Back to Emporia! Top Storylines & How to Watch the 2026 Champions Landing Open
The JomezPro Series continues its inaugural season with the Champions Landing Open presented by Dynamic Discs, marking the third stop on the new DGPT series schedule and the final regular-season event before November’s JomezPro Series Finale at Cactus Rock. Following standout events at WACO and the Cascade Challenge, fans can enjoy free next-day post-produced coverage from the JomezPro team on YouTube, highlighting elite competition across the country. The series continues to bring more professional disc golf to fans between DGPT Elite Series events and PDGA Pro Majors, featuring exciting matchups and the coverage fans know and love.
ℹ️ Click here to view the 2026 Champions Landing Open Caddie Book
Champions Landing returns to the spotlight as one of the sport’s premier venues. Located in the heart of disc golf country, this 18-hole championship course blends wide-open fairways with technical wooded challenges, demanding a balance of power, precision, and strategy from every player. Known for its scenic setting, immaculate conditions, and storied tournament history, Champions Landing has helped define Emporia’s reputation as a must-visit destination for disc golf. The course has previously hosted major events including the Dynamic Discs Open and Glass Blown Open, making it a fitting stage for the next chapter of professional competition.
JomezPro Series Points Structure
As announced at the start of the season, players will have the opportunity to earn a limited number of bonus points toward the Powerball® World Standings at each of the three JomezPro Series events held before the Powerball® Cup. The JomezPro Series Finale will not award points and will instead focus on providing a fun offseason competition opportunity for players, along with another great weekend of coverage from JomezPro.
JomezPro Series points are as follows:
- 20 Tour Points for a Win
- 10 Tour Points for a Top-5 finish
- 5 Tour Points for a Top-10 finish
WEATHER THIS WEEKEND
The 2026 Champions Landing Open in Emporia, Kansas is shaping up for a warming weekend with mostly favorable conditions. Friday starts with a chance for morning thunderstorms, SE winds up to 15 mph, and highs in the upper 70s to low 80s. Conditions improve Saturday with dry weather, light SSE winds, and temperatures in the mid-80s before Sunday brings the warmest conditions of the event, with highs in the upper 80s to low 90s and steady southerly winds. Overall, winds look manageable throughout the tournament, with the main weather concern being the early thunderstorm chance on Friday.
For any weather-related updates, delays, or safety information, check the DGPT Event Status Updates page.
CHAMPIONS LANDING OPEN: FPO LOOKAHEAD
FPO1 Feature Card: Ohn Scoggins, Catrina Allen, Heidi Laine, & Emma Arp
Here’s a look at the top FPO storylines headed into this weekend…
1️⃣ Ohn Scoggins Continues a Podium-Heavy Season
Ohn Scoggins enters the 2026 Champions Landing Open as the highest-rated player in the FPO field and the clear favorite on paper. Her consistency this season has been nothing short of remarkable, as she has yet to finish outside the top 4 at any PDGA event she has played in during 2026. On the Tour event schedule, that translates to six podium finishes in nine starts, including two victories, and that total does not even include her JomezPro Series win at Waco. She also carries the longest active Tour top-10 streak in the division at 23 consecutive events, a testament to the elite level she continues to maintain week after week.
Scoggins arrives in Emporia with extra motivation following a heartbreaking finish at last week’s United States Women’s Disc Golf Championship. Holding a five-stroke lead entering the final round, she ultimately settled for 2nd place, a result that still lifted her back to 3rd in the DGPT Powerball World Standings. Fortunately for Scoggins, Emporia has been a successful stop in the past. She captured a 9th-place finish at the Dynamic Discs Open and followed that with a FP40 title at the 2024 PDGA Professional Masters Disc Golf World Championships the same season. With both experience and winning history in Kansas, she enters the weekend as the player everyone else will be chasing.
2️⃣ Catrina Allen’s Emporia Legacy Continues
Catrina Allen enters the 2026 Champions Landing Open as the second-highest rated player in the FPO field at 961 and one of the division’s most experienced contenders. Through 13 Tour events this season, Allen has recorded six top-10 finishes, including a strong 6th-place finish at the Ale Open during the EuroTour swing. While she is still searching for her first podium of 2026, her steady play has kept her firmly in the title conversation, and she currently sits 7th in the DGPT Powerball World Standings.
Few players in the field can match Allen’s history of success in Emporia. Since 2015, she has collected seven podium finishes across National Tour, DGPT Elite Series, and PDGA Pro Major events played in the city, establishing herself as one of the area’s most accomplished competitors. More recently, she finished 5th at the 2023 Dynamic Discs Open before placing 19th in 2024. That résumé speaks for itself, and with another opportunity on familiar Kansas courses, Allen has every chance to turn a season built on consistency into her first signature performance of 2026.
