The first updated rankings since March
August 5, 2020 by Christopher Wiklund and Patrick Aubyrn in Rankings with 0 comments
Welcome to the Ultiworld Disc Golf 2020 Power Rankings! Our rankings offer a fun alternative to the PDGA World Rankings and player ratings. Those metrics take a long view of the field, ours relies on the “hot take.”
Here’s how we rank our Top 25.
First, we use an algorithm to create an objective ballot. This formula combines standardized scores across Elite Series tournaments, multipliers for depth of field and tournament purse, and a decay function that emphasizes recent performance.
Next, the Ultiworld Disc Golf staff cast top 10 ballots. Our goal is to marry the “eye test” with cold hard stats.
Finally, we added a popular vote for 2020, which gives our subscribers a chance to cast ballots alongside the staff.
Staff and subscribers only consider results within the past two months. They prioritize performance at Elite Series events but may consider regional tournaments as well. Because our human voters only rank the top 10, the objective ballot covers the lower half of the rankings. The objective ballot, on the other hand, has slightly greater historical reach than the former because it only considers Elite Series events.
Let’s get to the results!
Power Rankings Top 10 are available to all Ultiworld Disc Golf readers. Want the entire top 25? You’ll have to be a subscriber.
MPO Power Rankings:
| Rank | Player | Change | Prior |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calvin Heimburg | - | 1 |
| 2 | Eagle McMahon | - | 2 |
| 3 | Paul McBeth | - | 3 |
| 4 | Ricky Wysocki | +7 | 11 |
| 5 | James Conrad | +12 | 17 |
| 6 | Nikko Locastro | +13 | 19 |
| 7 | Emerson Keith | +5 | 12 |
| 8 | Kevin Jones | +15 | 23 |
| 9 | Adam Hammes | +11 | 20 |
| 10 | Chris Dickerson | +6 | 16 |
1. Calvin Heimburg
Rating: 1047
Last Month: 2nd place – Dynamic Discs Open (DGPT), The Preserve Championship (DGPT) , The Silver Cup (DGPT Silver Series), 6th Place- Discraft Great Lakes Open
2020 Best Elite Series Finish: 1st place – The Memorial, three 2nd place finishes at Elite Series events
Heimburg holds on to the top spot in the Ultiworld Power Rankings thanks in large part to his three straight second place finishes at Pro Tour events and becoming the second-highest-rated player in the world. Heimburg is first in birdie percentage this season, 59%; first in parked, 23%,;and first in reaching Circle 1 in regulation, 60%. Heimburg has certainly learned how to tour and right now there is no more consistent player on tour than the righty from Safety Harbor.
2. Eagle McMahon
Rating: 1044
Last Month:
6th place, Dynamic Discs Open (DGPT), The Preserve Open (DGPT). 1st Place- Discraft Great Lakes Open (DGPT)
2020 Best Elite Series Finish: 1st place – Discraft Great Lakes Open, 2nd place – The Memorial
McMahon also stays put in our power rankings. As he said on the Upshot, he may the most elite all-around player on tour. The complete package throws with distance and accuracy on every style and type of shot. McMahon could play a par 7, and throw a unique style of shot successfully on each throw. His win at DGLO somehow seemed like his most “mature” (is that the word?) win yet. He gave himself a look at every hole over the course of the weekend, birdieing every hole at least once except for hole 16. McMahon shot an -11 all three rounds and carded zero bogies.
3. Paul McBeth
Rating: 1062
Last Month: 1st place – Dynamic Discs Open (DGPT), The Battle for Bedford (B Tier). 10th Place- DGLO (DGPT)
2020 Best Elite Series Finish: 1st place – Dynamic Discs Open, 2nd place – Waco Annual Charity Open, 3rd place – The Memorial
It does feel odd having the highest rated player in the history of the game this far down the list (in third) but 2020 is a strange and unforgiving year. McBeth looked off at DGLO, and he struggled to string together a good scoring run all weekend.
