Article written by: Michelle Springett – DGPT Communications Coordinator

The 2023 Preserve Championship Presented by Prodigy Disc starts today, June 30th! If you want all the pertinent details on watching the tournament live, check out the Disc Golf Pro Tour event page. We sat down with the pros and tournament staff to hear about what’s on their minds headed into another DGPT Elite Event. You can watch the full Press Conference here or below via the DGPT Youtube Channel. Here is what we learned…

Cale Leiviska – 

Cale is a skilled disc golfer who has been playing since 2004 and is also a talented course designer. He founded the Airborn Disc Golf Preserve and designed its courses. At the press conference, Cale discussed the recent updates to the Black Bear Course, including a new short technical par 3 hole 5. The team’s objective was to add technical shots throughout the layout and create as much balance as possible.

Kristin Tattar –

During her interview, Kristin reflected on her performance at last week’s Des Moines Challenge and how putting in the wind and going OB inspired her to putt “harder.” To fight the wind while putting she puts more spin into the disc to help with control. She chooses to channel her frustrations and emotions into her putting.

Calvin Heimburg – 

Looking at all the changes to the course, Hole 14 is Calvin’s favorite. A par 5 will prove challenging and require a pretty long drive from the tee. During last year’s Preserve Championship tournament, Calvin faced some difficulties due to an ear infection, which affected his performance. Calvin also let us in that he is using a Millenium Vela on his fairway drives and his Eagles, and they are both very similar, and he uses them for his straighter shots.

Missy Gannon –

Missy’s success this season can be attributed to her extreme consistency, which she credits to her confidence in her game. She has simplified her approach by using a thrasher for every tee shot possible, which helps minimize any doubt about her performance. She mentioned that her performance has improved this season, and she credits it to altering her angles, using more power, and gaining confidence.

Ricky Wysocki – 

During the interview, Brian Earhart asked Ricky a pretty significant question: how long does he plan on playing professionally? It turns out that Ricky has been contemplating this question himself. Ricky’s current plan is to retire around the age of 40 and to prioritize taking excellent care of himself. Ricky believes that the better care he takes of himself, the longer he will be able to continue playing. He hopes to open his own golf country club in the future, rather than opting for a facility like the Airborn Preserve.

The 2023 Preserve Challenge Presented by Prodigy Disc kicks off today. Tune into the Disc Golf Network to catch all the action and follow scores on UDisc Live. Can’t watch live? Catch all the lead card action on JomezPro’s YouTube channel for next-day post-produced coverage!