Who will be the next first time winner?

[glassila]

It's extremely unlikely that a real "unknown" could ever win a DGPT tournament, but do you think they could finish in the top 10 or possibly make the podium?


(I think it would take a local player having a dream weekend on a short, tight, flukey course)

 

[BuiltTooLong]

It's extremely unlikely that a real "unknown" could ever win a DGPT tournament, but do you think they could finish in the top 10 or possibly make the podium?


(I think it would take a local player having a dream weekend on a short, tight, flukey course)

Robert Burridge almost taking down the Des Moines Challenge last year was about as close as I can recall. Perhaps up for debate if he was a real "unknown" or not, but I was not familiar with his game at the time.

 

[biscoe]

It's extremely unlikely that a real "unknown" could ever win a DGPT tournament, but do you think they could finish in the top 10 or possibly make the podium?


(I think it would take a local player having a dream weekend on a short, tight, flukey course)

Top 10 yes, podium probably not. It's much more likely in FPO imo.

On the women's side I would have called Caroline Henderson an unknown a few months ago and she was top 10 at Vegas. Anniken Steen is certainly an unknown here in the US and she was 5th at Waco.

On the men's side Connor Rock, Parker Welck, Mason Marchbanks and Luke Taylor have all finished in the top 20 at Elite events this year. I knew who Taylor was before but not the others.

Gavin Babcock was unknown prior to finishing 5th at Champion's Cup last year.

I don't think it is about a local player having a good weekend- more about young players out on tour for the first time having a good weekend. There are so many young guys with so much talent that it is likely to occur eventually.

 

[EllEstar]

I dont know how that stat is calculated but I assume its by all participants. If you would look at , lets say, only the top 20 rated players it might be a different story?

The biggest factor is number of players above a certain rating attending, that rating is around 1025-1030 for mpo but changes based field performance over the long haul.

So Calvin and James Conrad count the same in a way.

It also takes into consideration a) the number of decent players (above ~1015-1020), b) the number of mediocre players (above 1000), c) the number of players and d) the average rating of the field.

So like having the top 50 guys in the world at an event and noone else would give you top marks for 2-3 conditions and probably judge the field to be hyper competitive, even though it's small.

And since the biggest source of points can only come from the top 20-40 players in the world you can't have a high ranking in their system without many or most of them in attendance.

That said, if Calvin, Paul, Ricky, Gannon, Eagle, Dickerson and Simon were all out with injury from Worlds this year, it would probably still be the top, or at least top 3, event of the year according to their ranking, because everyone else qould be there.

 

[glassila]

After round 1 of the Blue Ridge Championship the highest performing player without a profile picture is Wyatte Mahoney at -2, tied for 19th. (I have yet to recognize a player's name that didn't have a profile photo )

But seriously, I'd call Harper Thompson at -6, tied for 2nd an unknown...at least he is a total unknown to me. Of course there are still 2 more rounds to play.

Maybe a better question would be, could a sub 1000 or 1010 rated player finish in the top 10 at a DGPT tournament since the term "unknown" is just too hard to define.

 

[Flick Maniac]

Yeah I think rating makes more sense... Dont know how oxymorous a "nobody 1030 rated player" is but evidently they got game even if nobody knows of them. But for example a sub 1000-player winning, thatd be a story.

 

[Flick Maniac]

Presumably doing so would impact the European Open even further.

I dont know. Cant be bothered to qo crunch the numbers but I feel like a big chunk of the top dogs (and lesser chunk of cats) are there. But not the hordes of, lets say 1010-1020 rated US based players vs when on home soil and not having to travel overseas.

I am presuming like hell here. Are there hordes? I kinda feel like that has been the trend. I know 1000 is nothing nowadays. Used to be more of a big deal when I started 12 years ago.

 

[Mist Mando]

Who had their moneys on Keith?

Gossage could do it if he got a little more consistent at putting. Barela could do it if he got a little more consistent overall. I was going to say Gurthie could do it if he changed his putting stroke, but he got one in 2019, so I guess he doesn't have to.

I'm always rooting for Anttila, Orum, and Gilbert, but the latter hasn't been finishing great lately.

 

[aren]

I'm always rooting for Anttila, Orum, and Gilbert, but the latter hasn't been finishing great lately.

My money's on Niklas being the next first-time winner. He seems like he has the mental fortitude and all-around game to make it happen.

 

[lrshooter12]

I thought I had seen Keith win one before, but either way it was a first for Lone Star. Very cool for them.
Do any other manufacturers with a full lineup not have an elite series win?

 

[PastorofMuppets]

I thought I had seen Keith win one before, but either way it was a first for Lone Star. Very cool for them.
Do any other manufacturers with a full lineup not have an elite series win?

Kastaplast, Clash, Mint (depending on your definition of "full" lineup) don't have one that I can recall. Millenium maybe (based on whether or not your count Innova players who use Millenium discs or are partly sponsored by them like Barsby, Calvin, Philo) and maybe Legacy and RPM. Then you've got side manufacturers paired with big ones like Thought Space, Streamline, Axiom, type companies that are semantics over whether you include them or not.

