Rain punished competitors during the second round of the LWS Open at Idlewild. Photo: DGPT

FPO Sees Lead Changes with Familiar Final Result

Wet. “Dry.” (Very) Wet again. - That was every FPO player’s round on Saturday. 

Conditions continue to challenge the field as mud and rain create slick footing and frustrating scenarios in the Bluegrass State.

Hansen Continues Her Time Atop the Leaderboard.

Up. Down. Up again - That was Ella Hansen’s round on Saturday.

The FPO co-leader started the round in solo first. Then, Hansen approached hole two, a 601-foot par four combining a tight, OB-lined fairway off the tee, a water carry for the second throw, and a treacherous sloping green leading again to OB water. She walked off the hole with a quadruple-bogey eight. She followed that with a bogey on hole three. And another on hole six. 

Hole 2 at Idlewild is playing as the most difficult hole for the FPO field. Photo: DGPT / Caddie Book

Things were looking bleak for Hansen as her position in the field plummeted. But Hansen persisted, clawing her way back up the leaderboard, supported by stringing together three birdies in a row on holes seven, eight, and nine. Furthermore, Hansen was again the only player in the FPO field to birdie hole 12. 

Ella Hansen battled back into a share of the lead heading into Championship Sunday. Photo: DGPT

Contenders Push for Lead Card Bid

Catrina Allen will join Hansen at the top of the field for the final round. Allen’s one-under second round is the only under-par round shot by a competitor in the FPO field so far. When asked how she will attack the final round with favorable conditions in the forecast, Allen joked, “I don’t know, maybe I need some more rain.” It seems like the rain again failed to cool hot hands on the course in Idlewild.

Catrina Allen looks to earn her second Elite Series victory. Photo: DGPT

Alexis Mandujano, who jumped seven spots to tied for third, will join Ohn Scoggins to round out the FPO lead card. She gets the lead card nod over Macie Velediaz by virtue of her lower PDGA number.

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MPO Scorches Idlewild

Hot rounds got hotter on the MPO side. 

In round one, Isaac Robinson and Gannon Buhr answered Idlewild’s test with an 11-under opening round. Today, the Kentucky woods met their match as Robinson shot a 12-under. He was joined by Chris Dickerson who matched the effort from the third card. 

Robinson, Dickerson, and Buhr will be joined by James Conrad for the final day lead card.

Squeaky Clean Play

Buhr’s first-day feat of going bogey-free sprung up again today as the 17-year-old’s second scorecard was also free of offending bogey marks. Gavin Rathbun also turned in a scorecard free of bogeys, finishing the round at five-under par. 

Gannon Buhr has two bogey-free rounds in Idlewild. Photo: PDGA / Digital Scorecard Share

Gavin Rathbun took down round two without any bogeys. Photo: PDGA / Digital Scorecard Share

Final Thoughts

As Robinson exited the course, he spoke with Disc Golf Network’s Terry Miller. Under the media tent and in the sight of no less than five cameras, Robinson’s interview concluded with a simple question - “Is there anything else you’d like to share as we sign off?”

“Thank you,” Robinson responded. “Thank you to all the fans that braved the weather and came out today. It means a lot.”

Isaac Robinson shares smiles and thanks after his second round. Photo: PDGA Media / Danny Voss

The gracious leader will look to defend his three-throw lead tomorrow as the LWS Open at Idlewild concludes.

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