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Tattar Seizes Moment, McMahon Repeats at DGLO

Tattar Seizes Moment, McMahon Repeats at DGLO

DGPT - Great Lakes Open Final Recap

Monday, July 26, 2021 - 14:23

Kristin Tattar battled past Paige Pierce for her first Elite Series win of 2021. Photo: Brittany Dickerson / DGPT

Kristin Tattar had been waiting on, working toward and dreaming about the moment.

When it presented itself on Sunday afternoon during an epic battle down the stretch with Paige Pierce at the 39th Annual Discraft Great Lakes Open, Tattar seized it.

“That was the only way,” Tattar told the Disc Golf Network. “When I saw the disc coming out of my hand, I knew it was going in.”

Tattar connected on a 49-foot uphill eagle putt on the penultimate hole in regulation in Michigan to take the outright lead and — after one final uphill trek at the Toboggan — a PDGA Elite Series and Disc Golf Pro Tour victory.

“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” Tattar told Nate Perkins on DGN. “Worlds was tough, and the following weeks were tough. I just couldn’t find myself on the course; didn’t really recognize myself.

“Now, I’m really proud of myself that I just kept fighting and whatever happened on the course, I just kept going.”

Tattar, along with boyfriend Silver Latt, have been representing Europe stateside over the past few months after navigating the travel restrictions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tattar finished fifth at Worlds, third at Des Moines and had two PDGA A-Tier wins this season in the United States before breaking through on the Disc Golf Pro Tour on Sunday.

“It means a lot,” the Estonian said. “I’ve been waiting for this for one and half years. I’ve been training every day and dreaming about coming here and competing.

“A dream come true.”

Full stats from the DGPT - Discraft Great Lakes Open from UDisc »

Pierce was two shots clear of Tattar entering Sunday’s final round. That lead quickly went away with a triple bogey six from Pierce on the first hole, sparking a duel the rest of the way up and down the hills – and through the rough – at Toboggan.

Tattar and Pierce were tied at 18-under entering Hole 17, a snaking 755-foot Par 5. Pierce hit Circle 1 on her upshot with a 20-foot look at eagle while Tattar landed in Circle 2. Just the top band of the basket was visible over the crest of the hill for her eagle bid.

But the moment was there, and Tattar seized it, cashing the 49-foot eagle, and running it down with a mini fist pump and Pierce celebrating behind her.

Pierce would miss her look at three to fall one stroke back with one hole left, all but sealing the victory for Tattar.

Catrina Allen finished third at 11-under par. Heather Young jumped two spots for a fourth-place tie with Hailey King.

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Eagle McMahon lines up a shot during the 2021 Great Lakes Open. Photo: Brittany Dickerson / DGPT

McMahon Out-Duels Klein

Eagle McMahon jumped out to a blistering start on Sunday and thought to himself that he was set to run away with his second-straight DGLO title.

McMahon did go on to defend his crown, but it was anything short of a runaway victory.

Credit Kyle Klein for that.

The two Discmania teammates dueled atop the leaderboard throughout the final round before it came down to a putt on the 18th green, a familiar spot for McMahon.

After grabbing the out-right lead on 17, McMahon cashed a Circle 2 putt – pushing his mark to a sterling six-consecutive rounds on the Toboggan with birdies on the finishing hole, including a putt to lock in the 2020 DGLO title – to pick up his fourth DGPT victory of the season.

Full coverage from the DGPT - Discraft Great Lakes Open »

“It’s just unreal how it shaped up,” McMahon told DGN. “I can’t believe I had to make the same putt to win the tournament. I didn’t keep track of the scores. I had an insane start – nine under through 10, something crazy like that. I thought that was going to be enough to do it, but I couldn’t keep Kyle off. It’s like, ok, I have a 2-3 stroke lead then he birdies, and I bogey. I thought I was going to run away with it.”

McMahon birdied the 10th to build a two-stroke lead after Klein missed his first Circle 1 putt of the day. The Michigan native bounced back with birdies on 11 and 12 to tie things up. Klein then cashed an edge-of-circle par putt to take a one-shot lead after McMahon’s only bogie during what would be an 11-under round.

A stellar upshot from McMahon on Hole 14 tied things up again to set up the dramatic finish.

McMahon connected on a 38-foot birdie putt with the downhill slope directly behind the basket on 17 for the lead and then, putting first, hit from similar distance on 18 to lock in the victory.

West Virginia's Corey Ellis rounded out the podium in Michigan with a third-place finish, three shots behind Klein and four behind McMahon.

PDGA Elite Series and Disc Golf Pro Tour action resumes on Friday at The Preserve Championship in Clearwater, Minnesota.