An AF Tournament Profile
Thursday April 20th through
Championship Sunday April 23rd
A PDGA Major Tournament
aka
Champs
Tournament Director: Nate Heinold
Assistant TD: Jamie Kemp
Team: PDGA
Headquarters
Title Sponsor: Bushnell
Course in play in 2023:
W.R. Jackson
Memorial Course
Course Designer(s):
John Houck
Zach Schaefer (redesign for 2017 Worlds)
Established 2007
International Disc Golf Center (IDGC) is situated in
Wildwood Park, which includes 3 championship courses
Champions Cup is located in Columbia County, GA
2nd annual Champions Cup in Georgia
18 hole course playing 4 rounds
during 4 day event = 72 holes in play
Cement tees with Innova DISCatcher baskets
WR Jackson is a long, challenging, woodsy course. Not much elevation change, but shots require great accuracy. Fairways play fair, and the rough is rough. The way disc golf was meant to be played, according to the PDGA.
FPO plays 12 different tees from the MPO 18
FPO par 67 on the 9047 foot WR Jackson
MPO par 66 on the 10,392 WRJ
Hole Lengths MPO
• 7 par 3’s = 297 to 432 feet
• 10 par 4’s = 588 to 744 feet
• 1 par 5 = 990 feet
Hole Lengths FPO
• 7 par 3’s = 296 to 390 feet
• 9 par 4’s = 510 to 660 feet
• 2 par 5’s = 645 and 861 feet
The Team and Event History
In an event that’s unlike most on the pro tour, the team that makes it happen is unlike other local disc golf clubs. Team PDGA is the governing organization for disc golf around the globe. This is the team that guides other TD’s in planning, sanctioning and operating their Pro and Am events. And this team’s clubhouse is the IDGC, home of the “Steady Ed” Headrick Memorial, along with the Disc Golf Hall of Fame.
Never forget your roots. The museum depicts the evolution of the game, with emphasis on how it disc golf started. Influenced by golf, and inspired by Frisbees. The IDGC is home to original artifacts within the sport, as well as works of art among those inspired by the sport.
The roots are the people. Be that the immortal Steady Ed, the devoted Jim Palmeri, the excellent Vanessa Chambers or the cast of hundreds that followed. Before Wildwood Park hosted Champions Cup, it was site to the Disc Golf Hall of Fame Classic, annual tournaments from 2003 through 2019. A PDGA event that paid tribute and gratitude to the distinguished members of its Hall of Fame.
Expand scope. Internationally. Growing the sport has been a mission for many ambassadors of the game. There are courses on most continents, tournaments in many countries, and pro tours outside the US. The popular pro tour that has captured great attention in recent years from fantasy disc golfers has 15 US national tour Elite tournaments and 3 or so Major events. For super fans, the game has clearly elevated in stature with better access to viewing elite pros. And we’re now living in an era where live broadcasts of pro tour events are occurring outside the American continent.
Fantasy disc golf, standard leagues, now include 2 events from the European Tour. And an option at start of year to base a league around the European pro tour. What’s this have to do with Champions Cup? This prestigious, albeit relatively new, Major brings together the prominent champions from US Elite and Major events, along with national champions from a half dozens other countries. Add to that, champions from 8 European events. In 2024, that expands to 11 European Tour (ET) events.
Course Updates for 2023 Event
The in-person viewing of prominent events on tour is growing significantly. As noted on other profiles from 2023, today’s elite level TD’s are tweaking courses with the spectator in mind. And the woodsy WR Jackson, is latest example to be re-worked just enough to let the on-site fan enjoy the action.
Hole 18 is now a fan-friendly finishing hole, which means viewing added action from tee 1 is improved. Hole 18 basket gets a bit longer while tee 14 for MPO gets a bit shorter, but changes from par 5 to par 4, at 736 feet. In 2022, the inaugural Champions Cup, just 4 FPO scored under par for the event, while MPO winner was nearly 40 under par. That changes in 2023, with 3 shorter pin positions on holes 6, 11 and 13 that are intended to be more attackable par 3’s. But the FPO challenge is still there. Take hole 1 as prime example where it’s a 660 foot par 4 for MPO. Oh and a 660 foot par 4 for FPO as well.
Hit the Links
- Champions Cup tournament section within PDGA website
- PDGA Event page
- UDisc Live page
- PDGA Caddy Book link
- 2022 Highlight Reels
- During tourney
- Bill Wallis Dedication Memorial
- Event highlights
- During tourney
- 2023 Highlight Reels
- MPO – Round 1 – Front 9 (JomezPro)
- FPO – Round 1 – Front 9 – Feature card (ARP)
- MPO – Round 1 – Back 9 (JomezPro)
- FPO – Round 2 – Front 9 (JomezPro)
- MPO – Round 2 – Back 9 (JomezPro)
- FPO – Round 3 – Front 9 – Featured Card (ARP)
- MPO – Final Round – Back 9 (JomezPro)
- FPO – Final Round – Back 9 (JomezPro)
Nearby Attractions
The International Disc Golf Center is the nearest, best attraction in the area. 2700 sq.ft. of must visit fun and information regarding the best sport ever. And since we are talking about PDGA headquarters, with its museum, hall of fame and 3 world class courses, there’s good food to be had nearby. There’s a Maryland Fried Chicken (southern cuisine) within a couple miles for sit down, or Pollard’s gas station, at intersection before the course, has some of the best breakfast to go food around the area.
