05.18.15

Paul McBeth simply continues to roll. As the PDGA National Tour made its stop in Santa Cruz this weekend, all eyes were on Paul as the man to beat. Not only is McBeth the world’s #1 ranked player, he was also coming into this event as the 3-time (2012, 2013, and 2014) and defending Masters Cup Champion. Beating McBeth at DeLa would be no easy task.

One of those who came prepared for the task was Nate Doss. Nate would match Paul’s opening round of 63 which would tie them for the lead. Doss is no stranger to DeLaveaga. Not only did he grow up in the area, Nate won his third World Championship title in Santa Cruz back in 2011. While Doss has not won a Masters Cup in his career, he certainly has the game and the experience to get it done.

Photo courtesy of PDGA.com

Doss managed to pull ahead of McBeth by one with a second round of 66, setting the stage for an exciting final round showdown. On Sunday McBeth applied immediate pressure with birdies on 6 of the first 9 holes. A string of 5 consecutive gave Paul a 3 shot lead. Doss played well however and narrowed the gap to just 1 throw with 2 holes to play. The two matched birdies on the next to last hole, then strode to the tee of the iconic Hole 27, known as “Top of the World”.

Nate held the tee and thus a chance to apply some pressure of his own. His drive landed about 75 feet short so absent some heroics he would have to settle for par. McBeth responded by launching a sidearm Star Destroyer that came to rest well within his comfortable putting range. Paul would nail that putt for his 11th birdie of the round and a 2-shot win.

It is always a pleasure competing with Nate. That is one person who is genuinely happy to be in a great battle, win or lose.

“It is always a pleasure competing with Nate. That is one person who is genuinely happy to be in a great battle, win or lose.”, said McBeth after the round. Admiration for Doss peaked at the tournament’s close, as the crowd sang happy birthday. Nate celebrated his 30th birthday this weekend, which coincided with the tournament’s 30th anniversary.

Photo courtesy of PDGA.com

Paul was joined on the awards stage by teammates Patrick Brown who continued his hot streak as well over in Masters. Patrick held off some hard chargers in the final round to claim a 1-shot win and his second NT win in a row. “Learning how to win at DeLaveaga is one of the biggest achievements of my disc golf career. This track takes patience, perseverance, and a bit of DeLa love!”, said Brown.

Learning how to win at DeLaveaga is one of the biggest achievements of my disc golf career. This track takes patience, perseverance, and a bit of DeLa love!

Jim Oates earned another win at DeLa, this time in the Grandmasters Division. Jim is a two-time Masters Division Champion, winning in 1997 and 2011. Top team honors among Open Women this year go to Valarie Doss and Jessica Weese who finished 2nd and 4th respectively.

Photo courtesy of PDGA.com

The next stop on the 2015 PDGA National Tour is the Beaver State Fling in Portland, Oregon. We look forward to seeing you there!

Other strong performances this weekend included:

Joe Rovere, 303 Open – 1st Place Open
Casey Wright, 25th Annual Capital of Texas Open – 1st Place Open
Barry Schultz, 15th Annual Tarheel Tournament – 1st Place Open
Matt Peckham, Hotlanta 2015 – 1st Place Masters
George Smith, 2015 Paradise Diamond – 1st Place Masters
Steve Boylan, Madisonville Open – 1st Place Masters
Dean Tannock, Madisonville Open – 1st Place Grandmasters