Cover photo courtesy of OpenDiscGolf.com. Photos by European Open staff photographer Eino Ansio.

While moving day on the Beast in Nokia Finland didn’t produce quite the same level of excitement as Friday at the 2015 European Open, when reigning World Champion Catrina Allen #44184 and Denmark’s highest rated player KJ Nybo #28903 played spectacularly, it still produced plenty of drama. By round’s end, a pattern was emerging that we have seen at previous European PDGA Tour Major events; the leaderboards becoming increasingly painted in USA’s red, white, and blue.

Open division leader Paul McBeth #27523 struggled to overcome lower back tightness, with his first birdie only coming on Hole 7. When both he and KJ bogeyed Hole 11, just when the rain was starting, they were both at a modest one under par.

Meanwhile, Ricky Wysocki #38008 was on fire at seven down and fellow chase card competitor Will Schusterick #29064 was at four down, moving them into a tie for 2nd , three throws back of McBeth and one up on Nybo. From there all four of them shot three under to maintain those same margins to stake their places on the final round’s lead card.

Paul has to still be the favourite, but Ricky has the most upward momentum – he looked like he was on a mission today shooting the hot score of 54 (-10). Not to be counted out are 3X USDGC Champ Will Schusterick, who defeated McBeth in sudden death in Rock Hill last October, and KJ who always seems to bring his A-game to the sport’s biggest stages.

The chances of a winner coming off the chase card are slim, as Jeremy “Big Jerm” Koling #33705, who sits in 5th, is eight throws back of McBeth’s -26. However, the weather is predicted to be windier, cooler, and rainy so as we have witnessed before, anything can happen.

Sarah Hokom%nbsp #34563. Photos by European Open staff photographer Eino Ansio.

Among the ladies, Catrina Allen and Sarah Hokom #34563 replicated their solid first round scores of 68 and 66 respectively, with Catrina’s marginally OB tee shot on Hole 18 leading to a double bogey that cut her lead from nine to seven overall. Fellow previous World Champions Val Jenkins #17495 and Paige Pierce #29190 will have to play spectacularly in order to improve their current positioning in 3rd and 4th.

Behind them are a pair of 15 year old future stars from Finland, Evelina Salonen #64927 and Henna Blomroos #59227, both of whom are natural athletes. While they may not threaten USA’s leading ladies today, there is no doubt they will in the near future. Henna won Finnish Nationals last year at age 14 and throws 400+ feet. Evelina already has more than 30 aces on her home course. How cool is that?!

Make sure you watch the Finnish YLE TV live coverage of the final groups and final holes on Sunday, which is expected to draw an audience of 100,000+ in Finland and will be broadcast worldwide on the web, as the 2015 European Open heads towards the “Finnish” line and the crowning of the champions.