The disc golf world has watch Anthony Barela grow up on the course.
From his PDGA Junior and Amateur World Championships to his dominance on the Elite Series, Barela had his PDGA Major breakthrough on Sunday at the 2025 United States Disc Golf Championship.
Competing with those he grew up watching and idolizing — like Paul McBeth and Ricky Wysocki — Barela had his eyes set on this one, and delivered a sterling performance on the green and in the fairways of Winthrop to become just the 15th different winner in 27 years of the USDGC.
Barela moved to 51-for-51 inside the circle — and was solid in just about every other area of his game — on Saturday to jump two spots to the top of the leaderboard with a two-stroke lead with one lap to go at Winthrop University.
Wysocki kept the pedal down on Friday to the tune of a scorching 13-under round to jump six spots into a tie at the top with McBeth, who followed his Major-opening 10-under round with a 9-under day in Round 2. Wysocki had an eagle on Hole 10 on his way to an 11-down score through 11 holes. He went 10-for-10 from C1X and connected on 5-of-6 attempts from C2, including par savers on Hole 6 and 16. He added an exclamation point with a 55-foot hit on Hole 17.
A steady breeze welcomed players to Winthrop for the start of the 2025 United States Disc Golf Championship and Throw Pink Women's Disc Golf Championship on Thursday in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Paul McBeth navigated the wind-aided OBs of Winthrop to start the final PDGA MPO Major of the year in double-digit fashion. McBeth went bogey free — highlighted by a 4-of-5 showing from Circle 2 — for 10-under opening round and a two-stroke lead. McBeth was steady in every area, turning to OB shots into pars on Hole 11 and then again on 16, which came via a 45-foot connect. His lone Circle 1 miss came on 18.
Below you will find important updates from the 2025 USDGC and Throw Pink Women's Disc Golf Championship, which kick off Thursday, October 9 in Rock Hill, South Carolina:
WEDNESDAY — OCTOBER 8
10 a.m. — Player Check-In
6 p.m. — Opening Ceremony and Awards
6:30 p.m. — Disc Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
The list of accolades and accomplishments just keeps growing for Gannon Buhr.
Gannon Buhr became the youngest player in history to win their third PDGA MPO Major on Sunday at the 2024 United States Disc Golf Championship, continuing a dominant season while adding to his storied and young career.
Barela reclaimed the lead over Buhr by one stroke on Saturday in Rock Hill, continuing the back-and-forth between the two young stars all week at Winthrop all while Ricky Wysocki firmly entered the conversation.
Gannon Buhr has his gameplan on the course and one for the final PDGA Major of 2024.
"Sticking to the same plan," Buhr told the Disc Golf Network's Nate Perkins of any changes for Round 3. "I just want to be in contention going into Sunday."
Anthony Barela strung the good shots together on a windy opening day in Rock Hill.
Quite a few of them.
Barela birdied five-straight in a clean run through the middle of Winthrop for a 9-under opening round and one-stroke lead at the 2024 United States Disc Golf Championship.
Kyle Klein lines up a shot on Sunday during the 2023 USDGC. Photos: Justin Anderson / PDGA
The final PDGA Major of the year came to a close as the best players in the world took to Winthrop Arena one last time for Championship Sunday of the 2023 United States Disc Golf Championship.
After three rounds at one of the most iconic courses on tour, the final round came down to a battle between Kyle Klein and Bradley Williams as they both sought to take down their first PDGA Major win.
Kyle Klein took control and leads the USDGC by three strokes with 18 holes to go. Photos: Justin Anderson / PDGA
The wind was howling as the best players in the world made their way through Winthrop Arena in Round 3 of the 2023 United States Disc Golf Championship.
While most players were looking to climb the leaderboard, the lead card made up of four players with no PDGA Major wins — including one player in his first Elite Series/Major lead card appearance — fought to stay on top.
Eight players are within three strokes of the lead after a wild day to kick off the 25th running of the United States Disc Golf Championship, the final PDGA Major of 2023.
And we’ve got a few fresh faces at the top of the leaderboard.
Joel Freeman took off on the back nine, sparked by an eagle on the 10th to take a one-stroke lead as the only player to hit double digits on the USDGC layout at Winthrop University.
The strong start for Freeman is no surprise, given his success in Rock Hill. He’s finished inside the top 15 in his past four trips to Winthrop, including a fifth-place finish in 2021 and seventh place finish a year ago.
