Central Illinois is proving to be a challenge.

Northwood Black — both its long and short variations — as well as Eureka Temp are testing the best in the field at the 2022 PDGA Masters Disc Golf World Championships.

The trees of Northwood provide the ultimate test of commitment on every single shot, while Eureka Temp looms large with its length and tight OBs. Together, it’s a grueling combination that has set up a battle down the stretch in both MP40 and MP50.

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Colorado’s Joe Rovere hung tough at both courses over the past two days, shooting the second-lowest round of the day on Thursday to take a two-stroke lead heading into Friday’s return to the water tower. He leads at 4-under through the first three rounds and is one of just three players under par in the 121-player field.

Justin Bunnell had the hot round at Northwood Black on Thursday. Photo: Justin Anderson / PDGA

The best round belonged to Tennessee’s Justin Bunnell with a 1052-rated 63. Martin Hendel is just three shots back and Jimmy Martinez will round out Friday’s lead card ahead of the cut.

In MP50, the momentum continued to swing. Barry Schultz took the lead at Northwood, and JohnE McCray took it right back on Friday at Eureka Temp. McCray leads by two strokes as MP50 heads back to the Northwoods for Friday’s round, as well as Saturday morning’s semifinal round. Schultz owns the best round at Northwood with a 7-under 61 on Wednesday.

Ron Convers had the hot round of the day with a 4-under 59 and is three shots back. Matt Peckham rounds out the lead card at plus-2 overall as, like MP40, just three players in the 64-player MP50 field are under par.

Ron Convers jumped to the lead card in MP50. Photo: Conrad Meyer / PDGA

In FP40, Ohn Scoggins exploded her lead to nine strokes with a 1016-rated round on Thursday, her second four-digit rating of the championship. Sarah Hokom is second, one stroke ahead of Holly Finley.

Five World Champions will be crowned on Friday, including FP50 where Des Reading leads by one stroke. Photo: Justin Anderson / PDGA

First Champions to be Crowned

The battle for the PDGA FP50 World Championship will come down to the wire between Des Reading and Nova Politte.

Reading will take a one-stroke lead into Friday’s final at the permanent course at Lake Eureka. Pollite closed the gap to one stroke with a round of 55 at Bradley Park on Thursday. On Wednesday, Reading shot a 68 to Politte’s 70 in Eureka.

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Three more PDGA World Championships will be crowned:

• Rick Horn has a commanding lead in MP75 ahead of Friday’s final at Lake Eureka.
• In MP80, Pete May has a five-stroke lead over Jack Gilmore heading back to Eureka. They both shot a 70 in the second round on the course.
• Patti Adams has a big lead in FA70 heading to Friday.

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• MP55 has now produced two 1040-rated-plus round. Hank Kirwan went under par and cleared the rest of the field by seven strokes at Eureka Temp with a 1041-rated 61 to grab a two-stroke lead over Mike Forton. Andy Ritter, who shot a 1042-rated second round at Northwood Black Shorts on Wednesday, is in third.

Sandy Gast tees off at Bradley Park. Photo: Justin Anderson / PDGA

• It’s a tight race in FP55 between Sandy Gast at plus-8 and Susan Stephens and Lydie Hellgren at plus-10. They’ll play at Lake Eureka, where Stephens had the hot round, on Friday.

Mike Ward has a one-stroke lead in MP60. Photo: Hayden Henry / PDGA

• Mike Ward entered Thursday with a one-stroke lead over Tim Keith. After a back-and-forth battle at Northwood Blue, Ward will take the same margin into the fourth round. Mitch McClellan is four shots back in third place.
• Pam Reineke has an eleven stroke lead over Laurie Cloyes-Chupa in FP60.
• Jay Gobrecht has a six stroke lead over J. Gary Dropcho in MP65.
• Johnny Sias has a six stroke lead over Randy Beers in MP70.
• Chance Stad reclaimed the lead in MA40 with the hot round at Wildlife Park for the second time this week. Sheldon Jefferson is one stroke back in second and Will Russell is in third, three shots off the lead at 6-under. MA40 moves to Maxwell Park next.
• It’s going to be a wild finish in MA50 where Jeffrey Roming, Kelly Melton and Billy Bauer are in a three-way tie for first at 5-under par. Mitch Bonjour isn’t far off at 3-under.
• Bill Cary has a two-stroke lead over Jerry Dobbins in MA55.
• In MA60, Mark Shackleford leads Scott Conner by two strokes.
• It’s six-stroke lead for North Carolina’s Donna Stanley and Canada’s Jane Anderson-Renton in FA60 and FA65, respectively, and a two-stroke lead for Texas’ Tim Martin in MA70.