On behalf of the PDGA, we welcome you to our coverage of the 2014 European Masters, a PDGA Tour Major event. To begin, we would like to thank the presenting sponsor Innova Europe, the Head Organizer Jussi Meresmaa #14600, the Tournament Director Tommy Bessner #51055, the Media Director Jukka Teras #53382, our Jarva DiscGolfPark hosts Jonas Lof #3416 and Mats Lof #4589, and all the event staff and volunteers for their tremendous work in preparing for and hosting this prestigious event.

In 2004, the PDGA began its International Program with the aims of helping to build and unite our game worldwide. Ten years later, there are more than 30 countries affiliated with PDGA, 25 of which are in Europe. As of mid 2014, there are more than 2500 current PDGA members in Europe and more than 250 European events on the PDGA Tour calendar. Nowhere is the sport of disc golf growing faster today than in Europe. And no single person has contributed more to this trend than the sport’s European and global promoter and ambassador extraordinaire, Jussi Meresmaa.

Reflecting the growth of the game around the world and the stellar reputation that Jussi and his team have from hosting the European Open in Finland, the 2014 Euro Masters has attracted a full field of 144 pro players representing 14 different countries. 32 men rated 1000 or higher, including the current 2X defending PDGA World Champion Paul McBeth #27523 and Europe’s current #1 player Simon Lizotte #8332. The world’s top three rated women’s players in world are here as well: Catrina Allen #44184, Val Jenkins #17495, and Paige Pierce #29190. Europe’s top two women, Camilla Jernberg #35774 and Ragna Bygde #8559, will be battling against them. 

Kurt Karlsson #4567 has made the journey here to Stockholm all the way from Australia,  Disc Golf Hall Of Fame member Mike Sullivan #3028 is here from Canada, and 20 of the USA's finest players have traveled across the Atlantic to Sweden, the largest American contingent to travel to Europe since the 1985 WFDF World Championships in Finland. They will do battle with 50 Swedes, 41 Finns, as well as the top players from Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom!

The battlefield is the Jarvä DiscGolfPark where a 2772 meter long (9100 feet) par 64 layout has been groomed to test the players’ shot-making skills, course strategy and stamina. Tee times for round 1 have been posted and we will be doing live scoring for all players on PDGALive.com, updated every 6 holes, plus hole by hole scoring for the top groups on Sunday.

Good luck to all the competitors, cheers to all the event sponsors, to the Finnish and Swedish TV stations that will broadcast and webstream the event on Sunday, and to all the spectators coming to see disc golf at its finest. We hope you all have a fabulous time here in beautiful Sweden this week! Follow the action on our Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook accounts or by searching and using the hashtag #MastersDiscGolf.