fritz
Aug 15 2007, 06:30 PM
Here is some additional information about the tournament:
There are 5 divisions based on the max player rating allowed in the division:
Blue: Max 974
White: Max 924
Red: Max 874
Green: Max 824
Purple: Max 774
$60 for all players
Registration closes 9/4/07.
Online and mail forms are available at
www.midnationals.com/registration.html (http://www.midnationals.com/registration.html)
and
www.stldiscgolf.com/Events.asp (http://www.stldiscgolf.com/Events.asp)
All players must have 8 rated rounds before the 8/28 ratings to qualify. If you register before 8/28 then rating goes up to a higher division, you will be required to move divisions. Assuming you register with a rating below 975, then your rating moves above 974, you will be placed in the blue division.
The winner in each division will be recognized as a national champion is their division.
The winner of the blue division will qualify for the USDGC in Rock Hill, SC in October and the Player�s Cup in Crystal River, FL in November.
Each division will play 2 courses twice and 1 course once. Blue will play the hardest configurations, white will have a medium mix, Red, Green, and Purple will have a shorter mix.
Blue: Creve Coeur x 2, Sioux Passage x 2, and Endicott once
White: Sioux Passage x 2, Endicott x 2 and Jefferson Barracks once
Red, Green, and Purple: Jefferson Barracks x 2, Quail Ridge x 2, and Sioux Passage once.
Additional information can be found at www.stldiscgolf.com (http://www.stldiscgolf.com) and www.midnationals.com (http://www.midnationals.com)
If you have questions, please post them here or email me at
[email protected]jackinkc
Sep 12 2007, 06:25 PM
write Up for the event from the marshal.....live scoring was not working on Sunday, not sure why.....
David McCormack Rolls his way into the Mid Nationals Title and a USDGC Spot.
David McCormack started out in the rain on Friday as the Mid Nationals held at St. Louis this year went underway. His 63 in round one was three off the lead, but when the rain stopped, the rollers began for this local St. Louis disc golfer, who started Gateway Discs in 1994 and is a seasoned veteran in the sport (joined the PDGA in 1983), he was after all the lowest PDGA number playing, (2873) has had his share of tournament wins (36 PDGA events close to $40,000 in earnings).
David proceeded to beat the rest of the field with rollers, and solid putting taking the sole sub 60 round with a 57 that was rated 1019, and the lead after round two and then never looked back. His round ratings did not lie as he shot rounds 2-4 all over 1000, as David put it �I backed into this event, I concentrate more on disc golf design work and sales of the Wizard and other discs for Gateway, but fortunately for me the courses in St. Louis were set long, I knew them well, and I was able to barely hang on for the victory.� David shot a 1011 rated round on Sioux Passage with a 58 that was the hot round, there were other scores in the sub 60 category, but none on the leader card, so after his 61, rated 1002 David headed into Sunday with a 9 stroke lead, and wanting more.
Sunday started the lead card with David McCormack at 239 with the lead, Aaron Martin who throws Discraft at 248 tied for second place with Chris Schmidt a Gateway thrower from Minnesota that has lived in St. Louis, and another local St. Louis resident in Roger Reyes who was throwing his Diablo GT from Gateway in third only one behind at 249. The round started out easy enough with the first 3 holes having all 3�s on the long Endicott Park in St. Louis that is a hilly crisscross course with some good elevation changes.