4. Richard Wysocki
Rating: 1042
Last Month: 4th Place- Dynamic Discs Open (DGPT), 17th Place- The Preserve Championship (DGPT), 1st Place- Silver Cup (DGPT Silver Series), Seviren Lang Memorial (A Tier), 2nd Place- DGLO
2020 Best Elite Series Finish: 2nd Place – DGLO
Jumping up from 11th to 5th thanks to strong finishes in his past three events is Ricky Wysocki. The two time world champion looks stronger and healthier than he did in the earlier portion of the season and his play is reflecting it.
5. James Conrad
Rating: 1033
Last Month: 7th Place- The Majestic (A Tier), 39th Place- The Dynamic Discs Open (DGPT), 6th Place- The Preserve Championship (DGPT), 3rd Place- Silver Cup (DGPT Silver Series), 5th Place- DGLO (DGPT)
2020 Best Elite Series Finish: 5th Place- Great Lakes Open
Conrad also makes a big leap up our rankings thanks to a run of top ten finishes, excluding DDO, since the season resumed. Conrad is still looking for his first Elite Series podium finish of the season but as the tour heads towards his preferred wooded courses, it should only be a matter of time for Disc Golf Jesus.
6. Nikko Locastro
Rating: 1029
Last Month: 15th Place- Dynamic Discs Open (DGPT), 1st Place- The Preserve Championship (DGPT), 11th Place- Silver Cup (DGPT Silver Series), 5th Place- Clash at The Canyons IV (B Tier), 8th Place- DGLO (DGPT)
2020 Best Elite Series Finish: 1st Place- The Preserve Championship
Locastro’s win at The Preserve was his first big win in almost a decade, and what a Nikko win. It was complete with some jaw dropping shots, some controversy, some suspense, and plenty of time taken.
7. Emerson Keith
Rating: 1031
Last Month: 3rd Place- Dynamic Discs Open (DGPT), Silver Cup (DGPT Silver Series); 4th Place- The Preserve Championship (DGPT); 7th Place- Big Arms on the Brazos (B Tier); 15th Place- DGLO
2020 Best Elite Series Finish: 3rd Place- Dynamic Discs Open
It is official. No one can accuse Keith of being an “under-the-radar,” or “up-and-comer,” or “potential” superstar.” Keith has game and of the 19 (!) events he has played this season he only has five finishes outside the top 10 to go along with nine podium finishes.
8. Kevin Jones
Rating: 1038
Last Month: : 1st Place- The Majestic (A-Tier); 6th Place- Dynamic Discs Open (DGPT); 17th Place- The Preserve Championship; 14th Place- Silver Cup (DGPT Silver Series); 4th Place- DGLO
2020 Best Elite Series Finish: 4th Place- DGLO
2020 KJUSA = 2017 Eagle McMahon. Jones has the Idlewild win under his belt, and his heroic showing at Presidents Cup, but he hasn’t yet figured out how to close out a win on a big stage with a full field. His play down the stretch at DGLO cost him a win, and more importantly, some spots on the Ultiworld Power Rankings.
9. Adam Hammes
Rating: 1036
Last Month: 22nd Place- The Preserve Championship (DGPT), 3rd Place- Silver Cup (DGPT Silver Series), 7th Place- DGLO (DGPT)
2020 Best Elite Series Finish: 7th Place- DGLO
In a shortened season, top 10 finishes are golden, and while he may have struggled more than expected at The Preserve, it’s hard to argue with two top 10 finishes in back-to-back events.
10. Chris Dickerson
Rating: 1043
Last Month: 1st Place- Kiwanis Flex Start Open (C Tier), Cherokee Park Flex Starrt (C Tier), Tennessee State Disc Golf Championship (A Tier), 2020 Tommy Schumpert Open (B Tier), 2nd Place- DGLO (DGPT), River City Open (A Tier), 8th Place- Dynamic Discs Open (DGPT)
2020 Best Elite Series Finish: 2nd place – DGLO
Dickerson has only missed the podium twice this year, and has 10 wins under his belt at “local” B and C-tier events, as he is wont to do. Dickerson’s second place at DGLO was just enough to catapult him into the top 10. We need more Dickerson at big events to push him up the ranks.
Top 25 continues below.
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