Story: AllThingsDiscGolf.com,  Photo: Stu Mullenberg, The Flight Record

They say it is not how you start, but how you finish. For Paul McBeth #27523 and Simon Lizotte #8332, that phrase proved correct during the first round of the 2016 La Mirada Open. 

Playing in the final group of the day, McBeth rode a hot putter to put himself in a one shot lead after his 52 (-11) to open up the three-day tournament. The four-time PDGA World Champion has company with Lizotte trailing by one after the long distance champion used a great short game to finish with a 53 (-10). 

After a slow start, Holes 8-13 proved kind to McBeth thanks to well placed drives and even better putting leading to five birdies over those six holes.

Moving forward, McBeth hit a putting groove and nailed three straight long putts before hitting an easy birdie on Hole 18 to close with the hot round of the afternoon. 

After the round McBeth said he didn’t feel like he played that great, “I had a lot of sloppy play. I made up for it with the outside the circle putts. If I can clean it up a little bit, I can make it a little easier on myself.”

Sitting in second place, Lizotte carried momentum into Round Two thanks to a hot finish of birdies on the three final holes and five of the last seven to close the round. 

Lizotte believes he left some shots out on the course, “I could have shot eight birdies on the back, but fluffed two approaches which should have been easy for me after nice drives, but I guess I have to leave some room for improvement.” 

Playing on the same card, Devan Owens #25168 and Zach Melton #38631 battled their way to a tie for third with a pair of 54s (-9). Owens was consistent from start to finish with only one bogey to go along with 10 pars. 

Melton found his groove on the front nine with birdies on seven of the first eight holes. His round was slowed due to three penalty strokes over the course of the rest of the round.

As the only female in the event, Catrina Allen #44184 came into the tournament wanting to prove she can compete with the top male disc golfers in the world. Thanks to two straight birdies to end the round, Allen finished with a 64 (+1) to put herself in a tie for 44th. 

“This round felt ok. Not as consistent as I like to play. A little more up and down,” Allen said. “It felt like every time I had a birdie I’d follow it with a bogey. I still have room for improvement and just need to make a few adjustments.”

The second of three rounds takes place Friday at the La Mirada Disc Golf Course. The live video broadcast will begin at 2:30 p.m. (PST). For a full broadcast schedule and complete standings, visit DiscGolfWorldTour.com.

Current Leaderboard
1. Paul McBeth -11
2. Simon Lizotte -10
3. Devan Owens (-9)
3. Zach Melton (-9)
5. Ricky Wysocki (-8)
6. Philo Brathwaite (-7)
6. Bobby Musick (-7)
8. Patrick Brown (-6)
9. Dana Vicich (-5)
9. Kyle Webster (-5)
9. Steven Rico (-5)

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