3️⃣ Dark Horses Ready to Make a Move in Emporia
While the favorites will command much of the spotlight, several experienced competitors have the opportunity to make noise at the 2026 Champions Landing Open. Heidi Laine enters as the third-highest rated player in the FPO field and continues to search for another breakthrough performance on Tour. Through 12 Tour events this season, Laine has recorded one top-10 finish at the OTB Open and is coming off a solid 12th-place finish at the PDGA United States Women’s Disc Golf Championship. Although this will be her first PDGA event in Kansas, her experience, including two career Tour podiums, makes her a player capable of finding her rhythm on a new course and building momentum for the remainder of the season.
Lykke Lorentzen and Cynthia Ricciotti also bring intriguing storylines into the weekend. Lorentzen has competed sparingly this season, making one Tour start and one JomezPro Series appearance, but her career résumé includes nine Tour top-10 finishes across 63 Elite Series and Major starts. She also has experience in Emporia, recording a career-best 14th-place finish there at the 2024 Dynamic Discs Open. Ricciotti, meanwhile, enters with deep experience of her own, having played 78 Tour events and earned three career top-10 finishes. While she has cashed in just one Tour event this season, she owns five PDGA victories in Kansas and finished 5th at the 2020 Dynamic Discs Open, proving she knows how to compete on these courses. If the leaders falter or one of these veterans catches fire early, each has the experience to work their way into contention.
CHAMPIONS LANDING OPEN: MPO LOOKAHEAD
MPO1 Feature Card: Parker Welck, Matthew Orum, Jaden Rye, & Gannon Buhr
Here’s a look at the top MPO storylines headed into this weekend…
1️⃣ Gannon Buhr’s Historic Season Continues
Gannon Buhr enters the 2026 Champions Landing Open as the clear player to beat, arriving in Emporia fresh off another historic milestone. After winning the Heinola Open for his 6th Tour victory of the season, Buhr reached a PDGA player rating of 1063, the highest rating ever recorded in MPO history. Sitting comfortably atop the DGPT Powerball World Standings, the 21-year-old enters the JomezPro Series event with nearly every major indicator pointing toward another championship run.
Emporia also carries significant history for Buhr, dating back to his 2019 PDGA Junior Disc Golf World Championships MJ15 victory in the city. At the professional level, his results at Emporia have varied, but he has already proven he can contend on these courses, most recently finishing 2nd at the 2024 Dynamic Discs Open. With the Tour heading to Peoria the following week for the DGPT+ Ledgestone Open, where Buhr will enter as the defending champion, his appearance at Champions Landing further shows his commitment to maintaining momentum. Regardless of the final result, the event provides another valuable opportunity for the world’s top player to sharpen his game against elite competition heading into another major stretch of the season.
2️⃣ Joel Freeman’s Form Returns in Emporia
Joel Freeman enters the 2026 Champions Landing Open as the second-highest rated player in the field at 1040 and one of the most intriguing contenders to watch in Emporia. His Tour season has been a mixed bag, opening the year with consecutive top-10 finishes before falling into a difficult stretch, most recently finishing 32nd at the Kansas City Wide Open. However, Freeman quickly answered that result with a dominant run outside of the Tour, winning five consecutive PDGA events that included three A-Tiers and two B-Tiers. While his Tour results have been inconsistent, his ability to consistently find the top of leaderboards across all levels of competition remains undeniable.
Freeman also brings valuable Emporia experience into the weekend, having competed in five Tour events in the city and earning two top-10 finishes during those appearances. Earlier this season, he captured the Capital City Classic, and he previously finished T4 at the 2025 Glass Blown Open presented by Dynamic Discs (a DGPT Q-Series event), showing that he can perform well in Kansas conditions. Currently sitting 61st in the DGPT Powerball World Standings, Freeman’s ranking does not fully reflect his potential, especially considering he played only five Tour events in 2025. If he can carry his recent winning form into Champions Landing, he has the résumé and familiarity to become one of the event’s biggest threats.
3️⃣ A Wide-Open Opportunity in Emporia
With a smaller field assembled at the 2026 Champions Landing Open as many of the sport’s top players prepare for the upcoming Ledgestone Open, the door is wide open for several notable contenders to make a statement. Parker Welck enters as the third-highest rated player in the field and brings a unique advantage: proven success at this venue. The 2023 Dynamic Discs Open champion has experienced an inconsistent Tour season, recording one top-10 finish through nine Tour events, but he enters Emporia with recent momentum after finishing 3rd at the Dynamic Discs Glass Blown Open (a PDGA A-Tier event). With his only career Tour victory coming on this course, Welck has already shown he can capitalize when everything comes together.