20 miles to the south and east of Wildwood Park is August, GA. There is usually plenty of lodging there as well southern hospitality. Yet, for those who love camping, Wildwood Park has that. Or just 5 miles west is Mistletoe State Park for camping and cabins.
Photo Credits
Tournament logo, photos and spectator map
courtesy of PDGA media
How Champs fits within the 2023 Pro Tour
- 9th Prominent event of the 2023 season.
- First PDGA tournament of the year
- after Blue Ridge Championship (Silver)
- before Jonesboro Open (Elite)
- Third of 4 events on the early 2023 southeast leg of the season
- Champs does play in standard re-draft and season fantasy leagues
How Many Pros Play
- For 2022, the FPO field was 40
- 38 were 900 or better rated
- In 2023, 47 played in FPO
- 43 of those are 900+ rated (91%)
- 30 of the 47 were 940+ rated (64%)
- For MPO in 2022, 100 played
- 97 were 1000+ rated
- the other 3 were 990+
- 97 were 1000+ rated
- In 2023, 108 played MPO
- 101 of those are 1000+ rated (94%)
- 31 of the 108 were 1025+ rated (29%)
- 2023 Champs combined field was 155 pros
- 16th largest combined field out of 33 events tracked in 2023
- Tied for 17th largest MPO field
- Tied for 12th largest field of 2023 for FPO
FPO Best Average Finish
in Past 5 Years
*Updated with 2023 results
| Order | pre 2023 | FPO Player | Avg Finish | Times Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UR | Kristin Tattar | 1.5 | 2 |
| 2 | 3 | Catrina Allen | 3.7 | 3 |
| T3 | UR | Ohn Scoggins | 3.0 | 2 |
| T3 | 2 | Sarah Hokom | 4.0 | 3 |
| 5 | UR | Kat Mertsch | 8.5 | 2 |
| 6 | UR | Henna Blomroos | 9.5 | 2 |
| 7 | 1 | Paige Pierce | 10.7 | 3 |
| 8 | 4 | Lisa Fajkus | 11.3 | 3 |
| 9 | 11 | Hailey King | 12.3 | 3 |
| 10 | 7 | Missy Gannon | 12.5 | 2 |
| 11 | 9 | Jessica Weese | 15.0 | 3 |
| 12 | 5 | Paige Shue | 16.0 | 2 |
| Kristin Tattar is the current Champion. Paige Pierce won in 2022, and Hokom won HOFC in 2019. | ||||
| In the past 5 years, there's been the 3 events. So 3 is the most played in above list, and minimum of 2 played to qualify. | ||||
MPO Best Average Finish
in Past 5 Years
*Updated with 2023 results
| Order | Pre 2023 | MPO Player | Avg Finish | Times Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Chris Dickerson | 5.0 | 3 |
| 2 | UR | Matt Orum | 5.0 | 2 |
| 3 | 5 | Calvin Heimburg | 6.7 | 3 |
| 4 | UR | Gannon Buhr | 6.0 | 2 |
| 5 | UR | Niklas Anttila | 7.5 | 2 |
| 6 | 4 | Eagle McMahon | 8.0 | 2 |
| 7 | 5 | James Conrad | 10.3 | 3 |
| 8 | UR | Mason Ford | 9.5 | 2 |
| 9 | UR | Isaac Robinson | 10.0 | 2 |
| 10 | 9 | Joel Freeman | 15.3 | 3 |
| 11 | 3 | Paul McBeth | 14.5 | 2 |
| 12 | UR | Chris Clemons | 17.0 | 3 |
| In past 5 years, WRJ has hosted elite events in 2023 and 2022 (Champions Cup), along with 2019 (HOFC). For the above list, 3 is most amount played, 2 is minimum to qualify for this list. | ||||
| Isaac Robinson is current Champ, Chris Dickerson won in 2022. Calvin Heimburg won in 2019 | ||||
2023 Results – Top Finishes
| FPO PLAYER | 2023 PLACE |
|---|---|
| Kristin Tattar | 1st |
| Ohn Scoggins | 2nd |
| Catrina Allen | 3rd |
| Hailey King | 3rd |
| Kat Mertsch | 3rd |
| MPO PLAYER | 2023 PLACE |
|---|---|
| Isaac Robinson | 1st |
| Eagle McMahon | 2nd |
| Niklas Anttila | 2nd |
| Silas Schultz | 4th |
| Matt Orum | 5th |
| Mason Ford | 5th |
Best Fantasy Picks
(based on re-draft format with 6000 cap)