The first uphill hole #4 plays through a gap and tree line, and Chris Schmidt was able to straddle putt the left side of the basket and hang on for the lone 2 and take the sole ownership of second place. The next hole, playing downhill a little under 400� was nice to Chris, as he hit a 65� for a 2, and Aaron hitting a tree about a 100� out from the pin, was able to make the putt to hold a little ground and keep the battle with Chris alive. David threw a great roller shot on the narrow fairway of hole #6, that left him only about 35� short, and Roger Reyes started to throw that Diablo well, and put his shot about 25� from the pin, well David missed his putt, a little light on the effort, and Roger canned it to keep on pace with the others in the group. Roger having the box on hole #7 was throwing at the over 450� uphill narrow fairway through tight tree shot first, he nailed the drive, a little too far of a nailing, throwing all the way through the gap, and then actually getting a little too far into the schule to the north of the basket, at the bottom of the hill, as the basket is protected by an elevated green about 40� up a hill and on a flat, with heavy wood surrounding it. Roger was the only person to throw it through the gap, but David was able to manage to get a roller on his approach about 100� out but stuck in some bushes, his third shot, missed the basket by about 6� and he settled for a 4, Aaron�s drive hit a tree, but his overhand shot, put him about halfway up the hill, and he canned the putt to get the sole 3. Holes 8 and 9 were 3�d by all, but Chris missed a 2 on 9, and Aaron hit a 45� come backer to save his 3, leaving the scores pretty much the same after the first nine, as Aaron and Chris both shot 26�s Roger had a 27, and David a 28, heading into the back nine.
Hole #10 is a shorter shot at 260� that has pathways to go at it, hyzer, or anhyzer, David threw a great drive, that just missed being a skip ace, but went too far for him to make the comebacker, and he took the lone 3 on the card. Hole #11, everyone got a 3, but Chris� drive took a fortuitous bounce that sprung him out of the trees that protect the center of the fairway, and he was able to save a 3, this took them to the signature hole on the course, #12, the �Blair Witch Long� hole that can make you cringe. The hole #12 is a very tight technical shot that plays down what appears to be an old road, with growth on both sides of the fairway and is 428� long. Going left or right will get you into trouble and the Tomahawk shot from the tee is not a bad option, but landing too far either direction can leave you high and dry. Aaron threw first, just missing TD Mike Fritz with an overhand shot, but also a little to the right side of the fairway, and tombstoned it for good measure. Roger�s drive with the Diablo again was just about as perfect as you can get it, hitting the line with a shot about 250� down the middle of the fairway. Chris went for the straight shot approach, but went right from the start, and found himself in deep rough in the middle of a bush, his next shot went about 10� as he tried to go out through the top of the bushes, but was thwarted by the trees. His next shot he came out but was still a little left of the fairway, he finally made it out, but ended up taking a 6 on this hole, and suffering a big hit on the scoring race. David took the healthy shot down the middle of the fairway; about 200� did it again and again, and took a solid 4. Roger was able to get his upshot about 25� past the basket, and then nailed the putt through some trees for a great birdie 3 on the hole. Aaron�s upshot to get out on the fairway put him about 180� short of the pin, and then his approach put him about 35� short, but he was able to take the shot and make a 4 on the hole. This then put Roger and Aaron tied in the hot battle for second place.
The next hole is a long tunnel shot that you need to hit the lines, but being careful as there is a drop off behind the basket about 35�. Chris was still feeling the pains from �The Witch� and proceeded to shank his drive to the left into the woods, he would then try to get out, but stayed in the woods, then hit a tree, but then was able to keep it together to hit a 30� putt for 5. David threw a good shot, but was short and slightly wooded and then followed with a tree hit, got aggressive and went over the hill, but did manage to hit the uphill comebacker to save 4. Roger and Aaron both took a 3. Everyone was able to collect themselves on 14 and take 3�s across the relatively flat 433� shot. On 15 Roger threw again and went what looked to be a little too far right, but had good distance on the 295� slightly downhill, well protected green, he would can the putt to take a on stroke lead from Aaron as he and the rest of the group managed 3�s, as David�s chance to get another stroke came up short as he missed a relatively easy 25� putt for a 2, he would say after the shot, that he just can�t putt today.
