September 1, 2022 by Kingsley Flett in Analysis with comments

I don’t drink anymore. But if I did, I wouldn’t want to be playing drinking games and skolling every time a pro disc golfer said they were ‘sticking to their game-plan’ or I’d be singing rugby songs at dawn. Clichés are well-worn for a reason, though, and the idea behind this one is worthy: stay focused on process, let go of the outcome, and ignore the psychological noise of how others are performing.

It was a challenge that Kristin Tattar seemed to handle well while maintaining her two-throw lead during round two of the PDGA Pro World Championships at the Emporia Country Club on Wednesday.

“It didn’t feel quite as easy as yesterday for sure,” she said. “But I was just sticking to my game-plan which was a little bit different than my card mates. They were throwing so far, and I just can’t throw my forehands like that.” When asked by Disc Golf Network host Terry Miller about the elbow injury that has impacted much of her season, she said, “If my arm was feeling better, I would throw more backhands but I feel confident with the forehand. I just understand that it’s a little bit shorter than everyone else’s drives. But it’s ok. I’ve practiced it that way. It’s all good.”

Eagle McMahon’s game-plan in round one on the Jones Park course involved playing steady and conservative. He must have fancied his chances some of the holes on The Emporia Club though because it looked like steady and conservative had been left out of his bag. He attacked with several long high shots, throwing OB five times, falling to the third card and a tie for 6th.

Another well used word is ‘pressure’. Who is feeling it? Is it building? And who will handle it best in the final three rounds? Ricky Wysocki gave his take on the ‘P word’ after a second-best 12-under-par at the Country Club. A round that restored much of the damage he inflicted to his scorecard the day before and allowed him to climb back up to the chase card, only four throws off the pace. “Whether I’m in 50th or second or first after the first round, it really doesn’t matter to me,” he said. “It’s so early in the tournament and worlds pressure hasn’t started creeping in yet. Round three, four and five, the pressure really starts building and that’s where I think you’ll see the top players rise to the…