At the final round of the 2015 United States Amateur Disc Golf Championship, 15 year old disc golf prodigy Anthony Barela #44382 started in the lead by one and never looked back. After just three holes, he had already gained two additional throws on 17 year old Matthew Kashima #43528, carding an eagle on the uphill par five Hole 2 and a birdie on the 915' par four downhill Hole 3. Kashima, having set the USADGC course record two days prior, did his best to keep Barela from running away with it. In the end, there was simply no stopping him.
As a 30 year old that's been playing disc golf for over a decade, watching Round 2 of the United States Amateur Disc Golf Championship was simply baffling. The lead card consisted of 17 year old Matthew Kashima #43528, 15 year old Anthony Barela #44382, 14 year old Izak McDonald #49631, and 19 year old Marc Burnett #22546. The "old guy" on the lead card is a 19 year old? How is this possible? Just how good are these youngsters?
"That was the best round I've ever seen anyone play here." That's what Jeff Kaluk, father of Andrew Kaluk #35027, said after watching 15 year old Anthony Barela #44382 hit a birdie putt from 30 feet on Hole 18 to finish Round 1 of the 2015 USADGC with a nine under par, 53. That's a bold statement, considering Jeff and Andrew Kaluk are locals and have likely seen and played more rounds on the Toboggan course than most.
There are few amateur disc golf events that carry more weight than the United States Amateur Disc Golf Championship (USADGC) presented by Discraft. Each year, the top amateur players from the USA, Canada, and beyond gather in Milford, MI, to compete against one another, facing one of the most difficult and punishing disc golf courses on the planet. Being a competitor at this event is a win in itself, as it is one of the few events where simply signing up to play isn't an option. You have to EARN the opportunity to be here.
