2015 Worlds qualification criteria

[puttlikeablowfly]

The PDGA posted qualification criteria for both the 2015 Pro and Am/Junior World Championships:
http://www.pdga.com/announcements/2015-pdga-worlds-invitation-criteria-posted

The minutes from this year's Spring Summit included a staff recommendation to increase the points required for an invite by 50%, in order to reduce the number of invites. It looks like they followed up on that in some cases. However, they also made it easier in some other cases, plus they added language in a couple of places for Am Worlds to specify having played in an Amateur division in a 2014 tournament.

Am/Junior Qualification Criteria:

1. Top Amateur Points earners of the 2014 PDGA Tour year: Minimum Standards: MA1 750 pts, MM1 250 pts, MG1 75 pts, FA1 15 pts (used to be 500, 200, 50, 15)
2. Junior Divisions - all male and female Amateur members eligible for any Junior division in 2015 who completed any PDGA Tournament (not league) in an Amateur division during the 2014 PDGA tour year. (used to require points for M(F)J 1&2.)
3. Older Divisions - all male Amateur members eligible for Senior Grandmaster or older divisions in 2015 and all female Amateur members eligible for Master or older divisions in 2015, both who completed any PDGA Tournament (not league) in an Amateur division during the 2014 tour year. (FM1 used to require 15 points)
4. International - all current International Amateur members (country other than USA or Canada) who completed a PDGA Tournament (not league) in either an Amateur or Professional division during the 2014 tour year.
5. Canada - all current Canadian Amateur members who completed three (3) PDGA sanctioned tournaments (not leagues) in either an Amateur or Professional division during the 2014 tour year. (I believe Canadians used to be subject to same criteria as US players).
Note: Only Amateur members are invited to Amateur Worlds, and only Amateur points count towards Criteria #1.

Pro Qualification Criteria:
1. Top Pro Points earners during 2014 PDGA Tour: Minimum Requirement: MPO 750 pts, MPM 300 pts, MPG 65 pts, FPO 25 pts (used to be 500, 250, 50, 10)
2. Older Divisions - all male Pro members eligible for the Senior Grandmaster or older divisions in 2015 and all female Pro members eligible for Master or older divisions in 2015, both who have completed any PDGA sanctioned tournament in a Professional division during the 2014 PDGA tour. (FPM used to require points)
Note: Only Pro members are invited to Pro Worlds. Only Pro points count towards Criteria #1.

 

[Romans 5-8]

Wow, now it will even be harder to make it this upcoming year.

 

[bombmk]

As an international member, personally I am not affected. But it seems wrong to me to change it for the 2015 qualification at this time. People might have made decisions about playing/not playing tournaments based on their accumulated points. Probably a very small minority, but still, the fair is fair.

 

[bombmk]

Wow, now it will even be harder to make it this upcoming year.

Problem is they made it harder _this_ year. Towards the end of the season no less. Changing the rules while the game is being played.

I can't really see how that is reasonable.

 

[Ranger Rick]

You still have four months to grab some points, so go out and get it done!

 

[Ranger Rick]

So I have a question: If I turn 50 next year, will I get an invite for MG1 even if I wasn't eligible this year? I'm sitting at 199.5 points at the moment, so enough for MG1 but not enough for MM1. I know I just posted about going out and getting it done, and I will, but just want to make sure I get an MG1 invite because that is where I want to play next year.

 

[Cgkdisc]

The PDGA looks at player age bracket changes and will get you an MG1 invite.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

Problem is they made it harder _this_ year. Towards the end of the season no less. Changing the rules while the game is being played.

I can't really see how that is reasonable.

Its reasonable because at this point 719 MPOs already qualify for Pro Worlds next year. (I'm sure there are an abundance of qualifiers in the other divisions with high demand. MPM, MPG, AM1....) There will probably only be 144 spots available for MPO next year. In reality it is really easy to qualify. I would rather see the disc golfers who play more sanctioned events get priority over those who play less.

 

[scarpfish]

IMHO, they didn't make it hard enough. They should have raised the initial MPO/MA1 standard back to 1000 like it used to be. The current 500 pts. could then be used as a second tier standard. If that doesn't fill, you go to the waiting list.

Even under the new standards, 198 players got enough points to qualify for Am Worlds just by going to Bowling Green. 37 of them did it playing Rec. Several more people got a lion's share of what they would need.

Another 150 players got enough points for Am Worlds at the Glass Blown Open. Almost two-thirds of them doing it in Intermediate.

I think the PDGA needs to address what to do about the points system in regard to these super tournaments.

 

[Halcón]

IMHO, they didn't make it hard enough.

You got it.

 

[Steve West]

I should have played this year. Now I need to scramble to find an extra 9 C-tiers to come in last in MG1 at.

 

[aerodriver]

There should be a change in how many points are dispersed in relation to the number of participants in an event. I believe the current points structure is good for the 72-90 player events across all tiers. With events like Bowling Green and the GBO, they should reclassify them as their own tier of event for Amateurs. Call it Z Tier, a designation for amateur divisions containing over 100 participants, where the points scale is half what a C tier is per player (2 points/person). Hopefully they wouldn't get into fractions or anything. It needs to be fair for everyone participating and those from regions who do not benefit from large-scale Amateur events.

