UPDATE: Great news, DGPT community! You now have until 11/12 to cast your votes for the 2023 DGPT End of Season Awards presented by OTB Discs. We’ve extended the deadline to ensure everyone gets a chance to have their say. Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate your disc golf favorites!

The 2023 Disc Golf Pro Tour (DGPT) season has reached its conclusion, with the DGPT Championship behind us, it’s time to shine a spotlight on the exceptional players who have excelled in their respective areas of excellence throughout the year. Below you’ll find all you need to know about the DGPT End of Season Awards presented by OTB, including how fans can play a role in this exciting celebration of the 2023 DGPT season. 

Here are the 2023 DGPT End of Season Award categories and conditions. 

Player of the Year:

Criteria – This award will be determined by a split vote between media members (50%) and DGPT Tour Card players (50%).

The 2023 Player of the Year race is one of the most exciting MPO races in recent memory. Several players achieved different types of historic success over the course of the season making it difficult to identify a clear front runner for the award. Some notable candidates include; 

• The reigning DGPT Season Long Points Champion and the player who spent the most time as the #1 Player in the World this season, Calvin Heimburg. Calvin won 3X and finished in the top 5 20X in 2023. 
• The reigning World Champion and 2022 Rookie of the Year, Isaac Robinson. Isaac won 2 Majors (Champions Cup and The World Championships) and finished on the podium at another (U.S. Disc Golf Championship), he also finished in the top 10 13X this season. 
• A former Major Champion and the 2021 Rookie of the Year who won 5X on the DGPT in 2023 Gannon Buhr. Gannon found his way to a podium finish 8X this season and finished in the top 10 17X.

On the FPO side some notable player of the year candidates include; 

• The reigning World Champion and 2022 Player of the Year, Kristin Tattar who won 11X in 2023 including victories at all 4 FPO Majors (Champions Cup, European Open, The World Championships, and U.S. Women’s Disc Golf Championship). 
• 2023 Masters World Champion and the best putter on the FPO tour in 2023 Ohn Scoggins who took down the Discraft Great Lakes Open and finished on the podium 13X this season. 
• Now 2X DGPT Champion Missy Gannon who also took down the Ledgestone Open and finished in the top ten 21X in 2023. 

Rookie of the Year:

Criteria – To be eligible, a player must not have played more than three combined DGPT Elite Series events, PDGA National Tour events, or PDGA Professional Major events in a single previous season. Players who have competed in two or more PDGA Professional Majors in a single previous season will also be ineligible for the award. This award will be determined by a split vote between fans (50%) and media members (50%) (tiebreaker is DGPT points total). 

Here are the top 10 rookies in the 2023 DGPT Season Long Point Standings;

MPO 

1. Luke Taylor: 237 pts | 55th place
2. Aidan Scott: 219.625 pts | 60th place
3. Joseph Anderson: 216.5 pts | 61st place
4. Hjalmar Fredriksson: 192 pts | 65th place 
5. Jake Wolff: 151.5 pts | 73rd place 
6. Connor Rock: 146.25 pts | 75th place
7. Miro Ryhänen: 126.75 pts | 79th place
8. Daniel Davidsson: 114.35 pts | 85th place 
9. Jakub Knápek: 113 pts | 86th place 
10. Elias Luukkonen: 104.25 pts | 92nd place

FPO 

1. Silva Saarinen: 363.5 pts | 39th place
2. Rachel Turton: 262 pts | 44th place
3. Caroline Henderson: 217.25 pts | 48th place
4. Jenni Karppinen: 185.5 pts | 52nd place
5. Cadence Burge: 164 pts | 55th place
6. Sofie Björlycke: 161 pts | 56th place
7. Anneli Tõugjas-Männiste: 146 pts | 58th place 
8. Jordan Lynds: 115.75 pts | 61st place
9. Morgan Lynds: 115.375 pts | 62nd place 
10. Kaidi Allsalu: 115 pts | 63rd place

Most Improved:

Criteria – This award will be determined by a split vote between fans (50%) and media members (50%) (tiebreaker is DGPT points total). All rookies are now ineligible for this award. 

