Disc Dynamo
By Jesse Newell
Originally published 02:31 p.m., October 9, 2007
Updated 02:31 p.m., October 9, 2007
Eric McCabe entered the United States Disc Golf Championship — disc golf’s equivalent of the PGA’s U.S. Open — with the hopes of finishing in the top 10.
The Emporian ended up even surprising himself in the event last weekend.
McCabe finished at 22-under in the four-round tournament at Rock Hill, S.C., ending in a tie for third out of 135 competitors from across the world.
The finish netted him a $2,625 check.
“I would say that I played probably some of the best golf I’ve played in a long time,” McCabe said. “Basically, I kept it in bounds, and that’s all you have to do out at that course. If you’re putting’s on, you’ll be on.”
The tournament brings its fair share of pressure, as the fanfare is higher and so are the winnings.
Forty to 50 people line the fairways of each hole, and the winner takes home the grand prize of $15,000.
“I’m always nervous at first — there’s always a little nerves in my stomach on the first hole,” McCabe said.
The Emporian seemed to settle in as the week went on.
After an opening-round 67, he finished with rounds of 60, 63 and 60 to put himself in the four-way tie for third.
“Something about my first rounds — I always play a little bit conservative and have to fight my way back,” McCabe said. “Whatever works, I guess.”
McCabe had some good company in third place in Nathan Doss and Dave Felberg.
Doss won the PDGA World Championships in 2005 and 2007, was ranked the No. 1 player in the world this year and has his own disc made by Discraft Discs called “The Nathan Doss Avenger.”
Felberg, meanwhile, won the U.S. Disc Golf Championships in 2005.
McCabe finished 17 strokes behind winner Ken Climo, but if he was just one stroke better, he would have finished in third by himself. That would have earned him another $375.
“There’s always that thought of, ‘If that putt would have fallen, I could have done it myself,’” McCabe said. “But I tied some good people.”
McCabe’s weekend was made even better on Friday, as he won the “Clutch Putting” competition, beating out all of the 168 other competitors.
In the event, the disc golfers had five different stations where they had five putts from 30 feet away from the basket. They had just one minute, 30 seconds to throw all 25 putts.
McCabe connected on 18 of his 25 attempts, earning himself another $500.
The $3,125 weekend pushed his disc golf winnings over $9,000 for this year alone.
“I’ve been training really hard and wanted to play really well at this event,” McCabe said, “and I’m very happy with the way I played.”
McCabe, who has a sponsorship with Discraft Discs, also earned an automatic invitation to next year’s USDGC with his high finish.
“I surpassed my goal going into it,” McCabe said. “I wanted top 10, but top 3 — that’s even better.”