Crowning a New Queen
Jessica Gurthie turned a four-stroke final-round deficit into a win at the inaugural Queen City Classic, securing her first Elite Series title since 2018.
With the most competitive FPO field we’ve seen, wins feel rare and hard-earned. That said, through three DGPT events in the 2026 season, Team Innova’s FPO lineup already has two.
View this post on Instagram
Jessica Gurthie – 1st
Jessica Gurthie is showing up in a big way to start the year. After opening with two DGPT Top 10 finishes, she broke through in Charlotte for her first Elite Series win since the 2018 Ledgestone Insurance Open.
Starting the final round four strokes back on the chase card, Gurthie put together a 1003-rated, 5-under performance to close the gap and take control late. She birdied two of the final three holes to earn the win, including a clutch 28-footer on the final hole. When staring down that tournament-winning putt, Jessica told herself, “It’s my turn, and I’m taking it.”
Statistically, she earned this win through accuracy off the tee. Gurthie led the field in Strokes Gained Tee to Green by a significant margin and also topped the field in Circle 2 Hits in Regulation. Her weekend included a 321-foot ace on Hole 2 in Round 2—a shot that’s all the sweeter given she needed every stroke to take the title. Gurthie now sits 3rd in the DGPT World Standings.
For a player who has spent nearly two decades on tour, this one carries extra weight. Jessica has been competing since she was nine years old and touring since her mid-teens. She has lived and breathed disc golf more than just about any player on tour. This offseason brought personal challenges, making the result even more meaningful.
“It means I’m in the right place no matter how hard the battle is in between my head. I’m where I need to be, on the disc golf course, fighting.”
– Jessica Gurthie
View this post on Instagram
Ohn Scoggins – 2nd
Ohn Scoggins finished one stroke back of the lead, adding to a season that already includes four A-Tier wins, a DGPT victory, and a fourth-place finish. She currently sits 1st in the DGPT World Standings.
At the Queen City Classic, her scoring chances were built on tee-to-green consistency. She remained within a stroke of the win despite a below-average final round putting performance by her standards. With her established putting ability, if she continues this level of tee-to-green play, we could see her pull way out in front of the field in upcoming events.
View this post on Instagram
Kat Mertsch – T3
Kat Mertsch recorded her first Top 10 of the season and was in contention for the win through the final hole.
She led the field in Scramble Rate on a wooded course that frequently forces recovery shots, converting difficult lies into pars and extending scoring runs. She also led the field in Strokes Gained Putting, with a 44% conversion rate from Circle 2, the highest of the weekend.
View this post on Instagram
Kona Star Montgomery – 9th
Kona Star Montgomery followed a 15th-place finish in her first event with a Top 10 at the Queen City Classic. A promising trajectory from a player we know has the skillset to earn a Pro Tour win this season.
View this post on Instagram
DISCatcher Tour Debuts
The Queen City Classic also marked the DGPT debut of the new DISCatcher Tour target. Building off the DISCatcher Pro 28 design, the Tour model adds an inner chain layer to reduce spit-outs and bounces off the pole. Already approved for Major competition and used at the USDGC and Throw Pink, it saw its first Elite Series test in Charlotte. Player feedback has been positive, and this target will be a new tour standard at Innova events.
Photo by DGPT
Up Next
The PDGA Champions Cup, the first Major of the 2026 season, takes place April 9–12 in Lynchburg, Virginia, at New London Tech. Watch live coverage on Disc Golf Network, catch post-produced rounds on JomezPro, and follow tournament recaps at Innovadiscs.com.
