Originally published at: https://discgolf.ultiworld.com/2022/04/14/ultiworld-disc-golf-fpo-power-rankings-champions-cup-edition-april-14-2022/
It’s great to be back at W.R. Jackson. It’s even better to be here in the spring with a full field. And the best bit? We’ve got a major title on the line.
Paige Pierce has won here in the past and is coming off her first DGPT victory of the year. Catrina Allen has won here in the past and already has an Elite Series and Silver Series trophy on the wall. Valerie Mandujano hasn’t won here but got the taste for winning on tour in Waco and wants more. 2019 USWDGC champ Kristin Tattar has been oh so close at every event this year. Will this be the weekend she gets her first W of 2022? Hailey King is back in action after a longer-than-planned hiaitus. Will the extra time training in the Charlotte woods pay dividends this weekend? The excitement is palpable.
We’ve tallied up our ballots and got ’em ranked. Who’s your pick to win?
Methodology: We combine an algorithmic objective ranking with subjective ballots submitted by UWDG staff. The algorithm uses a standardized scoring model to compare elite events, awards competition, and cash bonuses, and features a decay function that gradually phases out past results.
Read notes and stats on the top 10 and others in the field with an Ultiworld Disc Golf subscription.
Notes on the Top 10
The ‘recent unweighted’ category below includes the last 10 rounds from Elite Series, cumulative stroke play tournaments in 2022: Texas State Disc Golf Championship, Waco Annual Charity Open, Las Vegas Challenge.
[table id=233 /]
Field Notes
Sarah Hokom (#13) won the last competitive tilt at W.R. Jackson when she took down the 2019 Hall of Fame Classic. That weekend she averaged 999-rated golf over three rounds. Hokom has gotten off to a bit of a slow start in 2022, only finishing inside of the top 10 at Silver Series events, but don’t sleep on her in Appling. We know she can shred in the woods, and the more course knowledge you have at the gem of the IDGC, the better.
Ella Hansen (#16) came out of the gates hot with a 6th place finish at the Las Vegas Challenge (17 spots higher than in 2021) but hasn’t been in contention at the other Elite Series stops so far. It is worth noting that Hansen didn’t play the Texas swing last year, so Brazos East and Lindsey Park were new to her in 2022. I’ll be interested to see how her performance on courses she played last year compares to the new stops as the season progresses.
All of us here at Ultiworld Disc Golf hope that some time away from the tour helps Heather Young (#24) find the peace of mind she’s looking for, whether that means rejoining the tour or pursuing something new. We’ll miss seeing her stare daggers at the chains and cashing putts like it’s no thing.