Paige Pierce still feels them.

With 140-plus wins in her career, Pierce stepped up to the first hole on Sunday at the Disc Golf Pro Tour – 27th Annual Texas State Disc Golf Championship presented by Latitude 64 with a five-stroke lead, and she felt the nerves.

Over the next 17 holes, that lead shrunk, disappeared, and then returned as she emerged with career win 146 in Tyler, Texas.

Paige Pierce celebrates her win in Tyler, Texas. Photo: Kevin Huver / DGPT

“I think it’s because it means so much to me,” Pierce told the Disc Golf Network’s Terry Miller about her nerves. “I’m not out here playing because I have to, it means the world to me to be out here.

“To execute when it comes down to it and push past what everyone is saying, I’ve learned that I’m the only voice that matters. I need to love myself, I need to be confident in myself and the wins will come.”

Full Coverage from DGPT - Texas States »

This win, her first of the 2022 season, came with a dramatic finish.

Kristin Tattar parked hole 12 while Pierce bogeyed and, suddenly, things were knotted up at 13-under par. Catrina Allen, with a birdie of her own, was one stroke back with six holes to play.

Kristin Tattar finished on the podium for the fourth time this season. Photo: Kevin Huver / DGPT

On 13, Pierce went to a knee, stared down a circle 2 putt with a steep drop directly behind the basket and cashed it. The second-straight two-stroke swing put Pierce back on top.

The trend continued on 14 as Pierce’s drive found the out-of-bounds. It was then Pierce and Allen tied with Tattar one-stroke back. A textbook birdie on 15 from Pierce made it a two-stroke lead and maybe the stress would begin to subside.

Wrong.

Tattar and Allen connected for eagle threes on the downhill 780-foot penultimate hole, making it a one-stroke lead in favor of Pierce.

Catrina Allen battled down the stretch and tied for second at Texas States. Photo: Kevin Huver / DGPT

With the headwind ripping, she executed the daunting finisher at The Thorn for a birdie and what would be a four-stroke win.

“I’m happy that it was stress-free on the final hole because every other hole was not,” Pierce told the Disc Golf Network’s Terry Miller. “It was a battle through and through with the nerves and everything. That’s the beauty with the game of golf.

“I had a great weekend. I don’t care about the spit-outs, the OBs – overall, when you put it together, that’s what gets your blood pumping.”

Pierce led the field in strokes gained putting (8.44) and was second in strokes gained tee-to-green (16.63), according to UDisc.

After a two-week break in her schedule, Pierce will return to action at the first PDGA Major of the season, the PDGA Champions Cup on the hallowed W.R. Jackson course at the International Disc Golf Center set for April 14-17 in Appling, Georgia.

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She’ll certainly still feel the nerves then but added confidence will accompany her as well as she strives for the 16th PDGA Major title of her career.

“I’m so excited,” Pierce said. “I watched a Kat Mertsch interview where she was asked about what tournament she was looking forward to and she said the next one. That rang true when I heard that and even more so right now because the next one for me is a Major and is on my second-favorite course in W.R. Jackson.

“It’s an iconic course and I’m very excited to get out there. Coming off a win, getting out to a Major and having that confidence, I’m really excited.”