Rising To The Occasion - Paige Pierce Wins Her Fourth World Title

It’s the event that players and spectators alike look forward to for months - the PDGA Professional Disc Golf World Championships. Held earlier in the season than normal in Augusta, Georgia, 205 pro players fought their way through humidity and tough courses to see who would take this year’s title.

Coming off of her fourth world champion win, we talked with Paige Pierce to get her perspective on this year’s event, how she handled the pressure, and what comes next.

Practice With The Right Tools

Despite not arriving in Georgia as early as she wanted, Paige was able to get in multiple rounds before the event’s mid-week start. With both courses offering different types of challenges, she found that several of her discs became her go-to’s throughout the four-day event.

“The discs I relied on the most were my Paige Pierce Lucid Convict, the Lucid EMAC Truth, the Classic Blend Marshal, the Prime Deputy, and the BioFuzion Defender. The Jackson course called for a lot of putter shots hence the Marshal and Deputy, but at Fort Gordon, it was all about my favorite driver, the Bio Defender!” she said.

Not one to come into an event without a game plan, Pierce attacked each day with the determination to pull ahead of defending champion Valarie Jenkins. Though she would’ve liked to have more strokes as a buffer during her final round, perhaps it was what everyone needed: “It gave Val and I the battle that fueled us both and everyone that was watching,” said Pierce.

Stepping Up To The Challenge

Every player has their own particular preferences when it comes to course design, and for Paige, Fort Gordon didn’t quite check enough boxes on her list. Yet, noting that everyone had to play the course whether they liked it or not, Paige did find the four rounds to be a test of her skills:

“The most challenging part of the courses I would say would be that no matter where a tee shot landed you had to be on your toes and had to scramble. There was nothing easy about any given shot. Each individual shot was so demanding that it really tested all of your skill set. I think they suited my game well; honestly with the tools at my fingertips and the confidence I have in them it is hard to find a course I don't feel confident on.”

Having The Right Mentality

It would be easy to say that with her track record so far this year, Paige was a shoe-in for winning Worlds. However, she doesn’t rely on her previous successes to carry her to victory. “I try to completely wipe the slate clean after each tournament,” said Pierce. “This was no different. It didn't matter what happened the week before or even 3 months before, it was about 4 rounds that were yet to happen. So I told myself to stick to my game plan and execute the shots. If I did I knew I would at least be in contention.”

Her plan worked, as she bested the competition by a total of 5 strokes to win the 2017 title. Paige’s next goals for the year include taking home the NT Championship and even the Pro Tour Championship. As for her cycle of only winning Worlds on the odd years? “I definitely think about that often, it’s funny how that works out. Honestly, all I can do is try to put myself in position next year and give myself the chance to get up on that podium,” she said.

Congratulations on the win, Paige! Everyone at Dynamic Discs is proud to have you on our team.