From the desk of Owl P. Jackson, Esq.
August 5, 2025 by Owl P. Jackson, Esq. in Opinion, Recap
This is the one we’ve all been waiting for. The biggest disc golf event ever delivered 29-year age gaps, hole 16 drama, new world champions, and some of the worst putts we’ve ever seen. In my opinion, these are the top 10 storylines of the 2025 PDGA Disc Golf World Championships.
1. Gannon Buhr wins his first Worlds
“I am a mountain; I am a tall tree.”
The world’s #1 player finally has his first world title. Gannon never had the hot round, but it didn’t matter. This is what a 5-round tournament is designed to do. The longer you play, the more likely it is that the cream will rise to the top. “I was trying to have the Isaac mindset,” Gannon explained after the round, “Just kinda chip away…and at the end of the week, it’s enough.”
Gannon is already a four-time major winner (joining Nate Doss, Isaac Robinson, and Will Schusterick) and he can’t even drink yet. But he won’t be in that illustrious group for long. He’s just passing through. Sko, G!
2. Ohn Scoggins putts her way to a title
“I am a swift wind sweepin’ the country.”
Ohn definitely has that dawg in her. After a one-hole playoff, she became the oldest Worlds winner in history—44 years old. Who adds a FPO World title after already winning five titles in the FP40 division? Ohn does. Few would have picked her to win on these courses, but Ohn won the way she knows how—on the putting green. She led her competitors in scramble rate, C1 putting, strokes gained CIX, strokes gained C2, and overall strokes gained putting. In the final round, she was perfect from C1 and smashed 6 out of 9 from distance.
Everyone loves Ohn. She is your biggest cheerleader and favorite cardmate, even when she is beating you. “I try to make top 15 when I come here,” Ohn said after her win. Mission accomplished.
3. Meet Iida
“I am a river down in the valley.”
Overall, FPO play was ugly at times throughout the week. The best and most consistent player was someone most Americans had never even heard of—15-year-old Iida Lehtomäki. In her Worlds debut, the young Finn showed incredible poise and was in contention for the lead almost the entire tournament. On Saturday, it appeared as if she was going to be able to walk in a blowout. She rocketed out to a 12-stroke lead through 15 holes. Then hole 16 happened (more on that later). She carded a brutal 13 and suddenly everyone was back in contention.
Iida ended up losing in a playoff to Ohn on the final day, after laying up a “must run” putt. It was an absurd play in my opinion, but she doesn’t care what I or anyone else thinks. And why should she? She explained on Instagram, “I don’t care about you saying what should I have done differently…I know I made history.”
4. MPO Contenders
“I am a vision and I can see clearly.”
A year from now we will only remember that Gannon won, but there were five other men who were right there the whole way. For historical purposes, something should be said about them as well.
- Aaron Gossage had his best putting performance in memory en route to his second Worlds runner-up finish.
- 3rd place Niklas Anttila had the Finnish fans in a frenzy. No one throws smoother than that boy.
- Ezra Aderhold destroyed the Monster on day 2 with a -14. It should be remembered as one of the best Worlds rounds ever.
- Anthony Barela put together his own highlight round on Saturday, 1105-rated on the Beast.
- Sullivan Tipton finished tied with Barela in 5th place. This continuation of his breakout season has him in 12th on the DGPT standings.
5. Kristin DNF
“I am a giant; I am an eagle.”
Something is going on with Kristin. That much was clear after her post-round interview on Thursday. “I just want to survive,” she told Nate Perkins of her plans for the rest of the tournament. In the end, she chose to DNF.
It’s probably best to just let her explain. “It is not a choice I made lightly, but it came from a place of true longing of needing time off,” she wrote. “…I’ve been putting a band aid to this part of myself for years, pushing forward, assuming this feeling would fade away, but all the hardships I’ve faced over the past two months this band aid has been ripped off, showing that this part of me needs my attention.”
6. Ella Hansen makes a run
“I am a lion down in the jungle.”
The final round of FPO was the most entertaining round of disc golf this season. A major part of that excitement was Ella Hansen. From the chase card, Ella put together a blistering -12 course record. Through the first 17 holes, she carded 11 birdies, 1 eagle, and 0 bogeys. If she had played 18 for par, she would have joined Iida and Ohn for a historic three-way playoff.
7. Henna and Eveliina
“I am a marchin’ band; I am the people.”
Henna and Eveliina showcased some of the worst putts I have ever seen in my life during this tournament. As strange as it sounds, their horrendous putting actually highlights just how good they are at throwing the disc before getting to the putting green. Henna went 0-for-20 from C2 and 29-for-56 from C1X and was still able to finish in third place. Eveliina was able to finish in 7th while putting 1-for-23 from C2 and 36-for-73 from C1X.
It’s been said a million times, but I’ll say it again. If these two could putt at the division average, they would win every tournament.
8. Hole 16
“I am a helpin’ hand; I am a hero.”
The biggest talking point over the past week has been hole 16. Depending on who you talked to, it is either the best hole ever or a complete disgrace. I, for one, loved it. Is it outrageously punitive? Yes. Can it make the 15 previous holes completely meaningless? Sure can. Can it take Missy Gannon out of contention on day 1? It did. Is its weight of importance way out of proportion? Absolutely. And yet, I couldn’t wait for the cards to arrive at hole 16 every single time. Manufactured drama is still drama.
9. Missing in action
“If anybody asks you who I am, just stand up tall, look ‘em in the face and say…”
If there was one thing this Worlds didn’t deliver, it was more of the big names in contention. After Kristin DNF’d, Silva and Holyn should have been licking their chops. But they were never really in it. Major stalwarts like Ricky, Isaac, and Paul? Nowhere to be found. Fan favorites like Simon and Calvin couldn’t break through. As much as people say they want new faces and young talent, deep down they want Paul, Ricky, Paige, and Kristin down the stretch.
10. Worlds in Europe
“I’m the world’s greatest.”
The best part about 2025 Worlds? Seeing crowds of 10,000 people on Sunday. Worlds in Europe was a huge success by all accounts. Finnish fans—you’re the real world champs!
Thanks for reading, everyone!