 

[bombmk]

You still have four months to grab some points, so go out and get it done!

As I said; Not a problem for me as far as the practicality of it goes. It is just the concept of making such a change so late in the period that it is covering, that annoys me. Harder, easier - do not matter to me in that respect.

Having people in charge of the rules being able to go "Yep, we are two thirds through the period, lets change the criteria for the points you need to earn in that period for next years worlds" - and not realising "Hmm, maybe that is a year too late?" - matters to me.

Would be easy for me to just go "**** that, it should be even harder. You could just have played more tournaments.". This might not even mess with anyones plans. It is the mere concept that bugs me.

Because next time it might be more than a technical objection and be something that creates a real problem for me.

 

[scarpfish]

There should be a change in how many points are dispersed in relation to the number of participants in an event. I believe the current points structure is good for the 72-90 player events across all tiers. With events like Bowling Green and the GBO, they should reclassify them as their own tier of event for Amateurs. Call it Z Tier, a designation for amateur divisions containing over 100 participants, where the points scale is half what a C tier is per player (2 points/person). Hopefully they wouldn't get into fractions or anything. It needs to be fair for everyone participating and those from regions who do not benefit from large-scale Amateur events.

A simpler way to perhaps go is to leave the points dispersed alone, but do one (or more) of the following...

1. Cap the number of points that can be carried from a single event that can be applied to a World's qualification. (Even if you got 1000 points at a super tournament, only 250 can be applied).
2. Add a second requirement that X number of events have to played (say 5).
3. Instead of making registration first come/first serve, people wishing to go to Worlds would apply to register by putting down a deposit (say $25-50) on their entry fee. There would be no cap on the number of players who could apply. At the end of a set application period, if the number of applications exceeds the number of spots available, players are sorted by the number of points. This way those with the most points get the spots. If you make the cut, you have a set period to pay the balance of the entry fee. If not, you get your deposit back.

 

[Halcón]

Defending champions should get in automatically. Johnny Sias couldn't go this year because he didn't register in time. That shouldn't happen. Or look at MJ, one of the game's highest rated players, put on the wait list.

 

[dobbins66]

In regards to Am Worlds where there are only Juniors, Advanced and age protected Adv divisions - I'd be in favor of seeing only points earned in Advanced divisions(including age protected) counting towards Worlds qualifying. Junior points could still count across all divisions. If you want to play in a Worlds then play at least a few tourneys in Worlds eligible divisions to qualify. This would help with the "Super Tourney" issue.

 

[kingjames1014]

IMHO, they didn't make it hard enough. They should have raised the initial MPO/MA1 standard back to 1000 like it used to be. The current 500 pts. could then be used as a second tier standard. If that doesn't fill, you go to the waiting list.

Even under the new standards, 198 players got enough points to qualify for Am Worlds just by going to Bowling Green. 37 of them did it playing Rec. Several more people got a lion's share of what they would need.

Another 150 players got enough points for Am Worlds at the Glass Blown Open. Almost two-thirds of them doing it in Intermediate.

I think the PDGA needs to address what to do about the points system in regard to these super tournaments.

*raises hand* one of the 37..Guilty as charged

 

[Casual Squishy]

You still have four months to grab some points, so go out and get it done!

More like 2 months, November and December events are pretty scarce especially in the northern U.S. I have enough points and still think it's a little unfair to change it for the next year when most of the tournament season is already past.
I'm sure the PDGA has been discussing it all along after the record time sell outs but making the announcement this late could effect quite a few players who thought they had enough points already and now have to scramble to make up the difference. But that only effects next year and it is a needed change overall.

 

[Rob Martin]

Overall it was a needed step. Timing could have been better.

I think a two criteria qualification is needed.

For example, I'll use MM1 - Advanced Masters because that is the division I played in at Emporia Worlds. For 2013 and 2014 I had to have 200 points to be invited. For 2015 I need 250 points to be invited. So far this year, I already have 569 points, more than double what I need. I suspect I'll end up with over 700 before the year is done. But, current player rating is 833. My rating when I was invited to 2013 Worlds was 828. That's pathetic. I felt like the Jamaican bobsled team. I went, but there really was no chance for me to compete. Don't get me wrong, I had a blast and will go again if I'm financially able to.

The tiers should be both rating and points. Something like, for MM1, you have to have a player rating of 900 and 250 points to be in the first tier invitation. After 15 days, if not sold out, then the next tear of 850 rating and 250 points. After 15 days, rating of 825 or 200 points. Something like that.

As a championship the best should qualify.

 

[KenTyburski]

Since this is a Worlds Qualification thread, forgive me if this is a silly question...

What time period qualifies as the "2014 PDGA Tour"? Invite to invite? Pro Worlds to invite? 2014 calendar year?

I'm a little fuzzy on how to plan for 2016, considering this criteria gives me only a minuscule chance of qualifying for Pittsburgh.