Matthew Orum is another experienced contender searching for a return to championship form. Through nine Tour events this season, Orum has recorded one top-10 finish while struggling to find the consistency that has defined some of his best stretches, including his 2023 MVP Open victory. Since that win, he has still collected two Tour podium finishes and remains a proven threat when his game is clicking. Coming off a break since the Northwest Championship, a rested and motivated Orum could be a dangerous player in Emporia.
Other names to watch include Jaden Rye, who earned his first career Tour podium at the Open at Austin and has two top-10 finishes this season, Robert Burridge, who is coming off a strong 13th-place finish at the Swedish Open, and G.T. Hancock, who enters with two Kansas victories this season across A-Tier and B-Tier competition. With fewer established names in the field, this event presents a valuable opportunity for one of these contenders to capture a career-defining victory.
All the action starts on Friday, July 24th! Follow live scores and stats all weekend, and catch next-day post-produced coverage from JomezPro after each round.
HOW TO WATCH THE CHAMPIONS LANDING OPEN:
Champions Landing Open presented by Dynamic Discs | PDGA Event Page
Official scores, tee times, PDGA Live scoring, and round ratings can be found on the official event page on PDGA.com.
JomezPro Next-Day Lead Card Coverage
The JomezPro Series will bring YOU exclusive next-day coverage from a new set of tournaments on the Disc Golf Pro Tour. These events won’t be broadcast live on the Disc Golf Network, the only place to watch them is on JomezPro, free on YouTube!
LIVE SCORES AND STATS
Live scores and stats will also be available on both the DGPT website and on PDGA Live all weekend.
WATCH THE PROS IN PERSON!
The DGPT and the Champions Landing team are thrilled to welcome spectators to the Champions Landing Disc Golf Course to watch the top disc golfers in the world compete in Emporia. With no live coverage of the event, fans on site will be the first to see the action unfold as it happens! Treat yourself or a fellow fan to an unforgettable experience and catch a DGPT event up close and in person.
🗓️ Click here to view the full Champions Landing Open event schedule!
Find tickets and details for this event and more at tickets.dgpt.com or click below to explore options like General Admission Passes, Fairway VIP Passes, Silver VIP Passes, Gold VIP Passes, and more.
DGPT BETTING & DAILY FANTASY GUIDE: GAMING OPPORTUNITIES THIS WEEK
Your picks are waiting! Disc golf fans now have the opportunity to engage in various gaming opportunities, including Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) and regulated sports wagering. Check out NXTbet’s event analysis for the top bets and picks ahead of the weekend.
WHERE TO BET ON DGPT
Fans can visit nxtbets.com/playdgpt to view available gaming opportunities in their location and learn more about how to play DFS & Legal Sports Betting on DGPT events. Regulatory approval at the state level is required to offer gaming in each jurisdiction, and additional states will be added as approvals are secured.
In addition to exploring currently available opportunities, fans can read more about how to wager on the Disc Golf Pro Tour in NXTbets.com’s ultimate how-to guide. This educational resource provides information on how to research and choose a gaming platform or sportsbook, overviews the different kinds of wagering options available, explains how odds work in disc golf, and offers strategies for successful wagering.
Remember: The Disc Golf Pro Tour has strict rules governing who can and cannot bet on professional disc golf. Tour and tournament staff, volunteers, rules officials, and players are explicitly prohibited from participating in wagering. These rules help maintain the integrity of the game and ensure a safe, regulated betting environment for both fans and players. Additionally, the DGPT partners closely with IC360, a leading sports betting integrity and compliance organization that continuously monitors and analyzes betting activity across multiple platforms to detect potential abuse. To learn more about the DGPT’s gambling policy and safeguards, read the official announcement and visit dgpt.com/rules for the full policy.
DFS: Must be 18+ (19+ in AL, NE; 19+ in CO for some games; 21+ in AZ, MA, and VA) and present in a state where Underdog Fantasy operates. Terms apply. Concerned with your play? Call 1-800-MY-RESET or 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www.ncpgambling.org. NY: Call the 24/7 HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY or Text HOPENY (467369).
Sportsbetting: 21+ Please refer to Affiliated Operators’ T&C. Void where prohibited. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
POST-PRODUCTION COVERAGE
JomezPro | Subscribe
JomezPro will continue providing free next-day lead card coverage with chase card inclusions for the FPO and MPO divisions at all JomezPro Series, DGPT (U.S.), and PDGA Pro Major events. At the European Open and the USDGC, post-pro coverage will first be available to DGN Pro subscribers (next-day) before being made available to DGN Standard subscribers and YouTube subscribers later.
