The Road to the Championship kicks off in Las Vegas, NV! Qualifying for this year’s United States Disc Golf Championship begins this week at the Las Vegas Challenge, the first stop on the 2021 Disc Golf Pro Tour. This year there is an exciting new addition to the qualification process that both competitors and fans want to be aware of as the season gets underway.
Building on the success of last year’s successful running of the USDGC and Women’s National Championship simultaneously, event organizers introduce a brand new event for 2021. The inaugural Throw Pink Women’s Disc Golf Championship will run concurrently with the USDGC, providing 40 of the world’s best female athletes an opportunity to compete on one of disc golf’s grandest stages.
Women’s Qualifying Process
The majority of spots for the Throw Pink Women’s Championship field will be determined by a qualifying process similar to the USDGC. At each of the qualifying events listed below, five USDGC spots and two spots for the Throw Pink Women’s Championship are up for grabs. This weekend in Vegas, the top two finishers in FPO will be the first two ladies to earn their invitation to Winthrop this season.
Qualifying Events
| Event | Location | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas Challenge | Henerson, NV | February 25-28 |
| Throw Down the Mountain | Brooksville, FL | March 19-21 |
| Lone Star Classic | Austin, TX | April 2-4 |
| Jonesboro Open | Jonesboro, AR | April 16-18 |
| Dynamic Discs Open | Emporia, KS | April 28-May 1 |
| Santa Cruz Masters Cup | Santa Cruz, CA | May 28-30 |
| Foxwood Open | Ontario Canada | May 22-24 |
| Beaver State Fling | Estacada, OR | June 11-13 |
| Pro World Championships | Ogden, UT | June 22-26 |
| PCS Sula Open | Langevdg/Vestnes, Norway | July 7-11 |
| European Open | Nokia , Finland | July 14-18 |
| Ledgestone Insurance Open | Eureka, IL | August 5-8 |
| Delaware Disc Golf Challenge | Newark, DE | August 27-29 |
| Green Mountain Championship | Smugglers' Notch, VT | September 9-12 |
| Music City Open | Nashville, TN | September 24-26 |
Everything you need to know about the qualifying process can be found at usdgc.com.
One thing veterans of the USDGC will notice is that there are fewer qualifying events this year. This reflects the smaller projected field size for the USDGC, which is necessary to create space for the additional FPO tee times. Longer tee time intervals may also be required for safety reasons at Winthrop, limiting how many competitors can move through the course on any given day.
Another key factor was the USDGC’s desire to extend invitations to competitors who qualified in 2020 but could attend due to travel restrictions related to the pandemic. Each of those competitors is recognized on the USDGC Eligible List, updated immediately after each qualifying event.
Winthrop University is excited to welcome both of these events back to Rock Hill this fall. City and University officials are hopeful that everyone will feel safe welcoming tournament spectators back to campus by October. The 2021 USDGC will be the 28th Major Championship at Winthrop, further solidifying its position as one of the most prestigious venues in all of disc golf.
Congratulations to all competitors this weekend. We look forward to seeing each of you out there on the road in 2021!
