2025 DGPT End-of-Season Awards: Meet All the Award Winners
As the Disc Golf Pro Tour wraps up its landmark 10th season, we once again take the opportunity to recognize the players whose performances, growth, resilience, and community impact defined the year. The DGPT End-of-Season Awards honor excellence across multiple categories, with winners determined through votes from fans, Tour Card Holders, and Media members. These awards celebrate not only elite competitive achievements but also sportsmanship, service, and the bright future of professional disc golf.
To learn more about player eligibility for each award and how winners are determined, visit dgpt.com/awards.
With that, let’s take a look at the winners of the 2025 DGPT End-of-Season Awards…
2025 DGPT Players of the Year
The DGPT Player of the Year Award stands among the highest honors in professional disc golf, recognizing the top-performing players in each division. The MPO award proudly bears the name of Ken Climo, while the FPO honor pays tribute to the legendary Elaine King.
FPO: Holyn Handley — 2025 Elaine King Player of the Year
In one of the tightest races of the season, Holyn Handley claimed her first career Elaine King Player of the Year title. Her season was nothing short of exceptional—finishing 1st in the FPO World Standings, securing 5 DGPT wins (including the 2025 DGPT Championship), earning 11 podiums, and averaging a 5.3 finish with a 985 average round rating.
RELIVE HOLYN HANDLEY’S INCREDIBLE SEASON
Runner-up: Missy Gannon | Third: Silva Saarinen
MPO: Gannon Buhr — 2025 Ken Climo Player of the Year
Gannon Buhr has done it again. With a dominant season that left little room for debate, Buhr successfully defended his title and earned back-to-back Ken Climo Player of the Year honors. He ended 2025 1st in MPO World Standings, recorded 6 DGPT victories, added his first PDGA Pro Worlds title, and collected 13 podium finishes. His season featured an impressive 4.4 average finish and a 1057 average round rating. In 22 starts, Buhr never missed the top 20 and was the only player with multiple starts to do so this year.
RELIVE GANNON BUHR’S INCREDIBLE SEASON
Runner-up: Calvin Heimburg | Third: Paul McBeth
2025 DGPT Rookies of the Year
The Rookie of the Year Awards spotlight breakthrough talent making a strong impression on Tour. For a full breakdown of rookie eligibility, visit the Rookie of the Year tab at dgpt.com/awards.
FPO Rookie of the Year: Rebecca Don
Seventeen-year-old Canadian phenom Rebecca Don stormed onto the scene in her debut season, earning FPO Rookie of the Year honors. She concluded the year 24th in FPO World Standings (the highest of any Rookie), earned three top-10 finishes, including two top-5 placements at Ledgestone and the Discmania Challenge, posted a 20th-place average finish, and maintained a 954 average round rating across 13 Tour events.
Runner-up: Iida Lehtomäki | Third: Taylor Chocek
MPO Rookie of the Year: Rasmus Saukkoriipi
Finland’s Rasmus Saukkoriipi delivered a steady and promising rookie campaign, earning him the MPO Rookie of the Year title. He wrapped up the season 47th in MPO World Standings, held a 39.6 average finish, posted a season-best 16th at DGLO, and carried a 1022 average round rating over 15 starts.
Runner-up: Harry Chace | Third: Teemu Lampainen
2025 DGPT Most Improved Players
The Most Improved Player Awards celebrate athletes who demonstrated the biggest leaps in performance from 2024 to 2025.
FPO Most Improved Player: Cadence Burge
With a breakout year highlighted by her first DGPT win at the Discmania Challenge, Cadence Burge surged 16 spots in the standings to finish 9th in FPO World Standings. She improved her average finish by 10.2 spots (to 11.8) and her average round rating by 20 points (to 969), securing her the Most Improved title.
Runner-up: Silva Saarinen | Third: Iida Lehtomäki
MPO Most Improved Player: Paul Krans
Few players elevated their game in 2025 quite like Paul Krans, who rocketed 64 spots up the leaderboard to finish 32nd in MPO World Standings. Backed by two top-10 finishes (including 4th at GMC), Krans improved his average place by 24 spots (to 32) and raised his average round rating by 14 points (to 1029).
