Icelandic teenager disrupting European hierarchy
March 30, 2019 by Christopher Wiklund in Interview with 0 comments
In the land of fire and ice, a teenager is working to put his country on the international disc golf map.
Blær örn Ásgeirsson announced himself as a 14-year-old, winning the Battle at Bluebell Woods EuroTour stop in the summer of 2017. Since, he’s picked up a British Open win over Jay “Yeti” Reading, and gone undefeated since turning pro a couple of months ago, including a victory in Spain.
This summer, Ásgeirsson will hit the road alongside Nate Sexton for the European Open, Altageuse Open, and a week of Sexton Shootouts in Estonia. He’ll also be venturing stateside later in 2019. We caught up with him before he started his European event schedule.
Ultiworld Disc Golf: How did you get into the game?
Blær örn Ásgeirsson: I was with my friend in Flateyri and new course was opening. I loved throwing those discs and on my next birthday my parents gave me a disc golf starter pack. After that I was hooked!
UWDG: Last year you finished 16th at the Open de Espana, what changes or developments have you made in your game since then which allowed you to win it this year?
BöÁ: I;ve increased my distance considerably since last year and I´m in much better physical shape. Also, I’m just a far better overall player than I was last year. This year I actually showed up to win, which wasn’t really the case last year.
UWDG: What are your goals for this season?
BöÁ: My main goals are to win another EuroTour event and make it through USDGC qualifications. And obviously I wanna try to cash at every tournament I enter.
UWDG: When are you planning on coming to the US?
BöÁ: My first time in the United States will be at Pro Worlds in Peoria this summer, and then I’m coming back in late September to try to get through Monday qualifying at USDGC.
UWDG: How do you manage to tour so much?
BöÁ: The local disc golf community is very generous and contributes a lot to the fundraising events held by Reykjavík Disc Golf. I don’t have any sponsors that contribute directly to touring, so it can be pretty tough at times. I do have a Patreon account that I haven’t promoted that much, but every little helps.
Blær Örn Ásgeirsson Putting Open de Espana
UWDG: How do you rate Icelandic disc golf/golfers compared to other European countries?
BöÁ: We are definitely far behind here in Iceland. We don’t have any proper tournament courses, only two out of nearly 60 courses have 18 holes, and we simply don’t have enough trees to make interesting and challenging courses. Our players are also lagging far behind much of Europe and we don’t have any 1000+ rated players.
UWDG: Is there anyone or anything you credit with getting to the point you are at now, especially in a sport that is so young in Iceland?
BöÁ: Reykjavík Disc Golf helps me a lot and gives me loads of opportunities, and so does Frisbígolfbúðin, but mostly it’s because of my own hard work.
UWDG: Are there any other European players around your age that you think people should know about and keep their eyes on?
BöÁ: Andri Fannar Torfason is a young player you should keep an eye out for in the next two to three years. He already throws close to 350 at 12-year-old and has such unbelievable form. We jokingly call him Mini McBeth because every move is a mirror image of Paul McBeth. He will be competing internationally for the first time this spring at the Bluebell Woods Open in Scotland.
UWDG: Are there any top pros you model your game off?
BöÁ: If anybody, I would have to say Eagle McMahon. He’s just an awesome golfer and a total athlete who thinks a lot about his diet, sleeping habits and his exercise.
UWDG: If you could play any course in the world, what would it be?
BöÁ: It would definitely be Järva. I’ve heard that it’s one of the best in the world and would want to visit it before it shuts down for good.
UWDG: What is your favorite/most trusted disc?
BöÁ: The KC Glow Aviar, because I like the grip and it almost always goes in the basket.
