 2020 rating update. She is rated 991.

On the Open side, Calvin Heimburg reached a career high rating of 1052, becoming only the fourth player in history to reach a rating of 1050 or higher. All four of those players are currently in the 1050 club, with Ricky Wysocki also hitting a career high rating of 1052, and Eagle McMahon matching those two at 1052 as well. Paul McBeth remains the highest-rated player at 1058

Here are the round one feature cards for the 2020 US Disc Golf Championships in Rock Hill, SC:

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Here are the round one feature cards for the 2020 Women’s National Championship in Rock Hill, SC:

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Former USDGC champion Nate Sexton announced today that he would be withdrawing from the 2020 event due to an injury sustained during practice over the weekend.

“I threw a forehand and strained a muscle down here on my side,” Sexton said. “Was hopeful that I would be able to recover in time. Tried Aleve, ice, ultrasound, electro [stimulation], rest — body’s just not doing it.”

Sexton said he attempted to see how his body felt on Tuesday but was unable to throw a full power forehand. He said will be providing on-course analysis for the USDGC livestream, however.

Along with the Jonesboro Open, the Texas State Disc Golf Championship last weekend was one of the final chances to qualify for this week’s USDGC. Five players earned their spots for the 2020 event.

Champion Bradley Williams is already en route to Rock Hill, and he was joined by G.T. Hancock, Caleb Wilkins, George Castillo, and Coda Hatfield in qualifying from the tournament.

Valerie Mandujano won the Open Women’s side of Texas States.