Anthony Barela’s Unstoppable Season Continues: Top 5 Moments from the 2024 Des Moines Challenge!

By Nick Quargnenti
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Serving as the final stateside Tour event before heading to Europe for the Krokhol Open and the prestigious 2024 European Open, the competition was fierce at the 2024 TruBank Des Moines Challenge presented by DGA. This year, Pickard Park saw some exciting course updates and a touch of unpredictable weather conditions that kept players and fans on the edge of their seats throughout the weekend. As we bid farewell to Iowa, let’s reflect on the top 5 moments from this year’s action-packed event!

1) Four Wins and Counting!

After finally achieving a long-awaited top-10 finish at The Preserve Championship, Anthony Barela (AB) proved he’s far from finished with his outstanding performance at the 2024 TruBank Des Moines Challenge. Securing his 4th Tour event win of the season and his career, AB’s progress has been remarkable since the event’s inception in 2021. He improved from 53rd place in 2021 to 12th in 2022 and 7th in 2023 before his triumphant victory this weekend.

Barela dominated the course with a 57% birdie rate, an impressive 94% in C1X Putting, and 17.22 strokes gained from tee to green. He nearly completed the tournament bogey-free, with his only bogey occurring on the 17th hole of the Final Round.

Starting the Final Round strong, he birdied the first 7 holes consecutively, marking his 3rd streak of 7 or more birdies in a row this season. At the Texas State Disc Golf Championship this year, AB had an 11-birdie streak, one par, and then another 8-birdie streak, and he went on to win the event by 1-stroke.

AB’s exceptional performance has earned him a spot among the elite players with 4 or more Tour event wins in a single year, alongside legends like Barry Schultz, Ken Climo, Ricky Wysocki, Eagle McMahon, and Paul McBeth.

According to DGPT Season Stats, AB ranks 3rd in both Parked Percentage (12.36%) and reaching C2 in Regulation (68.4%), while also being in the top-5 for Birdie Percentage (45.37%) and Reaching C1 in Regulation (45.08%). He stands 10th in C1X Putting at 86.62%.

Currently, AB is 3rd in the DGPT World Standings. Fans eagerly await his upcoming performances in Europe, starting with the Krokhol Open and leading up to a potential redemption at the 2024 European Open. Learn more about AB’s remarkable journey to his first DGPT victory this season here.

2) From Chase Card to Champion!

Emily Weatherman’s triumphant performance at the 2024 TruBank Des Moines Challenge presented by DGA has left a lasting mark on the Disc Golf Pro Tour. Hailing from Abilene, Texas, Weatherman not only clinched her first career Tour event win but also set the record as the youngest player to ever achieve this feat.

Notably, Weatherman is now among the top five fastest FPO players to secure their first Tour event win, achieving this milestone just 122 days after her first Tour event start.

In just her debut season, she has impressively played 12 Tour events, boasting 1 win, 2 podium finishes, 5 top-10s, and a 67% cash rate. Her victory was nothing short of spectacular, coming from the Chase Card and overcoming a 5-stroke deficit in the final round.

Demonstrating unparalleled skill on the putting green, Weatherman led the field with a 30% C2 Putting success rate and only 1 OB stroke over 3 rounds. Her final round was a masterclass, with an 8 under par, the longest putting distance (343 feet), and the highest birdie percentage (44%).

Additionally, she reached a career-best unofficial event rating of 1005, surpassing the 1000 rating mark for the first time, with an average Tour event rating of 954. This impressive feat has propelled her to the conversation about who should win the FPO DGPT Rookie of the Year award. The Rookie of the Year criteria was updated at the start of the 2024 season, and with her win at DMC, Weatherman will be a name many might consider at the end of the year’s vote. Read more about the criteria for this award and others in our announcement earlier this year. .

Weatherman is the 5th first-time FPO Tour event winner in 2024, surpassing the previous record of only 2 first-time winners in a single season. This highlights the increasing competitiveness of the field, making it more challenging than ever to predict who will stand on the podium.

