While most disc golfers are still taking some much needed time off and figuring out if they really want to play in the snow or not, competitors down under were sweltering under the hot Australia sun during the 2018 DUDE Pro. One of the first events of the season, it trades off years with the Aussie Open and gives players a run for their money at the well-known Mundaring DiscGolf Park in Perth.

There was no shortage of action during the two-day event, as temperatures soared past 100 degrees Fahrenheit and the competition was fierce. Let’s take a look at how each round went and relive some of the action from this premier tournament.

January 20th, 2018

Mundaring offers players two 18 hole layouts and both were in play during the DUDE Pro. The Gold tees total over 10,000 feet along grueling fairways and a plethora of OB to watch out for. The White layout is much shorter at 5,118 feet, and challenges players to get more technical amidst the wooded holes.

Day 1 of the DUDE Pro had the men’s open division starting off with the Gold layout in a true test of their skills and ability to cope with the heat. Not letting anything deter them, three leaders emerged from the morning’s round with impressive scores: David Bandy shot a hot 62, our own bossman Chris Finn came in with a 63, and Jordan Wheeler was right on both of their tails with a 64.

Despite the massive amounts of sweat left out on the course, players had to go out after lunch for round 2 but this time found reprieve on the White layout. With more shade available to gather under, it made the rest of the day slightly easier to manage. Taking advantage of the tiredness of others, Bandy again came out with the hot round at 45 with Wheeler shooting a 47. Dean Cushing pulled himself up in the ranks slightly with a 51, and despite a great round at 52, Finn found himself 8 strokes behind the leader.

January 21st, 2018

The third round of the DUDE Pro saw players back on the Gold course, and although temperatures were a bit cooler, you could feel the heat of competition. Chris Finn must have wanted the win badly, and besides – what’s more, impressive than being the TD, sponsoring the event, and coming in the first place? He put in his all to shoot the hot round of the morning with a 62, placing him in the top 4 for the final 9.

Here’s where things got intense, as Bandy, Wheeler, Finn, and Carl Bellesini all played their hearts out and kept things close on each and every hole. David was close to securing the win on hole 18, but right as he was about to putt the wind picked up and gave us all flashbacks to Eagle’s mishap during the Aussie Open last year. Seizing their opportunity, both Jordan and Chris took 2’s and placed the three men in a sudden death playoff.

This final hole saw Bandy go OB, surely leaving him out of the running, with Jordan and Chris vying for the win. Finn’s approach shot was limited due to his placement on the fairway, and opting for a safer route, he decided to a layup for a 4. Seeing his opportunity, Wheeler’s second shot left him with a 40’ putt which he canned to take home the win!