Hailey King returned to the winner's circle at the 2023 Dynamic Discs Open. Photos: Kevin Huver / DGPT

A pair of clutch performances wrapped up a drama-filled and action-packed return to Emporia, Kansas for the 2023 Disc Golf Pro Tour — Dynamic Discs Open.

The stage was set in the morning when Hailey King and Holyn Hanley carried their back-and-forth shootout to the brink, and then some.

King surged down the stretch to take a one-stroke lead heading into hole 18 before Hanley sent her drive into the bullseye for a tap-in eagle to send it to a playoff.

As is custom at Emporia Country Club, the two returned to island hole 16th, where, just a few minutes prior King grabbed the lead in regulation with a birdie to Hanley’s bogey. The story would repeat after regulation when King dropped another dime onto the island, putting the pressure squarely on Hanley, whose drive found the pond.

It capped a thrilling round for King, who turned in back-to-back 8-under rounds in Kansas for her second glass-blown trophy and first Elite Series win of 2023.

King, who has been selective of her events in 2023, returns to the winner’s circle nearly a year after her PDGA Major title at the 2022 United States Women’s Disc Golf Championship. In 2023, she has five top-10 finishes, including podium finishes at the PDGA Champions Cup (3rd) and the Jonesboro Open (2nd).

“It shows me that I’m making the right decisions to take care of myself,” King said of her win. “If you want to be an athlete, you have to know your boundaries and not push them.

“I’ve been very consistent this year because of the fact that I’m taking care of myself. I’m going home and make sure I spend enough time at home to train and take care of myself.”

Hanley has been just as consistent in 2023 with four top-five finishes on the Elite Series and three more at DGPT Silver Events.

Ella Hansen, who entered Sunday in a three-way tie for the lead, carded an eagle on 18 as well for solo third place.

In the afternoon, another clutch performance down the stretch delivered a first-time winner on the Elite Series.

With towering forehands all over the ECC, Parker Welck seized an opportunity on the 14th hole of the final round and never looked back.

Unfazed throughout, Welck broke onto the scene in a big way with a one-stroke win over Calvin Heimburg with an eagle on the 975-foot 14th with two huge sidearm shots and a 49-foot downhill putt that sent his hands in the air and a smile to his face, which was prominent throughout his romp through the entire event.

Heimburg, who had a two-stroke lead, sent an errant drive out of bounds on 14, resulting in a bogey and three-stroke swing with Welck’s eagle.

The Hawaii native and Huntington Beach, California resident followed with three-straight birdies for a two-stroke lead heading to 18. After his tap-in putt for the win, ‘wow’ was the first reaction.

“It feels amazing,” Welck told Terry Miller of the Disc Golf Network. “I looked last night and UDisc was giving me less than a one percent change to win and I thought that was a little disrespectful, so I came out here and finished the job.

“This is life changing. I took a chance on coming out here and it paid off. I’ve been playing all of these tournaments and it finally paid off.”

Welck’s previous best finish was 16th earlier this year at the Waco Annual Charity Open.

Heimburg has two Elite Series wins this season and adds his fourth podium finish on the Elite Series. He’s finished outside of the top 10 just once this season in 12 events.

With the second-hottest round on Sunday, Evan Smith jumped to a tie for third with Matt Orum and Alden Harris.

The DGPT Elite Series continues next weekend at the Des Moines Challenge.