CARROLL, OH – All Eyes on Pine Hill: Handicaps Arrive as the DGA Tour Rolls Into Round Three

The DGA Tour rolls into Pine Hill Golf Club on Saturday, May 25th at 2:00 P.M., and for the first time this season, it’s a whole new ballgame. The Pine Hill Thrill marks the long-anticipated debut of handicap scoring—a system that could flip the standings on their head and breathe life into every swing, every par save, and yes, even those snowmen we try to forget.

So far, the story of the season has belonged to Kyler Messner and Jack Spence, the co-leaders through two events at 135 points apiece. They’ve taken turns atop the leaderboard, with Spence winning The View Open and Messner answering with a muddy masterpiece at Eaglesticks. Statistically, they’ve been models of elite execution: Messner leads the tour in par percentage (44.4%) and owns the lowest scoring average at 80.5, while Spence paces the field in birdies and joins Messner as one of only two players with two top-two finishes.

But what happens when raw numbers are no longer the full equation? When every player’s past becomes their present advantage—or curse?

For players like Auston Sorg and Trevor Monk, the shift to handicaps may be just what’s needed to close the gap. Sorg has quietly posted two top-five finishes to open the year, and while his 85.0 average puts him in solid company, it’s his mental game that’s made the difference—grinding through rough stretches without letting his round unravel. Trevor, on the other hand, has found a groove despite his numbers occasionally misbehaving. With one of the more balanced cards in the field and a pair of finishes inside the top ten, he’s positioned for a climb.

Shea McGuire continues to be the emotional core of the tour—never too high, never too low, always smiling, and always finding a way to string together enough pars and bogeys to stay relevant. A couple of blowup holes each round have kept him from tasting victory, but now, with net scoring in play, his consistency on holes 1 through 16 might matter more than a quad on 8.

The new format may also unlock momentum for players like Seth Paszke, who has hovered in the middle of the standings through two events. He’s been cursed by the flatstick and racked up more three-putts than he’d like to count, but he’s also shown poise on approach and managed a solid par percentage of 25%. With the scoring system now leveling the field, Seth’s patient style might finally pay dividends.

Will Eyman and Mike McGuire round out a group of contenders teetering on the edge of breakthrough. Both players own scoring averages of 94.0, and both have had their share of blowups—but each has also shown the ability to regroup, refocus, and keep pressing. If either gets off to a clean start at Pine Hill, a podium finish isn’t out of the question.

New faces could factor in, too. Gianni Young, who played just once this season at The View Open, posted a 93 and showed some signs of promise on the back nine. If he can string together a few cleaner holes and avoid the big numbers, he might be able to hang around the middle of the pack and surprise a few names above him.

Harry Gilmore is back in the mix, fresh off a 95 at Eaglesticks where he opened strong but faded after abandoning footwear. If the weather cooperates and the fairways stay dry, Harry could find footing in more ways than one.

And don’t forget about Jamichael Billups, who fired a 76 at The View—the lowest gross score on tour so far. With handicaps officially in effect, Pine Hill marks the first event where Billups can not only compete, but finally start earning points.

There’s money on the line, points at stake, and reputations on the verge. Add in the backing of Athletic Brewing Company, this week’s sponsor, and players will be treated to a refreshing reward after each walk up the 18th green.

A new format. A fresh field. A wide-open leaderboard.

This is more than just another stop—it’s The Pine Hill Thrill.