📜 A world-class performance soon lost to history

Hello and welcome, this is The Players Meeting. The only newsletter that brings a practice basket to the Memorial Day BBQ.

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If you missed BSF’s recap, then I got you: 7 Wonders

Let’s get into it.

NEWS
The Highest Rating to Never Exist

Congratulations to the 2023 Japan Open Champ - Jeremy “Big Jerm” Koling. Last Friday, he won by a staggering 16 strokes over the field after 3 rounds plus a Final 6 at the beautiful Fukui Country Club on Japan’s west coast.

A smattering of countries were represented including USA, Taiwan, Australia, & New Zealand. While Big Jerm has tons of notoriety, he wasn’t considered the favorite going into this unsanctioned event.

The World’s #1 rated player - Manabu Kajiyama (1050 rated) - who resides in Japan finished in 2nd place. And yes, this is THE Manabu who sits at the top of ratings month after month as generational greats like McMahon and Heimburg fall out of the 1050 club.

Undoubtedly, Manabu’s skills are unmatched in his home country, but many consider Japan to be a bubble. The algorithm behind PDGA ratings can be inflated when someone demolishes the field on soft courses.

The day after the Japan Open, Manabu hit up a local B-Tier and won by 26 strokes while averaging a 1062 rating. As for Big Jerm, this win comes at a point in his career where top-20 finishes are hard to come by.

How is it that a 1020 player easily beat the #1 player in the world? Manabu came in 10 strokes better than 3rd, so it wasn’t a fluke and Big Jerm had the performance of his career.

So whether you believe the rating system is broken or there’s an 1100-rated player hidden within Big Jerm, his performance will soon be lost to history. The event was not PDGA-sanctioned, so it’s not recorded on his player page nor will it ever be rated.

While it won’t be more than a nice feather to put in his cap, there’s no doubt the big guy will share his story endlessly on JomezPro.

TOUR COVERAGE
Cascade Challenge (Silver)

PREVIEW (5/26-28)

The Tour continues to spoil us with fairytale PNW woods. Moving 3 hours north from Milo McIver Park, the last Silver Event of the West Coast Swing is just outside Olympia, WA.

Starting tomorrow, the Shelton Springs course will showcase a new competition layout - a hybrid of its 3 sets of tee pads. The immaculate property is highlighted by log-framed baskets and moss-covered evergreens.

The visuals provided by the wooded fairways bring new meaning to our sport’s claim to fame… “Hiking with a purpose.” While technical lines are demanded, the shots are fair and distances short by Tour standards.

The key to success will be managing the course. Placement shots will pay off over power on most holes and avoiding crucial mistakes will keep players on top.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Last weekend in Sweden, James Proctor took down the Lundbyparken Open during a quick popover. He and his touring partner - Eric Oakley - already made the trip back to the States to compete this weekend.

Proctor’s come up this season is no secret and this win continues the theme of Americans crushing the field in foreign countries. He should be feeling at home on the West Coast, so look for his name at the top.

As for FPO, Holyn Handley will be put to the test against Ella Hansen. The Masters-aged Jen Allen, Ohn Scoggins, & Sarah Hokom are 5 hours south playing in the Tim Selinske US Masters Championship.

Which power thrower can navigate the woods to their 1st DGPT win? Hansen will put home-state advantage to the test, while Handley tries to ride the momentum from her 2nd place finish at BSF.

POWERED BY POWERGRIP USA
Load up on Kasta’s Latest

Don’t forget Kastaplast’s latest release drops today at 11AM ET. The Krut - Swedish for gunpowder - joins their lineup as an OS distance driver with flight numbers 12|4|0|4.

And that’s not the only thing the Swedish manufacturer has coming down the pipeline. On Monday, the Berg X was PDGA approved and has everyone in the Berg Gang foaming at the mouth.

For years, their cult-like following has been asking for this OS version, and their prayers have been answered by the KastaGods. When release day comes (in ~2 months), choose Powergrip USA to make your dreams come true.

PRO TIPS & HOT TAKES
Random Dubs

1️⃣ On Ace Run Pro’s channel, Holly Finley shared a life lesson during her practice round with Connor O’Reilly. If you discover tasty blackberries off the fairway, then “always eat [them] from chest level and above.”

You never want to be eating “pee berries” while trying to enjoy 18 holes. Don’t learn the hard way like Finley did back at 2012’s Beaver State Fling.

2️⃣ On Tuesday, the news cycle was slow until Lizotte stirred things up with hot takes. Somehow, they were more debate-worthy than Drew Gibson’s “factual” tweets.

In fact, these were so controversial that it had notable course designers chiming in. John Houck - designer of WR Jackson and many others said…

Allen Risley - TD and designer of The Challenge at Goat Hill said…

So the verdict is in, and some of the most forward-thinking designers decided they weren’t great takes. After the fallout, Lizotte got on the Tour Life podcast and talked in circles about course complaints with Brodie & Uli.

Maybe in 50 years and millions of dollars later, we’ll see their perfect courses come alive on Tour. Until then, I’m happy watching pros throw plastic circles into trees.

Meme of the Week

Thanks for reading today. Get out and enjoy the long weekend!

- Charlie