Cranbrook’s professional disc golfer Casey Hanemayer has qualified for a spot at the United States Disc Golf Championship (USDGC), one of the most prestigious events in the sport, following a tied-for-3rd position at the Foxwood Open in Baden, Ont.
It’s been a big year for Hanemayer, perhaps his biggest yet since playing competitively. In the nine PDGA- sanctioned events he’s played this season he’s won four, with his lowest place being fourth at the Ontario Disc Golf Championship.
He also won the non-sanctioned Deerborne Gutshot in Elkford.
Hanemayer also picked up his first major sponsor at the start of this year in Prodigy Disc Golf and was then also snatched up with a deal from Gander Disc Golf, a retailer and event organizer out of Edmonton. He now has his own signature discs from both companies.
The USDGC could be compared to golf’s The Masters, in that it has a long and rich history, relative to the sport, and takes place in the same venue every year: Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. It happens in early October every year, this year falling on Oct. 6-9.
The first USDGC was held in 1999 and won by 12X world champion Ken Climo, who would go on to win it another four times.
This won’t be Hanemayer’s first appearance at Winthrop University, and this year he’s more prepared than ever and is looking for redemption.
“2018 was my first taste of the difficulty of the Winthrop course,” Hanemayer said. “Seeing all the big names in disc golf at the most prestigious event in the sport was a mind blowing experience.
“I wasn’t ready to play disc golf to my full ability that time, since the stage was so big. I feel more prepared and am looking forward to playing USDGC this year coming into the event with more experience and patience.”
In the last three weeks, Hanemayer has gone from tournaments in Sundre, Alta. to Cochin, Sask. to Baden, Ont. This weekend he will take on his home field at the Kootenay Up and Down, which is shaping up to be the biggest and best event yet in the event’s history.
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