Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Clash has largest field of year, lots of changes

The Carolina Clash hosted by Dynamic Discs fielded one of the largest fields in NC history this past weekend as 198 players played - in just the NC Series Divisions. Wow! Players from all over the country came to Charlotte to compete hoping to get some practice before the World Championships are held there later this year.

The Open Division looked more like an A Tier with some of the names in the field. Nate Doss. Eric McCabe. Jeremy Koling. Ricky Wysocki. Cam Todd. Yeah, that's 3 pro world champions, an am world champion and the PDGA Champion. Wowzers.

Ricky Wysocki held off Nate Doss to win the event and pick up 50 points in the effort. Being from South Carolina, Wysocki might sneak in to the hunt in the NC Series as we expect him to travel North again as the year progresses. Terry Gallops kept up his perfect attendance and continues to lead over Jeremy Koling. Michael Johansen moved into third with his impressive third place finish.

In the Masters, South Carolina resident Matt Peckham made it two for two winning his second NC Series event of the year. However he is still well behind Jeff Baldwin, Brian McRee and Chris Lee, who all appeared in action at the Clash as well. Baldwin's, who along with Gallops has perfect attendance, lead shurnk slightly after finishing 4th. Brian McRee moved into second thanks to his third place finish.

In advanced, the top three finishers - Brad Ramsey, Paul Preist and Mark Huether, might be the three favorites heading to the Worlds this summer, especially after their performance at this event on three of the world's courses. However Matt Gill, finishing 7th, adding 35 points to his 50 from the win at Buckhorn and jumped into the lead as the advanced lead changes for the first time since New Bern.

In interemediate series leader Ryan Kastle returned to the intermediate division and increased his lead with a 15th place finish. Will Kastle return to advanced - where he competed in Buckhorn - or try and win the series? If he doesn't stay in intermediate, it might be Mike Norris' to lose. Norris currently sits in 3rd, only 32 behind Kastle and is scheduled to compete this weekend in Rocky Mount. Zachary Anders trails Kastle by 26 and is in second.

The series has three big weeks over the next four. Rocky Mount is the first in this very important trio of events. The series then takes a break for Easter before heading to Raleigh for the Dogwood Crosstown and then back east to Wilmington for the Azeala Tournament. It's anyone's game!

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Wiggins wins Statesville, moves up

The story in the NC Series after event four in Statesville was David Wiggins, Jr. The 16 year old phenom held off a field that included the two highest rated players in NC (Cam Todd and Michael Johansen) and current series leader Terry Gallops. Despite Johansen shooting a 1091 round and Todd shooting a 1069 final round, Wiggins, Jr.'s consistent play (no rounds worse than 1023) led him to his first series win of the year. This win jumped him into a tie for third with Brian Schweberger and only 2 points behind Jeremy Koling for second. Gallops perfect attendance and great play still leads and is 79 points ahead of Koling.

In the Masters division, the Jeff Baldwin show continued winning his second series event of the year. Baldwin entered the final round in third place but a solid final round gave him the win just barely getting by Chris Lee and Brian McRee. Baldwin now leads Lee by 57 points and has 99 points on McRee, whose third place finish moved him up into third place in the series.

The advanced division had an entire field of new competitors thus, no changes at the top. However Harrison's Lerario's victory and 50 points puts him in 4th place just 20 points behind leader Kurt Hodnett. As more events occur throughout the year, this division may be the closest of them all as 43 people are within 50 points of the lead.

In intermediate, series leader Ryan Kastle was in attendance, just in the advanced division. Robet Randleman put up 4 solid rounds to take the 50 points and put himself in 5th place in the series. David McClelland's seventh place finish in the event moved him from 57th all the way to 18th for the biggest move!

The 5th event of the series could be the biggest of year as we stay in the West for the Carolina Clash.