Runner-up: Sullivan Tipton | Third: Ezra Robinson
2025 DGPT Comeback Players
These awards honor players who overcame setbacks—whether injuries, life events, or performance slumps—to reclaim their competitive form.
FPO Comeback Player: Paige Pierce
Paige Pierce’s return to top form earned her the 2025 Comeback Player Award. Her season included a signature win at the Green Mountain Championship, extending her historic streak to 15 consecutive seasons with an Elite Series or Major victory. After finishing 14th in 2024, she climbed to 6th in the 2025 standings, her strongest season since her 2023 ankle injury.
Runner-up: Valerie Mandujano | Third: Catrina Allen
MPO Comeback Player: Paul McBeth
After a challenging 2024 marked by recovery from a torn labrum, Paul McBeth returned with authority—earning the MPO Comeback Player Award. His season included two DGPT victories (Idlewild and GMC) and a 4th-place finish in MPO World Standings, restoring his status among the elite after going winless in 2024 for the first time in over a decade.
Runner-up: Cole Redalen | Third: Paul Krans
2025 DGPT Community Champions
Introduced in 2024, the Community Champion Awards recognize players who make an outstanding difference beyond competition through teaching, advocacy, and community-building.
FPO Community Champion: Ella Hansen
Ella Hansen earned the FPO Community Champion Award for her multifaceted contributions to the sport. Through her work with UPlay—teaching youth, leading clinics for women nationwide—and her leadership as chair of the DGPT Player Council, Hansen continues to uplift the disc golf community at every level.
Runner-up: Kristin Lätt | Third: Ohn Scoggins
UPlay Disc Golf is a nonprofit dedicated to providing education and support for healthier lifestyles through the sport of disc golf, and fans can learn more or get involved at uplaydiscgolf.org.
MPO Community Champion: Paul McBeth
For the second consecutive year, Paul McBeth claimed the MPO Community Champion Award. His ongoing investment in expanding global disc golf through the Paul McBeth Foundation has created sustainable disc golf experiences in underserved regions around the world.
Runner-up: Joey Temali | Third: Luke Humphries
The Paul McBeth Foundation is a nonprofit organization focused on bringing disc golf to communities with limited or no access to the sport, and supporters can learn more or donate at paulmcbethfoundation.org.
2025 DGPT All-Stars
The DGPT All-Star honor recognizes 24 of the Tour’s best—12 MPO and 12 FPO athletes—earning their place through either standings or combined media/fan voting. These athletes also receive exclusive invites to the upcoming All-Star event.
First Card All-Stars
Automatically assigned to the top four players in the DGPT standings after the 2025 MVP Open.
FPO:
- Holyn Handley
- Missy Gannon
- Ohn Scoggins
- Silva Saarinen
MPO:
- Gannon Buhr
- Calvin Heimburg
- Isaac Robinson
- Paul McBeth
Second Card All-Stars
Determined through media (50%) and fan (50%) vote, with standings used as tiebreakers.
FPO:
- Paige Pierce
- Cadence Burge
- Kat Mertsch
- Eveliina Salonen
MPO:
- Anthony Barela
- Richard Wysocki
- Ezra Robinson
- Niklas Anttila
Third Card All-Stars
Determined through media (50%) and fan (50%) vote, with standings used as tiebreakers.
FPO:
- Valerie Mandujano
- Ella Hansen
- Anniken Steen
- Rebecca Cox
MPO:
- Simon Lizotte
- Ezra Aderhold
- Cole Redalen
- Aaron Gossage
Alongside the unveiling of the 2025 All-Stars, the DGPT also published an update on the yearly All-Star competition. Take a look to learn more about the future of the event and where you can see All-Stars compete next.
Here’s to the Next Chapter!
Thank you to every fan, Tour Card Holder, and Media member who participated in this year’s voting and helped shine a spotlight on the athletes who made the DGPT’s 10th season truly unforgettable. Your support is a vital part of celebrating the achievements, growth, and spirit of our sport. Stay tuned for more DGPT updates throughout the off-season, and get ready for another action-packed year of professional disc golf in 2026.
To learn more about player eligibility for each award and how winners are determined, visit dgpt.com/awards.