 

[ChrisWoj]

I thought I had seen Keith win one before, but either way it was a first for Lone Star. Very cool for them.
Do any other manufacturers with a full lineup not have an elite series win?

His 2019 pre-Worlds Mid-America Open victory was pretty high-profile IMO. Especially with how it was a prelude to his great performance at Worlds.

 

[@CD-]

Kastaplast, Clash, Mint (depending on your definition of "full" lineup) don't have one that I can recall. Millenium maybe (based on whether or not your count Innova players who use Millenium discs or are partly sponsored by them like Barsby, Calvin, Philo) and maybe Legacy and RPM. Then you've got side manufacturers paired with big ones like Thought Space, Streamline, Axiom, type companies that are semantics over whether you include them or not.

Kastaplast - Luke Samson won a wrap around Silver event late last year
Legacy - Sarah Hokom won multiple events while sponsored by Legacy (mixed bag?) prior to her current MVP deal
Millennium - Brinster, Barsby, Heimburg were all secondary sponsorships at the times they won Majors/NTs/Elite events with only a couple Millennium molds in their bags usually. Barsby may have more now that he is the team captain. Calvin has a couple signature molds now (Draco & Vela) and is throwing the Quasar a lot.
Infinite Discs - similar to Millennium, Gurthie & Oliva both have won with secondary sponsorships.

I would differentiate Thought Space/Mint as standalone brands from Streamline/Axiom in house MVP brands. There are not separate Streamline or Axiom teams listed on their sites, only the MVP site has a team page. If Mason Ford or James Proctor or Eric Oakley win then they would not be credited to MVP.

Hard to say how much credit should go to each manufacturer these mixed bag or secondary sponsorships should get for a win. Some relationships are pretty close for the secondary sponsor brands that contract their manufacturing to the primary player sponsors.

 

[PastorofMuppets]

I agree. It can be debated as do we include secondary sponsors, mixed bag, partner companies etc.

I knew about Luke's win (and wasn't counting it since it was Silver Event and not an Elite Series) but, again that's debateable, additionally debateable because Kastaplast players can bag 4 discs from any manufacturer.
I wasn't in the sport long enough to remember Sarah Hokom with Legacy but that makes sense. And for Millennium like I mentioned initially are we counting Innova players with secondary Millenium deals who bag a few molds? I left Infinite off my list because Drew Gibson won Vegas last year (I think), and again that is an open bag winner which sparks debate.

I do enjoy the debate though on the odds of an "open bag" player winning worlds (MPO or FPO) in the current environment. If you can choose any disc you want and aren't limited by one manufacturer, shouldn't you be able to have the "best" disc on the market for every slot, and by proxy, perform better? I know my subtle sarcasm won't come through in text, but it's there. As we know, most players capable of winning a world title these days are locked down under contract by a manufacturer. But it'd be interesting to see an open bag player make a run.

 

[Mist Mando]

Brinster had major wins in 2004 and 2013, but only joined Millennium in 2014 (sources: PDGA, internet). I would definitely count Calvin though.

(I'm counting wins designated M, NT or ES tier, and A-tier wins identified as Pro Tour.)

 

[@CD-]

Brinster had major wins in 2004 and 2013, but only joined Millennium in 2014 (sources: PDGA, internet). I would definitely count Calvin though.

(I'm counting wins designated M, NT or ES tier, and A-tier wins identified as Pro Tour.)

Ah, wasn't playing DG back then but I do have a couple of the Q Sentinels Millennium ran for his USDGC win in 2013. He also got a commemorative run of Omega SS at one point. Both Sentinels and Omega SS in his bag for the USDGC win.


Millennium's original founders (Duvall & Houck) had a very close relationship with Innova so probably not as much sponsorship until the new ownership took over in 2011 (Discs Unlimited owners).

 

[glassila]

Cole Redalen, Anthony Barela and Ezra Aderhold are great players, but just miss a few too many putts when they are in a position to win.
The players that win a lot (Heimburg, Eagle, Buhr, Ricky, Lizotte, et al) just don't miss many putts when they are in a position to win.
I'd love to see Cole Redalen, Anthony Barela or Ezra Aderhold get a win though.

(Barela did win the Challenge at Goat Hill in 2020, but that was a very weak field.)

 

[porkturtle]

Cole Redalen, Anthony Barela and Ezra Aderhold are great players, but just miss a few too many putts when they are in a position to win.
The players that win a lot (Heimburg, Eagle, Buhr, Ricky, Lizotte, et al) just don't miss many putts when they are in a position to win.
I'd love to see Cole Redalen, Anthony Barela or Ezra Aderhold get a win though.

(Barela did win the Challenge at Goat Hill in 2020, but that was a very weak field.)

Cole's been knocking at the door. He's been on a bunch of feature cards this year so far. I can see him grabbing a win before those other two and I wouldn't be surprised. Big Jerm has talked him up in the past. We shall see...

 

[foxdawg10]

My vote goes to Cole Redalen. As confident as this dude looks, and his skills, it is only a matter of time.

 

[porkturtle]

....good exposure for DGA as well. When was the last big win for someone on MPO sponsored by DGA?