Disc golf has become a wildly popular sport, at least in the world of niche sports, and that boom is partly because it was a thing people could play outside during the pandemic, gaining more and more popularity over the last year and a half.
On Saturday, the Professional Disc Golfers Association World Championships took place in Ogden, Utah where it turned into a battle between James Conrad and Paul McBeth down the stretch. McBeth looked to be in control, as when Conrad arrived at 18 he needed a birdie to force a playoff and found himself 247 feet out and needing a miraculous shot to have a chance at a world title. The result was absolute pandemonium in Utah, as he pulled off an impossible shot to send it to extra holes.
Just plain crazy. James Conrad throws it in from 247ft for birdie to push the @PDGA Disc Golf World Championship into a Playoff. #PDGAWorlds #SCTop10 @SportsCenter @espn @ESPNAssignDesk
McBeth and Conrad are playing off right now. Watch live here: https://t.co/P2hGISEaDQ pic.twitter.com/Rtqf27Vhqu
— Disc Golf Pro Tour (@DiscGolfProTour) June 27, 2021
I am not a disc golf expert by any stretch, but I feel confident in saying this is a ridiculous shot. Also, look at that crowd! They are fired up for my guy’s heave. This seems like the basketball equivalent of a three-quarter court heave catching nothing but net to force overtime. McBeth had to watch that and hit a par putt from a pretty decent distance to force the playoff himself, and did so pretty calmly — which is impressive given what had just happened around him.
Just outside the circle.
Clutch. City. #PDGAWorlds #discgolf pic.twitter.com/jGOkB1t8cf
— PDGA (@PDGA) June 27, 2021
In the playoff, Conrad got the win on this short putt to close out McBeth in a wild turnaround from where he was on 18 needing a miracle just to have a shot to win his first world championship.
Your 2021 PDGA Professional Disc Golf Champion, James Conrad!
This is the first PDGA World title for Conrad! #PDGAWorlds #discgolf pic.twitter.com/om67umGhnu
— PDGA (@PDGA) June 27, 2021
It’s an incredible finish and, honestly, makes me want to watch some disc golf in the future because that shot from Conrad was one of the wildest things I’ve seen in sports this year.