PEORIA: The 2022 Ledgestone Open is underway, supporting more than a dozen discus golf in central Illinois and attracting elite players from around the world.
Tournament founder Nate Heinold, the Director of the Ledgestone tournament and now chairman of the board of trustees of the Professional Disc Golf Association, transformed this occasion into a week to celebrate field play competitions, grand prize money, public meetings and – welcome players, skills clinics, live music, food and more.
It is a tournament and a festival, the World Sports Championship in 2019 and the presentation of the largest scholarship in the history of the game, $130,000, in 2021.
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The 2022 launch will feature thousands of players with a wide diversity of ages and skill levels. But the Men’s Pro Open (148 players) and the Women’s Pro Open (53 players) will offer Peoria disc enthusiasts a glimpse of the game’s players.
The Pro Open box is stacked as always. Among the players are the 3 most sensible in the U. S. Tour rankings. UU. de the Professional Disc Golf Association: No. 1 Richard Wysocki ($42,135 in 2022 earnings), No. 2 Paul McBeth No. 2 ($42,951), No. 3 Calvin Heimburg. McBeth has 139 career wins and $644,000 in earnings, while Heimburg has 53 career wins with $226,900 in earnings and Wysocki has 122 career wins with $549,000 in earnings.
Wysocki and Heimburg finished tied for first place in 2021 at Ledgestone in a championship interrupted by excessive weather conditions.
McBeth is a five-time world champion, the 2019 edition was held in central Illinois at Ledgestone.
Kristin Tattar, from Parnu, Estonia, is in the Women’s Pro Open peloton and features prominently in the U. S. circuit’s qualifiers. It comes from an elbow and a fight with COVID.
She follows No. 1 Paige Pierce, who has 150 career wins and $351,714 in career gains. The reigning Ledgestone champion ruled the peloton for an 11-stroke victory in 2021.
Catrina Allen is and is a five-time Ledgestone champion.
Ledgestone 2022 dispersed Pro Open players and lower grades from Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Stanislaus Amann spent hours traveling from Austria to the United States to play in central Illinois.
More: How Peoria’s biggest discus golf tournament has grown, it took a step forward amid COVID-19
Magnus Thorstensen and Fredrik Glendrange are from Oslo, Norway, and play in the MA2 box.
Bryce Kennedy traveled more than 8,000 miles from Kerikeri, New Zealand, to Peoria to triumph in the M40 field.
Thursday, first round, from 8 a. m. to 2 p. m. m. : Men’s Pro Open Tees at Lake Eureka Disc Golf Course. Tees Pro Open at the Black Course in Northwood Park (Morton).
Friday, second round, 8:00-14:00: Start of the Men’s Professional Open at Northwood Park Black Course (Morton). T-shirts from the Women’s Professional Open in Sunset Hills (Beijing).
Saturday, third round, 8:00-14:00: Start of the Men’s Professional Open at Northwood Park Black Course (Morton). T-shirts from the Women’s Professional Open in Sunset Hills (Beijing).
Sunday, last round, from 8:00 a. m. to 2:00 p. m. m. : Men’s Pro Open Tees at Lake Eureka Disc Golf Course. Tees Pro Open at Northwood Park Black Course (Morton).
Divisions below the pros will play the week on other fields.
There is a full program here.
They will take positions at: Bradley Park (Peoria), Camp Kearney (Canton), Kennel Lake (Morton), Lake Eureka (Eureka), McNaughton Park (Beijing), Megiddo at Westwood Park (Morton), Northwood Park (Morton), Sunset Hills Disc Golf Course (Beijing), Washington Park (Washington), Wildlife Prairie Park (Hanna City), Illinois Central College (East Peoria).
You can find the instructions for the course here.
Thursday, 2 to 4 p. m. : Signature of Catrina Allen and registration at Five Points in Washington.
Thursday, from 6 p. m. to 8 p. m. : meeting of Paul McBeth, Paige Pierce and Missy Gannon, as well as the signing and registration of Ben Askren, all on Lake Eureka.
Thursday, 6:30 p. m. to 8 p. m. m. : Jonny Quest plays on Lake Eureka. Food, sundae ice cream/floating root beer.
Thursday, 9pm-11pm: Glo Disc golf at Washington Park.
Spectators have several features for tickets, and the tournament site also has rules that deal with match protocols.
VIP Credential: The charge is $100 and has free parking and entrance for one user on the occasion, as well as a special credential and spectator package. The credential will give you special access to the VIP tent during the occasion (which will come with snacks and food).
Weekly parking pass: $55 and includes a loose Ledgestone disc and a loose shirt. This is a user to be admitted to the event.
Day Pass: $15 per day, per day, per day.
Children: 10 years and under, single entry.
Dave Eminian is a columnist for the Star Journal and covers men’s basketball for Bradley, the Rivermen and the Chiefs. He wrote the column Cleve In The Eve for pjstar. com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar. com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.