Of players who finished in the Top-75 in points in 2023, here are the players who made the biggest jump in the 2023 DGPT Season Long Point Standings when compared to 2022;

MPO 

1. Parker Welck: 158th in 2022 to 54th in 2023 (+104 spots)
2. Zach Arlinghaus: 118th in 2022 to 44th in 2023 (+74 spots)
3. Tuomas Hyytiäinen: 134th in 2022 to 66th in 2023 (+68 spots) 
4. Ezra Robinson: 69th in 2022 to 12th in 2023 (+57 spots)
5. Sullivan Tipton: 93rd in 2022 to 49th in 2023 (+44 spots)
6. Robert Burridge: 76th in 2022 to 34th in 2023 (+42 spots) 
7. Eagle McMahon: 46th in 2022 to 5th in 2023 (+41 spots)
8. James Proctor: 51st in 2022 to 11th in 2023 (+40 spots)
9. Joona Heinänen: 84th in 2022 to 46th in 2023 (+38 spots)
10. Cole Redalen: 47th in 2022 to 10th in 2023 (+37 spots) 

FPO 

1. Ali Smith: 56th in 2022 to 12th in 2023 (+44 spots)
2. Paige Shue: 81st in 2022 to 38th in 2023 (+43 spots)
3. Chantel Budinsky: 87th in 2022 to 49th in 2023 (+38 spots)
4. Sai Ananda: 54th in 2022 to 22nd in 2023 (+32 spots)
5. Anniken Steen: 51st in 2022 to 32nd in 2023 (+19 spots) 
6. Stacie Rawnsley: 32nd in 2022 to 15th in 2023 (+17 spots)
7. Lykke Lorentzen: 34th in 2022 to 18th in 2023 (+16 spots) 
8. Heidi Laine: 42nd in 2022 to 27th in 2023 (+15 spots)
9. Hailey King: 21st in 2022 to 7th in 2023 (+14 spots)
10. Hanna Huynh: 36th in 2022 to 24th in 2023 (+12 spots) 

Comeback Player of the Year:

Criteria – This new award is intended to recognize a player who either returned from injury, busted a career slump with a strong season, returned to a full tour after a life event, or otherwise returned to the top of the game after being off the scene for a period of time. The award will be determined by a split vote between fans (50%) and media members (50%), who will vote on a list of no more than five competitors who will be nominated by DGPT Tour Card players. 

The nominees for the 2023 DGPT Comeback Player of the Year are; 

MPO 

• Paul Ulibarri
• James Proctor
• Ricky Wysocki

FPO

• Valarie Mandujano 
• Ali Smith
• Stacie Rawnsley

1st Card All-Stars:

Criteria – Awarded to the top four players in DGPT Points Standings at the end of the season. 

Here are your 2023 DGPT 1st Card All-Stars; 

MPO 

• Calvin Heimburg
• Isaac Robinson
• Gannon Buhr
• Ricky Wysocki

FPO

• Kristin Tattar
• Missy Gannon
• Ohn Scoggins
• Holyn Handley

2nd & 3rd Card All-Stars:

Criteria – Determined by a three-factor calculation comprising fan votes (1/3rd weight), media member votes (1/3rd weight), and DGPT points standings (1/3rd weight). 

The 2023 DGPT All-Stars will compete during the All-Star event in Orlando, FL in February before the start of the 2024 season! For more information regarding the 2024 DGPT U.S. event schedule click here.

Let your voice be heard! Get out and vote! 

The fan vote carries significant weight in the criteria of multiple End of Season awards, cast your End of Season Awards ballot here.

UPDATE: Great news, DGPT community! You now have until 11/12 to cast your votes for the 2023 DGPT End of Season Awards presented by OTB Discs. We’ve extended the deadline to ensure everyone gets a chance to have their say. Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate your disc golf favorites!