Simon Lizotte won his first Elite Series title since the 2018 Memorial Championships. Photo: Kevin Huver/DGPT

Fatherhood seems to be treating Simon Lizotte well.

Lizotte, whose son Emmett just turned 100 days old this week, completed a dramatic return to form with his first Elite Series win since the 2018 Memorial Championships.

In doing so, the 29-year-old Lizotte became just the second man to win an Elite Series event as a father, following Nate Sexton’s win at the 2018 Ledgestone Insurance Open.

It was here at the OTB Open, one year ago, that Lizotte returned to competition after being diagnosed with triceps tendinopathy, an elbow injury that sidelined him following the 2020 United States Disc Golf Championship.

The elbow showed little sign of trouble this week, however, apart from the brace that now routinely adorns his right arm.

Lizotte did most of his damage from distance – he led the field with 20.71 strokes gained tee to green according to Udisc.

Entering the final round with a one-throw lead over Anthony Barela and a tightly packed leaderboard that included big names like Calvin Heimburg and Drew Gibson, it looked like it was still very much anyone’s game.

But Lizotte came out of the gate firing, grabbing a turkey on the first three holes (he was the only MPO player in round 3 to do so) and birdieing four of the first five holes.

Meanwhile, Barela and Heimburg got off to a slow start, opening up a three-throw lead for Lizotte.

Calvin Heimburg matched the hot round (-8) on Sunday to take second place at the 2022 OTB Open. Photo: Kevin Huver/DGPT

Following a similarly hot start to round 2, Lizotte expressed frustration that he was not able to sustain his aggressive mindset into the back nine.

This time, however, Lizotte kept his momentum through the turn, going on a tear that would see him birdie six of seven holes beginning on hole 8, including a clutch putt on hole 11 from circle’s edge heading back to towards the water.

Lizotte, for the third time during the tournament, made a strategic adjustment to his putting style – connecting on a high lofting push putt (which commentator Philo Brathwaite coined Simon’s “dad putt”) rather than his traditional (and riskier) spin putt.

It was a moment that perfectly encapsulated the new controlled aggression that characterized Lizotte’s play throughout the weekend. And, as Lizotte himself put it, “Me being a bit more controlled is going to be dangerous.”   

Following his final putt, Lizotte – always the showman – ran the perimeter of the 18th green high-fiving excited fans in celebration.

It was a fitting end to a return to the winner’s circle for one of disc golf’s most popular champions.