Following this event, DGPT Season Stats rank Weatherman 2nd in Fairway Hits percentage (79.89%), 2nd only to Missy Gannon. Additionally, she now holds 17th place in the DGPT World Standings with 517.38 Tour points.

With this remarkable performance, Emily Weatherman has firmly established herself as a rising star in the disc golf world, and fans are eagerly anticipating her future achievements on the Pro Tour.

3) Adam Hammes’ Resurgence in Des Moines!

Adam Hammes came to Iowa with determination, delivering an electrifying performance and securing a solo 4th-place finish and marking his first top-5 result of the season since his victory at the 2023 Portland Open.

This achievement also marked his return to the Final Round lead card for the first time since his Portland win, supported by his highest event rating of 1057 since his impressive 2023 Waco performance (1058).

Hammes set the course ablaze during Round 2 with a scorching hot round score of 14 under par and attained an unofficial round rating of 1091, the 3rd highest-rated round of the season behind AB’s Round 2 at the Texas State Disc Golf Championships (1108) and Gannon Buhr’s Round 3 at same (1100).

His stellar Round 2 performance included leading the field in several key statistics with a 78% Birdie Percentage, 100% Fairway Hit Percentage, 86% reaching C1 in Regulation, and 100% reaching C2 in Regulation. This would ultimately give him a 2-stroke lead heading into the Final Round.

Although missing the podium, his commendable top-5 finish elevates him to 19th in the DGPT World Standings. As we prepare for Europe and players seek momentum before the summer Major, this performance sets the stage for continued success on the Pro Tour.

4) Electrifying Finish for Eliezra!

Eliezra Midtlyng showcased an impressive performance at the 2024 TruBank Des Moines Challenge, securing a solo 2nd place finish—her first-ever podium in a Tour event and her career-best result.

Leading the field with a remarkable scramble percentage of 56%, she also boasted a 41% birdie rate, tying with the champion Emily Weatherman and a select few others. With an average Tour event rating of 955, Midtlyng also achieved her highest event rating to date at 997 during this tournament.

This season marks Midtlyng’s debut on the DGPT, where she has participated in 11 Tour events, achieving 1 podium finish, 3 top-10 finishes, and maintaining a solid 55% cash rate.

Despite starting her DGPT career this season, her first taste of Tour play was at the 2023 PDGA Pro World Championships, where she finished a commendable 23rd. According to DGPT Season Stats, Midtlyng is within the top-20 in Parked Percentage (11th place at 11%), reaching C2 in Regulation (15th place at 54.63%), and in C2 Putting (15th place at 16.67%). She is ranked 8th for reaching C1 in Regulation (35.37%).

Additionally, she now holds 20th place in the DGPT World Standings, and this podium finish showcases her rapid progress and potential on the Disc Golf Pro Tour.

5) Matt Orum’s Roll Tide Performance!

Matt Orum, affectionately known as Matty O., unleashed his inner champion at the 2024 TruBank Des Moines Challenge, securing a solo 2nd place finish—his 2nd consecutive podium after placing 3rd at The Preserve Championship. These back-to-back podiums mark his first on tour since his victory at the 2023 MVP Open.

Impressively, Matty O. was the only player in the field to maintain a bogey-free streak throughout the tournament. He dominated several statistical categories, leading in Scramble Percentage (100%), C1X Putting (97%), Strokes Gained from C1X Putting (6.72), and Strokes Gained from Putting (9.17), with just one out-of-bounds stroke and a 52% Birdie Percentage.

His outstanding Round 1 performance, shooting 9 under par and putting 100% from C1X, earned him a spot on the DGPT lead card for the first time since the Open at Austin.

In the 2024 season, Matty O. has competed in 11 Tour events, achieving 2 podium finishes, 6 top-10s, and an impressive 82% cash rate.

He currently holds 8th place in the DGPT World Standings and ranks among the top-5 in Scramble Percentage (5th place at 52.78%) and C2 Putting (4th place at 34.86%) according to DGPT Season Stats. As a beloved player among fans, anticipation builds for Matty O. to add another trophy to his collection.

* Tour event wins include standard DGPT, DGPT+, DGPT Playoff events, and PDGA Pro Majors

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