The 2024 Disc Golf Pro Tour End-of-Season Awards celebrated another remarkable year of disc golf, recognizing outstanding achievements, outstanding talent and community contributions to the sport. From record-breaking successes to inspiring comebacks, this year's honorees reflected the outstanding talent and unforgettable performances that defined the season. The winners were determined by a mix of votes from fans, media and players, as well as world ranking points. Here's a full roundup of the winners and nominees who made their mark this season.
For a complete list of the top nominees for each award and the criteria used to determine each winner, see DGPT.com/awards.
Elaine King Player of the Year
Criteria and top nominees | Winning video | Season summary article
For the second time in her career, Missy Gannon is your Elaine King DGPT Player of the Year! En route to this award, Missy earned nine podium finishes and six wins, secured her first PDGA Pro Major victory, won over $100,000 in winnings, defended her title at the DGPT Championship and secured first place DGPT world rankings.
Thanks to powerful competition from the FPO field, this was one of the closest Player of the Year races in DGPT history. After combining the results of the media votes, Tour Card holder votes and the 2024 DGPT World Ranking, Missy Gannon and Kristin Tattar found themselves in an unprecedented duel for the FPO POTY award. With the deciding factor being points in the world rankings, Gannon beat Tattar to secure the 2024 FPO Player of the Year award.
Read more about how this award is due to the wire and the shot that made the difference for us current blog post.
Ken Climo Player of the Year
Criteria and top nominees | Winning video | Season summary article
After a record-breaking season, Gannon Buhr achieved a comfortable first place in the race for the 2024 Ken Climo Player of the Year. With a total of nine Tour victories, including two PDGA Pro Majors and an impressive comeback performance at the DGPT Championship presented by Barbasol, Buhr made history by becoming the first player to surpass $200,000 in single-season earnings. Buhr also won all four DGPT+ events (the first player ever to achieve this feat) and finished No. 1 in DGPT+ events DGPT world rankings.
Read more about Buhr's record-breaking season and what it took to dominate on Tour this year in our Winner Roundup Article.
Rookie of the Year
Criteria and top nominees | Winning video (FPO) | Winning video (MPO)
Thanks to outstanding success in their first full tour season, Jesse Nieminen and Emily Weatherman are your 2024 DGPT Rookie of the Year Award winners.
Nieminen won his first DGPT victory at the 2024 Copenhagen Open He immediately came into the spotlight thanks to an unforgettable second round with a score of 1071. With a solid cash rate of 41% and three top-10 finishes this year, Nieminen also became the second MPO player from Finland ever to claim a DGPT victory, finishing in 49th place DGPT world rankings.
Weatherman, a native of Abilene, TX, made a large splash when she won the 2024 Des Moines Challenge just 122 days after her first DGPT start with the Chase Card. She backed up her breakthrough performance with a 74% cash rate and six top-10 finishes this year, including another podium finish at the 2024 Energetic Discs Open (3rd place). At just 19 years senior, Weatherman finished 19th in the DGPT world rankings.
Relive the highlights from Jesse and Emily's outstanding rookie season in our Rookie roundup article.
Comeback player
Criteria and top nominees | Winning video (FPO) | Winning video (MPO)
In the FPO division, Eveliina Salonen is your 2024 DGPT comeback player! At the end of the voting period, Eveliina was tied for first place with Paige Pierce, and it all came down to the DGPT World Ranking, which served as a tiebreaker. After Salonen placed 5th and Pierce 14th, the prize ultimately went to Eveliina.
Salonen made significant progress in 2024, particularly in her putting game, which helped her win not one, but two PDGA Pro Major titles. Her comeback was particularly notable after going three full seasons without a win. Her most recent DGPT win came at the 2020 Waco Annual Charity Open. Salonen's resilience and progress on the greens were key to her return to the top and re-established her as a dominant force on the competitive disc golf scene.
On the MPO side, Gavin Rathbun won the comeback title. After suffering a torn labrum in 2021 and a hand injury in 2022, Rathbun managed his return to form this season. On the way to an 18th place finish DGPT world rankingsRathbun achieved five top-10 finishes, including two podiums, maintained a 76% cash rate that year and qualified for the DGPT Championship, exempting him from the Tour Card for the next two years.
The Most Improved Player
Criteria and top nominees | Winning video (FPO) | Winning video (MPO)
Thanks to her consistently better play this season compared to 2023, Eveliina Salonen won the FPO's Most Improved Player award and the Comeback Player title. Eveliina's PDGA rating was 14 points better in 2024 than in 2023 and she placed fifth DGPT world rankings (20 places higher than in 2023).
In the MPO department is Joseph Anderson (“Joey Buckets”) was the undisputed favorite in both fan and media voting, which was enough to beat runner-up Anthony Barela in the Most Improved Player category that year. Thanks largely to his first DGPT win at the 2024 LWS Open in Idlewild, Joey Buckets finished 11th in the DGPT World Rankings (up 50 spots from 2023) and performed an average of 10 points better in his PDGA Player Ratings this year Compared to last season.
Community Champion
Criteria and top nominees | Winning video (FPO) | Winning video (MPO)
Established in 2024, the DGPT Community Champion Award honors those who have made significant contributions to strengthening and supporting the disc golf community. This award is given to individuals who demonstrate exceptional commitment to the advancement and enrichment of the sport through their efforts on and off the field.
This award was determined entirely by the DGPT Tour Card holders, who nominated and then voted on a compact list of players in the FPO and MPO divisions.
Kristin Tattar was nominated and selected for her inspiring play, her role as an ambassador for the sport in the growing European disc golf scene and her role as an outstanding role model for teenage and aspiring female athletes. What's notable is that after voting was completed, Kristin Tattar tied for 1st place in the FPO Community Champion race alongside Ella Hansen. The DGPT world rankings served as a tiebreaker, giving Tattar the advantage. Zoe Andyke finished just one vote behind Tattar and Hansen, taking third place.
Paul McBeth won this award because of his continued commitment to his charity – the Paul McBeth Foundation. The Foundation's mission is to develop and introduce sustainable disc golf experiences to underserved locations with restricted or no access to the sport. You can support the foundation's mission at paulmcbethfoundation.org/club.
All stars
Criteria and top nominees
Every year the DGPT awards 12 FPO and 12 MPO players. Each group of 12 players will be divided into three maps of four players each and everyone will then be invited to participate in the next DGPT All-Star Weekend exhibition event.
1. Map All-Stars
First Card All-Star status is automatically awarded to the top four players in each division based on their season placing DGPT world rankings.
2. Card All-Stars
These players earned All-Star status based on world ranking points, media votes and fan votes.
3. Card All-Stars
These players earned All-Star status based on world ranking points, media votes and fan votes.