The 16th hole plays through a gap that is relatively easy to hit, but then has a hard right angle uphill to the basket, the hole only plays 280�, but seemed to give the card troubles. David went left on the drive, and found himself in the schule, his approach put him about 28� out, but he short armed the putt off the basket, his putts were looking pretty tired at this point, but he still had the lead. Chris� drive was not too bad, but put him about 70� out, knowing he needed strokes, he gunned for it, hit chains, but then went past the basket about 40� and missed the comebacker. Roger and Aaron both took a 3 on it.
The 17th hole plays across a slight valley and through many trees. Chris Schmidt�s drive was perfect right after it missed a few of these trees, and put him within 15� of the pin for an easy 2. Roger was able to throw in the middle of the fairway, also narrowly missing some trees. Both Aaron and David did not have good drives, David hit a tree, then rolled underneath a bridge, and forced him to throw with one leg under the bridge, his forehand upshot was great though, and put him within 10�. Aaron about 25� in front of David�s lie, threw an ok looking shot, but was tucked behind a few trees, and left a tough shot for a 3, it bounces off the chains and he takes a 4,and now Roger is in sole possession of 2nd place. The 18th hole everyone took a 3, but Aaron missed his 2 just by hitting the chains right, his drive was the best, but the 40� putt would not stay.
As we headed into the final 9, David McCormack had shot a 58, to hold onto 1st, Roger Reyes had shot the hot of the day with a 52 which would be the hottest tournament rated round at 1022, and was up by 1 stroke, Aaron Martin shot his sole 1000+ rated round of the weekend with a 54 rated at 1004, and Chris Schmidt who shot 58, was able to keep Brian Guthrie away from the top card, as Brian had shot the last 2 rounds at 1002, and 1004 but was 2 strokes short of making the group. The battle was clearly going to be at second, unless David really found some bad shots to open it up, but with 9 holes to go, his tournament experience of over 20 years would keep him on top.
The challenge for second became the show, as the Roger started off carding 3-3, and Aaron went 4-4, then Roger got a 4 on hole #7 and Aaron once again hit a putt from the stairs, only this time a little further right of the basket, but still on the hill, and the lead narrowed. The next hole had the folks playing from #8 pad up to #9 basket, which gave many a fit, David and Aaron both took a 5, but Roger and Chris got a 6, Chris took an unfortunate 8 on the hole #7, that just played brutal on him, and took him out of any hope. Aaron would birdie #10, and Roger would take a 4 on #16 but then birdie #17, to force a tie. Aaron martin would eventually win on the second hole of the playoff between these two, but what a battle it was.
The winners in the other divisions were Brendan Cooney who came back from 10 stroke deficit to take the lead in the White Division, where mark Kane took second, and Travis �Snapple� Brown would take 3rd. The Red Division had Steve Bagnard winning in a Sudden Death playoff against Theo Langner, Steve and Theo battled all weekend, and Steve�s sub 50 rounds helped, but it was a close battle, and needed to be decided in extra holes Eric Hall took home third place in the Red Division. The Green Division was won by Paul Marszalek over John Cleaveland and Donnie Powell took home the Purple Division crown.
The courses were set long and the club and staff had a lot of work between rounds to move pins, some needed, some did not. The overall attitude of the players were good, there were some controversies, but handled well, and the St. Louis club with Mike Fritz, Andy Klaasmeyer, Ray Vuichard, Bob Waidman and countless others made this event happen for the 1st time away from Highbridge. Will it return to Highbridge, or will it be sent on to other places, if it goes to other places, we MUST get more involvement from the players, there are plenty of players that could attend this event, and given the number of entries (81) I find it hard to believe that more people do not step up and play at a chance to win a national title. Get your friends involved with the sport, and get them moving to the direction of disc golf events, and as they get better, or even more competitive, play this event. David McCormack has now won his first national title, and for a player of over 20 years in the sport, you never can tell who the next national champion may be, it could be you, so get out and start playing and watch as your rating goes to create a chance for you to be called a National Champion. Thank you St. Louis and the volunteers for making this happen!!
