The European Open kicked off on Wednesday with the traditional Presidents Cup. Thousands of spectators arrived in Nokia to watch the competition between Team USA and Team Europe.
Team USA set the pace right from the start, taking the lead in the first round, where players competed against others in the same group. After the first segment, Team USA led the competition 16.5-11.5.
In the second phase, the competition was held on a one-on-one basis. In the European team, only Mauri Villmann and Eveliina Salonen won their matchups, which propelled Team USA to a clear victory with a total score of 34.5-17.5.
The Presidents Cup has been held since 2006, and the European team has lost every year. This year’s team captain, Seppo Paju, assessed the loss and future winning possibilities for Frisbeegolfmedia as follows: ”I would say that it’s a matter of attitude. Europeans look up to Americans and we still consider them the best. As long as that’s the case, it’s hard for us to win. It just takes time and gradually that mindset will change.”
The captain’s words were evident in the Europeans’ gameplay. Several Europeans made errors on the putting greens, which are not usually seen from Europe’s top players.
For Spin18 Oy, which has organized the Presidents Cup since 2006, this was the last Presidents Cup, as the event will now be managed by the disc golf governing body, PDGA.
The individual competitions of the European Open will start on Thursday, July 18, 2024, and last until Sunday. The first two rounds will be played at the Tampere Disc Golf Center. The rounds on Saturday and Sunday will be held in Nokia.
Make sure to follow the action here on site or watch it live via Disc Golf Network!
Suomenkielinen versio luettavissa Frisbeegolfmedian sivuilla.
