Heading Out West
Heading Out West
Get ready for the DGPT - OTB Open
Simon Lizotte kicked off a stellar season with a win at the 2022 OTB Open. Photo: Kevin Huver / DGPT
This weekend, the Disc Golf Pro Tour kicks off its West Coast swing with the OTB Open presented by MVP Disc Sports.
The OTB Open started as the San Francisco Open in 2018 as part of the Disc Golf Pro Tour, then moved to Stockton, California and partnered with OTB Discs in 2021. A new course was designed at Swenson Park by Leonard Muise, who had also designed the course at Gleneagles for the SFO. Now in its third year on the Elite Series, the OTB Open is the sixth Elite Series event of the 2023 season.
As is the case with most disc golf courses installed on a ball golf course, Swenson Park is extremely long. The course is an 11,388 foot par 66 for the MPO and a 9,113 foot par 67 for the FPO field. In particular, holes 4 and 6 are over 1000 feet for the MPO and over 800 feet for the FPO.
However, players will need more than distance alone to score well at Swenson. Unlike many other ball/disc golf courses, Swenson features gap shots, tight OB lines, and plenty of trees forcing players to shape their shots through the fairways. The back 9 includes multiple water carries and baskets placed close enough to the water line to test the nerve of even the best putters on tour.
Swenson Park was made for the pros and has been updated to accommodate each field. Only Hole 5 has the same teepad and basket position for both the FPO and MPO fields while every other hole has a different teepad or basket position.
Last year, the two-meter Rule was in effect on certain holes, but the rule will not be in effect at this year’s OTB Open.
Paige Pierce is battling an injury, but is in action looking for the three-peat at the OTB Open. Photo: Kevin Huver / DGPT
Paige Pierce shot back-to-back hot rounds in the first two rounds of the 2022 OTB Open, giving her a nine-stroke lead going into Championship Sunday. While Pierce was in great position to defend her 2021 title, a slow start gave room for Natalie Ryan to make a charge. Ryan scored ten birdies to get to 9-under for the day and catch up to Pierce by Hole 16. Ryan finally had a chance to take the lead, but went OB approaching Hole 17’s difficult green, resulting in a double bogey. Pierce took par on the last two holes, finishing at even par for the day and securing her second OTB Open win.
So far, Pierce is the only FPO player to win the OTB Open and she already has one Elite Series win this season. With Pierce working through an injury, defending her title against this year’s competitive FPO field will be no small task.
Simon Lizotte, often known for taking risky and aggressive shots, showed a more controlled side in the 2022 OTB Open. This measured approach paid off and gave Lizotte the lead going into the final round. Lizotte played a smooth round, maintaining his lead by birdieing 10 of the first 14 holes. Going into the final hole, Lizotte had stretched his lead to three strokes over Calvin Heimburg. With Heimburg unable to catch up, Lizotte had extra strokes to spare as he laid up and took a stress-free tap-in bogey for the win. This was Lizotte’s first DGPT win since the 2018 Memorial Championship, and he would go on to win three more Elite Series Events in 2022.
When asked about his new less aggressive style, Lizotte said, “Me being a bit more controlled is going to be dangerous.”
Other than a chance of rain on Sunday, the weather forecast calls for hot weather and clear skies in Stockton, California for the 2023 OTB Open presented by MVP Disc Sports.
Here's everything you need to know to catch the action this weekend:
Tee Times & Round ratings
PDGA | Event Page
- Official scores, tee times, PDGA Live scoring and round ratings can be found on the official event page on PDGA.com.
Live Coverage
Disc Golf Network
The Disc Golf Network (DGN) is the home of live disc golf. Built by the Disc Golf Pro Tour, the DGN is a subscription streaming and on-demand platform. Covering the world’s best players competing in the sport’s most elite tournaments, a subscription includes post-produced coverage of select disc golf tournaments as well as exclusive disc golf shows, touring pro interview series, podcasts, and other segments only available on the Disc Golf Network.
Friday's FPO Feature Card (Live coverage of FPO begins at 12:30 p.m. ET)
- Paige Pierce
- Madison Walker
- Ella Hansen
- Ohn Scoggins
Friday's FPO2 Live Card
- Juliana Korver
- Stacie Hass
- Holyn Handley
- Kat Mertsch
Friday's FPO3 Live Card
- Catrina Allen
- Missy Gannon
- Jennifer Allen
- Hailey King
Friday's MPO Feature Card (Live coverage of MPO begins at 6:00 p.m. ET)
- Simon Lizotte
- James Conrad
- Ezra Aderhold
- Aaron Gossage
Friday's MPO2 Live Card
- Calvin Heimburg
- Kevin Jones
- Eagle McMahon
- Anthony Barela
Friday's MPO3 Live Card
- James Proctor
- Cole Redalen
- Luke Humphries
- Linus Carlsson
DGPT YouTube | Subscribe
In addition to the DGN, the live broadcast for both divisions will be simulcast free on the DGPT YouTube channel for the first round only on Friday, May 12.
DGN Press Conference | Watch
Hear from some of the players before the action gets going during a press conference from 1-2:40 p.m. PT on Thursday, live on the DGPT's YouTube channel. Here is the tentative schedule for the press conference (all times PT):
- 1:00 p.m.: Sai Ananda
- 1:10 p.m.: Simon Lizotte
- 1:20 p.m.: Paige Pierce
- 1:30 p.m.: Calvin Heimburg
- 1:40 p.m.: Juliana Korver
- 1:50 p.m.: Kat Mertsch
- 2:00 p.m.: Jessica Weese
- 2:10 p.m.: James Proctor
- 2:20 p.m.: Jeff Spring (DGPT CEO)
- 2:30 p.m.: Sean Jack and Shawn Mercy (TDs)
- 2:40 p.m.: Leonard Muise (Course Designer)
Post Production Coverage
JomezPro | Subscribe 
Open Lead Card / Round 1 MPO Feature Card
- Simon Lizotte
- James Conrad
- Ezra Aderhold
- Aaron Gossage
JomezPro | Subscribe
FPO Lead Card / Round 1 FPO Feature Card
- Paige Pierce
- Madison Walker
- Ella Hansen
- Ohn Scoggins
Gatekeeper Media | Subscribe 
Open Chase Card / Round 1 MPO Feature Card
- Calvin Heimburg
- Kevin Jones
- Eagle McMahon
- Anthony Barela
Ace Run Pro | Subscribe 
FPO Chase Card / Round 1 FPO Feature Card
- Juliana Korver
- Stacie Hass
- Holyn Handley
- Kat Mertsch
Recap Articles
PDGA.com
Check back to PDGA.com daily for a recap of all of the action from the 2023 Elite Series.