Disc Golf: 2017 Season Mens Predictions

In 2016, I predicted that Ricky Wysocki would take home the world championship, and with that prediction being correct, I decided to come back and try my hand at the prediction again! So here are my thoughts on the 2017 season: (Womens predictions coming soon)

First, lets talk some stats from the top two players in the world; Paul Mcbeth, who happens to be number one, and then Ricky Wysocki who is number two. I decided to take a look at the pairs last 25 events played, including the most recent Aussie Open here in 2017, and some of the things I noticed are interesting. 

If you look back at the last 25 events for Mcbeth, you notice that in late 2015 and early 2016, he was on a tear and just couldn’t be stopped. Having won 5 tournaments in a row, but then in last 2016 he sort of slowed down a little bit, or did he? 

 Paul Mcbeth basically won every event possible during the 2013-14, and even in 2015 he showed how dominant he really is. But in his last 25 events, he has only one Major win and two PDGA NT wins. 

 I would compare what Paul is dealing with to what Aaron Rodgers is dealing with in Green Bay; he set the bar so high and is even getting his name tossed around in the GOAT discussion, and it makes us as fans think that he is having a down year just because he isn’t winning everything. 

If that’s the case, even though Mcbeth isn’t winning everything, he is still absolutely destroying these courses. The only difference in the last year and a half is that other players are starting to catch up. 

One of the players who seems to have caught up to Mcbeth is Ricky Wysocki, who this past weekend grabbed his third major win in the last 25 events. What’s even crazier is that Ricky in the last 25 events has finished outside the top 5 just twice, whereas Paul has finished outside the top 10 three times in only the last 12 events.

But people, don’t be fooled, Mcbeth is still the number one player in the world, and I don’t see him losing to many more events. That being said lets talk predictions.

Disc Golf Pro Tour:

This year, the pro tour ran by Steve Dodge is making some noise because they have expanded the tour to nine events this year, and the tour actually goes very well with the PDGA National Tour. That being said, I truly think that Ricky takes home the win for the DGPT in the sense of points because I just feel he wont let off the gas much if at all this season. My prediction is that Ricky finishes 1st, with Paul behind him, and Eagle Mcmahon coming in 3rd.

Disc golf World tour:

This Tour was one that caused a lot of commotion for a few reasons last year for things like no women’s division, and no live coverage until USDGC. This year, the tour has since downsized in events. I’m not sure why, but one can speculate. 

With everything going on, I expect something crazy this year. For the DGWT its the year of the Eagle! I personally expect Eagle Mcmahon to win the points this year with what’s remaining on the list of events, and I also expect Eagle to win the USDGC, giving him both the tour championship and the points title. 

In second, I think Paul finishes strong with the events remaining, and I think that Simon Lizotte comes out and comes back strong from his injury and wins one event to put himself in third at the end of the season.

Now we have come to the World Championships part of this article! As I said earlier, I don’t expect Ricky to take his foot off the gas whatsoever, but will Paul bring himself up from his “slump”, or will Eagle win his first world championship in just his third year on tour? Well, here are my predictions:

It is the year of the Eagle, as Eagle Mcamhon seems to have completely found his game, and with a new contract, he has no worries in the world, and I truly see him pulling off the win this year in Augusta Georgia. 

The only thing that worries me about Eagle is that after his heartbreaking loss this last weekend in Australia, he said in his vlog that “it’s just disc golf”, and even though I bet he was truly saying that to cheer himself up, it is a cause for concern, because a lot of other players on tour seem to have the mentality that disc golf is everything.  

In second, I see Wysocki, and I can truly see him and Eagle battling it out all weekend. For Paul, well, Paul will take third, but only by a few strokes. I truly feel that this years worlds will be the best world championships we have ever seen.

Story Produced By Troy Katzer