Warder, Mallery duo lead club contingent in Fairmont tourney

 

* 2023 Mellow Day in May results
* Allegany County Disc Golf Club on Facebook

FAIRMONT, W.Va. — It was a homecoming of sorts for David Warder. And boy oh boy, was it good to be home.

Warder, 32, of Frostburg, returned to his collegiate stomping grounds as one of seven Allegany County Disc Golf Club members to compete in the annual Mellow Day in May tournament, an event hosted by the Fairmont Flyers Flying Disc Club on Saturday in Fairmont. Players competed on the challenging Orange Crush layout and the Seth Burton Memorial course.

All players threw from the short tees, though upper-level competitors targeted the long baskets while others threw towards the short baskets. Along with season temps, the field endured light to steady rain for much of the event that made footing treacherous throughout the event, which began at 9:30 a.m. and concluded around 5 p.m. Though PDGA player ratings are updated monthly, competitors are rewarded with a round rating at the end of each sanctioned round.

Warder led five club members playing in the MA2 Division, finishing in a tie for 15th place among 30 competitors with a two-round total of 10 over par. Warder entered the event with an 886 PDGA rating. He tied for 11th in the first round on the Orange Crush course with a rated round of 893 — carding a three over par 63 — then tied for 15th in round two with a seven over par 64. Warder threw two birdies in the first round and carded par 12 other times.

He was matched stroke for stroke by Colby Mallery, 19, of Mount Savage. Mallery entered the tournament without a rating, as the event was his first under the PDGA umbrella. Mallery threw three birdies and managed par 10 times towards his own 63 and 893 round rating. In round two on Seth Burton, Mallery tied for 20th by throwing a nine over par 66, earning a round rating of 862. Mallery finished in a tie for 20th place.

Sam Wolodkin, 20, of Frostburg, placed 25th over two rounds. He tied for 28th in round one with an eight over par 68 (844 rating) and 25th in round two with a 12 over par 69 (833 rating). He was followed closely by fellow Frostburg State University student Ethan von Hagel, 20, of Cumberland. Von Hagel (PDGA rating 852) finished 28th overall. He tied with Wolodkin for 28th in round one with an eight over par 68 (844 rating) and threw 14 over par 71 (814 rating), good for 28th, in round two.

Players were placed in Pool A or Pool B, and the course and layouts varied accordingly.

Two club members were among 22 players in the MA3 Division, which played a similar layout as MA4 Division competitors as both rounds were played from short tees to short baskets. Scott Mallery, 54, of Mount Savage, tied for 14th place among 22 competitors in MA3 in his first PDGA tournament. In the first round, Mallery was even par with a 58, good for an 883 rating. His effort included three birdies and was good for sixth place in the round. Mallery threw for five over par and tied for 14th, equalling his overall position.

Bill Shreve, 47, of Cumberland, entered with an 822 PDGA rating but struggled to find his footing in the conditions. Shreve placed 21st overall. His performance included a seven over par 65, good for an 803 round rating and 20th place. In round two, Shreve, primarily a backhand thrower, threw for three birdies on a more open course. He finished five over par (60), good for an 813 round rating.

In the MA4 Division, Kevin Spradlin, 44, of Frostburg, placed fifth among six competitors. Like several other players, Spradlin struggled in round one and finished with a 14 over par 72, good for a 724 round rating (37 points below his PDGA rating of 761). In round two, the rain let up a bit and Spradlin found a bit of a groove on the more open course. He finished eight over par with a 63, good for a 775 round rating.

Shreve and Spradlin were the only two club members to throw for higher round ratings on the Seth Burton course in the second round.

The seven-player contingent in Fairmont was not an official club event. One club goal, however, is to support club members who choose to compete outside of the area. It can be daunting and quite a challenge — six of the seven players finished in the bottom half of their division field, and two were second to last in their respective divisions. Still, playing against better competition, on challenging courses and in various weather conditions, ultimately make every player better and more prepared for the next round.

 

 

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