The USDGC is the final PDGA Pro Major of the year while the TPWDGC is a PDGA A-Tier, and both tournaments will take place simultaneously at the Winthrop Arena. While most other tournaments offer divisions based on gender or age, the USDGC combines all players who qualify into a single division.
He stood on the 18th green on Sunday as the youngest USDGC winner in history and fully established that the future of the sport has arrived.
In a thrilling, dominant and absolutely clutch final round, Buhr — at 17 years old with homework to do — took down his first PDGA Pro Major and added yet another chapter to the illustrious history in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Paul McBeth is looking for his fourth USDGC title and 18th PDGA Major. Photo: Justin Anderson / PDGA Media
At a tournament full of history, no matter how Championship Sunday concludes at the 24th running of the United States Disc Golf Championship, there will be a new chapter added.
Four players, all with their own potential to make history, enter the final round at the Winthrop Arena looking to leave their mark and cement, or further solidify, their legacy.
Jake Monn finds himself with a share of the lead at the USDGC. Photo: Justin Anderson / PDGA
Jake Monn has the game to match his towering size.
Just a heads up: He’s 17 years old.
Monn turned heads on Friday in a day of big moves at the Winthrop Arena and is now a co-leader in his first trip to the United States Disc Golf Championship in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
“It feels really good,” Monn told Terry Miller of the Disc Golf Network after posting a 9-under round with a huge contingent of family and teammates in tow.
A rising — and young — star in Finland, Anttila, 20, arrived at the Winthrop Arena for the first time earlier this week and experienced the iconic, history-filled track for the first time.
“I’ve been watching this tournament for a while — six or seven years,” Antilla said. “Earlier this week, I was seeing all the holes that I’ve been watching for a while.
Just twelve players have won a coveted United States Disc Golf Championship title in the 23 years that the PDGA Major has been running at Winthrop University.
That's it.
Beginning Thursday and running through Sunday — one of the many changes this year — the dramatic 2022 season begins to wind down as we wait to see if there will be a repeat winner or a new PDGA Major champion crowned in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
The Winthrop Arena has a long history of testing the best of the best — those who earned their spot throughout the season — while delivering dramatic and passionate finishes as well as heartbreak.
Paul McBeth roars after hitting the winning putt at Winthrop. Photo: Conrad Meyer / PDGA
Paul McBeth remembered the spot, literally and figuratively.
It came down to a playoff with a PDGA Major title on the line. He had been there before, earlier this year at PDGA Pro Worlds and earlier in his career at Winthrop.
“There used to be a log right there and I missed the putt from there,” McBeth said of his 2014 playoff in Rock Hill. “It was a good spot to make that one.”
Paul McBeth is looking for his third USDGC title on Saturday. Photo: Kevin Huver / PDGA
Paul McBeth likes his position.
As the rain fell on Friday at the Winthrop Arena, the five-time PDGA World Champion rose to the top.
With the putter working and drives that avoided the daunting OBs in Rock Hill as the weather turned sideways, McBeth is eyeing his third United States Disc Golf Championship.
But Chris Dickerson is right there, one stroke back, looking to be the first player to go back-to-back at Winthrop since Ken Climo.
Chris Dickerson, the 2020 USDGC champion, leads by three strokes. Photo: Conrad Meyer / PDGA
There are no easy shots coming down the stretch in Rock Hill, both on the course at Winthrop and as the United States Disc Golf Championship hits the midway point of competition.
Both of those instances are when the already-high pressure amps up even more.
“There are no easy shots coming down the stretch with the wind, the slopes and fast greens,” Ricky Wysocki told the Disc Golf Network’s Terry Miller. “You have to focus on every shot until the road is completely finished.”
A little out of position, the 2018 PDGA World Champion made the decision to err on the side of caution on the approach and was left with a 65-foot look at birdie.
He cashed it.
Gregg Barsby lines up a shot during the first round of the USDGC. Photo: Kevin Huver / PDGA
2019 USDGC Champion James Conrad will be on Wednesday's feature card on the Disc Golf Network.
It takes every shot — hyzers, straight shots, turnovers, you name it — to navigate the Winthrop Arena.
But it doesn't just demand a complete repertoire, it demands precision.
"Winthrop, more than any other course, challenges you to stay in bounds, to throw accurate shots," 2020 USDGC Champion Chris Dickerson said. "All of those shots need to be in bounds."
It also adds an added amount of pressure as one the longest-running and prestigious stops on the disc golf tour as the final PDGA Major of the year.
