Originally published at: https://discgolf.ultiworld.com/2021/07/31/the-preserve-championship-1080-rated-day-gives-wysocki-opening-round-lead/
Ricky Wysocki at the 2020 Preserve Championship. Photo: DGPT
A redesign of the Black Bear layout at the Airborn Disc Golf Preserve didn’t stop the top of the field from shredding on day one of the Preserve Championship in Clearwater, Minnesota.
- Ricky Wysocki started his quest for a second DGPT victory of the season in a big way by making nine straight Circle 1X putts. He added a C2 make on hole 10 and another C1X on 11 before finally being able to tap-out a hole. He rode the 100% putting performance from inside 33 feet to a 15-under par, 1083-rated opening round and a three stroke advantage over the field. Wysocki is more than halfway to his final total at last year’s event where he finished in 17th place at 29-under par.
- Earning himself another lead card at an Elite Series event is Gavin Rathbun, whose 12-under par round ties him in second place with Paul McBeth. Rathbun finished with seven straight birdies, the only player to do so in the top 25, and will be looking to clean up a couple two-putts that dogged him in the middle of his round. This is McBeth’s first competitive round at the Preserve, and looks pretty dialed in. He leads the division in strokes gained from tee-to-green (7.64) and finding C1 and C2 in regulation.
- Matt Orum and Eagle McMahon both eagled the final hole to push their scores to 11-under par and a tie in fourth place. Besides two C2 makes for a birdie and eagle, Orum didn’t have to test himself too much on the green, only attempting five C1X putts. McMahon on the other hand was close to Wysocki, making 13-of-14 C1X tries.
- Simon Lizotte finished on the podium here a year ago, but he’s got a hill to climb after 18 holes. He is 3-under par total after two-putting five times and missing all nine of his C2 putts.