Holyn Handley Named 2025 DGPT Elaine King Player of the Year
At the conclusion of each Disc Golf Pro Tour season, the DGPT honors the players who defined the year with its End-of-Season Awards. Among these accolades, the Elaine King Player of the Year Award stands as one of the most prestigious. Named after one of disc golf’s most influential figures, the award recognizes sustained excellence and dominance throughout the FPO field over the course of the season.
The 2025 Player of the Year race was fiercely competitive, with several top FPO athletes making a strong case for the honor. After careful voting by both media members (50%) and Tour Card Holders (50%), Holyn Handley (1st in tour card holder vote, 2nd in media vote) emerged as the recipient of the award, marking her first career Player of the Year recognition.
A Season for the Record Books
Handley’s 2025 campaign was nothing short of spectacular. She captured five Tour wins, surpassing her three victories in 2024. Among her victories were two DGPT+ events, a win on European soil for the first time in her career, and the season’s crowning achievement, a DGPT Championship title.
Her consistency and dominance translated into career-high earnings as well. Handley amassed $111,308 in prize money, setting the record for highest FPO season earnings in 2025 and ranking just behind Kristin Lätt’s all-time single-year record of $116,137 in 2023.
Beyond money, Handley also earned her first FPO DGPT Points Champion title, underlining her consistent high-level play across the season. Out of 21 total Tour events, including the Throw Pink Women’s Disc Golf Championship, she led the FPO division in podiums (11), top-10 finishes (18), and maintained an average placement of 5.3. Her average round rating of 985 and cash finishes in 20 of 21 events further demonstrate her elite performance.
Handley excelled across a range of key metrics:
- 3rd in Birdie Percentage (37.25%)
- 4th in Fairway Hits (77.6%)
- 4th in Parked Percentage (11.5%)
- 3rd in C1 in Regulation (43.82%)
- 4th in C2 in Regulation (64.08%)
- 3rd in Total Putting Distance (16,601 feet)
One of her most impressive performances came at the Kansas City Wide Open, where she achieved an event rating of 1016.67, the 6th highest in DGPT FPO history. Handley also earned the DGPT Match Play Championship, an exclusive season-ending event for the top eight FPO players, defeating the field to claim the title and $15,000 in prize money.
Overcoming Challenges and Finding Her Flow
Handley’s season was marked by both consistency and resilience. She began the year with an extraordinary streak of top-five finishes in her first 13 events, establishing herself as a dominant force early on. However, after her win at Krokhol, she faced mid-season pressure and frustration, which temporarily impacted her performance.
Despite these challenges, Handley’s ability to rebound and find moments of brilliance allowed her to maintain her trajectory. Her late-season resurgence ultimately secured not only the Player of the Year honor but also the FPO Points Champion title, the DGPT Championship, and the Match Play Championship. Handley has noted that her mental game remains a focus heading into the off-season, and fans can expect her to return in 2026 with renewed determination.
Runner-Ups: A Tight Race
The 2025 Player of the Year voting was closely contested. The runner-ups were Missy Gannon (2nd overall) and Silva Saarinen (3rd overall).
Missy Gannon (1st in media vote, 3rd in tour card holder vote) finished the season 2nd in FPO World Standings with five Tour wins, including a PDGA Pro Major at the Champions Cup, marking her second career PDGA Pro Major victory. She recorded 8 podiums, an average placement of 6.3, and an average round rating of 984, including attaining the 3rd all-time FPO PDGA Pro Major event rating of 1009 at the Champions Cup. Gannon also triumphed at the Throw Pink Women’s Championship and represented Team USA at the World Games in Chengdu, China, winning mixed doubles with partner Gannon Buhr against competitors from 16 nations.
Silva Saarinen (3rd in media vote, 2nd in tour card holder vote) closed the season 4th in FPO World Standings, notching four Tour wins, including her first PDGA Pro Major at the European Disc Golf Festival and her first U.S. Tour victory at The Preserve Championship. Saarinen achieved 11 podiums, an average placement of 3.9, and an average round rating of 987, while also leading the field in C2 Putting (27.95%). She has also been nominated for the 2026 Finnish Athlete of the Year award, reflecting her historic season.
Looking Ahead
Holyn Handley’s breakthrough 2025 season exemplifies talent, consistency, and determination at the highest level of women’s disc golf. Her historic season and ability to overcome challenges secure her a well-deserved place as the 2025 Elaine King Player of the Year. Fans can expect more exciting moments from Handley as she sets her sights on 2026.
