Paige Pierce surged back to the top of the leader board at the Las Vegas Challenge. Photo: DGPT

How about another classic Championship Sunday showdown to open the 2022 Disc Golf Pro Tour and the 2022 PDGA Elite Series?

That’s what is going down Sunday at the Las Vegas Challenge presented by Innova.

Paige Pierce, trailing by six strokes entering the third round on Saturday, caught fire down the stretch, finishing with a six-under back nine to close the gap to zero with Catrina Allen entering Sunday’s finale.

“I want to be on the lead card going into the final round. I want to have a gallery. I want to put on a show. I get excited,” Pierce said. “I want the crowd to get excited, I love that, and I feed off that. For me, that happens on the lead card.”

Pierce and Allen are locked at 21-under par for the event. Kristin Tattar is one stroke back at 20-under and Eveliina Salonen is at 16-under, setting up a thrilling finale with four of the highest-rated FPO players in the world.

Kristin Tattar is one stroke back entering Sunday at the Las Vegas Challenge. Photo: DGPT

It was the driver that propelled Pierce back squarely in the mix. The four-time LVC winner led all of the major driving categories on Saturday at the Factory Store course – strokes gained tee-to-green (9.18), fairway hits (78%) and Circle 1 and 2 in regulation, according to UDisc.

“The Factory Store course is my favorite course out here,” Pierce said. “I think the versatility on that course is a lot different than the other courses where you just rip a driver. I have a really good time on that course.”

Sunday's finale shifts back to the Innova Course, where Catrina Allen shredded earlier this week. Photo: DGPT

Action shifts back to the Innova Course for the final 18 in Vegas. That’s where Allen built her lead at the midpoint of the event with a 1015-rated, 11-under 58, which remains the highest-rated round in FPO this weekend. Pierce, meanwhile, shot a 5-under 64 during her first 18 on the Innova track. Tattar carded a 62 on Friday, despite a double bogey and three bogies on her scorecard.

But that doesn’t matter, and the race to the finish and a season-opening win comes down to Championship Sunday.

Live coverage of the Las Vegas Challenge begins at 8:40 a.m. PT / 11:40 a.m. ET for FPO on the Disc Golf Network.