Epic Finish Between Local Disc Golfers in Terre Haute

(MARK JONES)

A group of Effingham disc golfers headed to Terre Haute for their first PDGA tournament of 2021 Saturday and ended up with a nailbiting finish in one division and other dandy performances.

The showcase battle was in the Advanced Division, where Mark Jones and Joseph Garland staged an epic battle before Jones pulled off a one-shot victory.

Jones posted a bogey-free first round, going -11 for a 61 total, while Garland posted an eight-under 64 score with 10 birdies and two bogeys.

The second round saw a big comeback by Garland. Down five shots to Jones at one point, Garland closed the gap and caught Jones. Both players birdied consecutive holes, then both parred, then both birdied the next-to-last hole before Jones birdied the final hole while Garland finished with a par. That gave Jones a -6 66 with nine birdies and three bogeys for a -17 total for the day. Garland again went -8 for another 64, this time with no bogeys, to finish -16.

That wasn't all of the drama involving local players, though. In the Intermediate Division, Effingham's Hadley Majors followed up a -7 65 with nine birdies and two bogeys in the first round with a -10 62 with no bogeys in the second round to finish -17. Majors finished second, one shot back. 

Ben Ruholl finished tied for seventh in the Intermediate Division at -3 and +1 for a -2 finish.

In the Recreational Division, Ben Keller tied for 11th, going even par and +2, while Bob Feldhake finished 13th, going +3 and even par on his rounds.

In the Novice Division, Andrew Miller finished 11th, going +10 and +6 on his rounds.