Historic Dominance
At the 2026 PDGA Pro World Championship in Milford, Michigan, Eveliina Salonen won her second World title by a commanding 17 strokes. That dominant performance ties the fourth-largest margin of victory in FPO Worlds history. Her 1023 event rating is the highest-rated performance at a World Championship of all time.
On the MPO side, 21-year-old underdog Rainers Balodis tied for the lead through regulation before finishing runner-up in a playoff, becoming the most compelling MPO storyline of Worlds.
Eveliina Salonen – 1st
Eveliina Salonen led the field in every throwing statistic at the 2026 PDGA Pro World Championship, turning a dominant lead through four rounds into a historic runaway by tournament’s end.
View this post on Instagram
She finished first in Fairway Hits, Scramble percentage, Parked percentage, Circle 1 in Regulation, and Circle 2 in Regulation. She also led the field in Strokes Gained Tee to Green and took fewer OB strokes than anyone in FPO.
The result was a 1023-rated performance across five rounds, the highest-rated Worlds, and just one rating point behind the highest-rated FPO Major of all time. Her 1057-rated, 14-under closing round was essentially a victory lap, turning an already commanding lead into a 17-stroke win. That ties the fourth-largest margin in FPO Worlds history and the largest since 2005.
View this post on Instagram
Eveliina’s position in the DGPT standings doesn’t fully reflect the season she’s had because she has played fewer events, but she is clearly in the Player of the Year conversation. She now has three Elite Series victories and two Major titles in 2026: the European Open and World Championship.
With her second World title, Eveliina joins the rare company of multiple-time World Champions. Her career now includes eight DGPT victories and six Open Major titles, tying Juliana Korver for sixth-most all time.
Eveliina has a case as the best pure thrower the FPO division has ever seen. Her combination of power, accuracy, and control pushes the entire field to improve to keep up with her.
There is still plenty of career ahead of her, but Eveliina’s place in the history of the sport no longer needs to wait. Two World Championships, six Majors, a Career Grand Slam, and eight DGPT victories already make for a Hall of Fame resume and a place among the all-time greats.
Rainers Balodis – 2nd
Few players entered Worlds as far under the radar as Rainers Balodis. Five rounds later, the 21-year-old Latvian was one playoff hole away from becoming World Champion.
The five-time Latvian national champion came to Milford on his first trip to the United States with just one previous Worlds appearance, a 76th-place finish, and only one career Top 20 on Tour. By Championship Sunday, he held a three-stroke lead over the best players in the world.
View this post on Instagram
Rainers birdied eight of his first nine holes in the final round, but slowed down on the back nine as the title race tightened. He still reached Hole 17 with a two-stroke lead and a chance to close out the World Championship.
Then came a pivotal foot-fault call on Hole 17. The Disc Golf Network commentators expressed uncertainty about the call while reviewing the replay. The penalty turned what would have been a one-stroke lead heading to Hole 18 into a tie.
Rainers birdied 18 to finish regulation at 35-under, sending the World Championship to a playoff. He ultimately finished runner-up to Silas Shultz after the extra hole.
Rainers led the MPO field in Circle 1 in Regulation and missed just one putt from inside the circle for the entire event.
He didn’t leave Milford with the trophy, but Rainers leaves with his career on a new trajectory. The disc golf world knows his name now, and at 21 years old, there is plenty of time to make another run at the World Championship title.
Rebecca Don – 3rd
One year after being named the 2025 DGPT Rookie of the Year, Rebecca Don has reached the World Championship podium.
Her week in Milford started with a World Putting Championship title and ended with third place at Worlds. Rebecca backed up that putting title throughout the main event, finishing second in the field in Strokes Gained C2. She also put together three consecutive 1000-rated rounds from Rounds 2 through 4 to establish herself on the podium.
Rebecca entered Worlds with six Top 10 finishes in her previous eight Elite Series and Major starts. Third place at Worlds is the most important result of her young career and another major step forward for one of the fastest-rising players in FPO.
View this post on Instagram
Iida Lehtomäki – 8th
Iida Lehtomäki has only played Worlds twice and has finished in the Top 10 both times. After taking second in her Worlds debut, she added an eighth-place finish this year.
View this post on Instagram
Anneli Tõugjas-Männiste – 9th
Anneli Tõugjas-Männiste broke out on the big stage at Throw Pink, and she continues to show a knack for high-pressure events. She finished ninth at Worlds for her first World Championship Top 10.
Jennifer Allen – 10th
Jennifer Allen earned her first Worlds Top 10 back in 2010. Sixteen years later, she’s still right there near the top of the field.
Up Next
2026 LWS Open at Idlewild
September 4–6
Burlington, KY
The Disc Golf Pro Tour heads to Idlewild next, where Ohn Scoggins returns as the two-time defending champion. Watch live on Disc Golf Network, catch post-production coverage on JomezPro, and check back at InnovaDiscs.com for the top Team Innova storylines.
