CARROLL, OH – The Pine Hill Thrill Lives Up to Its Name as Gilmore Goes Off in Handicap Debut

The third stop of the DGA Tour season promised chaos, and chaos is exactly what it delivered. On a humid Sunday afternoon at Pine Hill Golf Club—where the trees are tall, the fairways are narrow, and the sandbagging accusations fly faster than tee shots—Harry Gilmore emerged from the pack to claim his first DGA Tour victory in historic fashion.

With the league debut of handicap scoring, every competitor entered Pine Hill with a fighting chance. But when the dust settled and the math was done, it was the barefoot wonder himself who stood alone atop the leaderboard. Gilmore, playing as an 18 handicap, fired a net 66 (-6) and a gross 84 (+12) to take home 65 points and the lion’s share of prize money—and, according to sources, twice that in side bets.

“No shoes, no f*ing problem,”** Gilmore declared after the round. He followed it up moments later with “Whole league is on notice of my sandbagging ass.”

Gilmore’s round was one of his most complete performances to date. He opened hot with a 39 on the front nine, collecting 1 birdie and 4 pars, before steadying through the back with another birdie and just enough damage control to hang on. It was gritty. It was unexpected. And like his front-nine at Eaglesticks before the shoes came off, it was proof that Harry has more game than most expect.

Behind him, Mike McGuire turned in a career-best finish, claiming solo second with a net 71 (-1). His 88 gross included a highlight reel chip-in birdie on the par-3 13th—his first career birdie on the DGA Tour. “I hit 29 trees today,” McGuire laughed, “and chipped in once. So, you know, good day.” Despite some short-game struggles, it was a leap forward from his soggy Eaglesticks grind and a strong sign that he’s finding comfort in the chaos.

A trio of players tied for third at even par, each carving their own path to the podium. Trevor Monk, the reigning DGA Tour champion, shot a gross 82, logging 8 pars, 7 bogeys, and a birdie on 16. “Steady,” he said. “But at times I was distracted by my thoughts of Latina women.” Monk’s back-to-back top three finishes are starting to feel familiar, though whispers of sandbagging swirling in the shadows may soon become part of the narrative. “Hearing whispers of people at the top sandbagging,” he added.

Will Eyman carded his first sub-90 round of the season (89) and, most notably, eliminated the triples—an area that plagued him through the season’s first two events. His 17 handicap netted him a podium finish, although the cash reward only softened the blow from losing side bets to Gilmore.

Jack Spence, back on his old stomping grounds, posted the lowest gross score of the day (79) and looked in control most of the afternoon. With 2 birdies and 7 pars, his swing looked sharp, but the handicap formula leveled the field and left him tied for third. “Overall satisfied with my performance, still more work to do,” Spence said. He also quipped about the state of the field, noting “Trying to give out penalties for illegal use of PEDs—a lot going on out there.”

Kyler Messner, playing off a 5 handicap, quietly turned in the second-best gross round of the day (80). His back-nine 38 included 6 pars and a birdie on 11. “I battled, played well, but it wasn't enough,” Messner said. “If I could've putted well I could've went low low.” It’s his first finish outside the top five this season, a reminder of how brutal this tour can be once handicaps enter the fold.

Rounding out the middle of the pack was Seth Paszke, who finished seventh despite recording a jaw-dropping 42 putts. It may be a DGA Tour record. “I leave 5 footers short every time,” he said, grinning. “But most importantly, I had fun out there.” His putter betrayed him again, but avoiding any triples speaks to just how solid his ball-striking has been.

Ryan Arter (88) played bookend golf—7 pars spread evenly around a rough stretch from holes 6 to 14, where he went +14. Still, his steady play at the start and close shows the rust from missing Eaglesticks is officially behind him. Shea McGuire shot 91 and remains the spirit of the tour—positive, unfazed, and out there for the love of the game. He logged 4 pars and 9 bogeys, but will be looking for more at the next event.

Auston Sorg turned in a scorecard that’ll be talked about for years. A final tally of 92 included 3 birdies—all on par 5s—2 pars, 4 bogeys, and 9 double bogeys. That’s not a typo. “Interesting how that works,” he said post-round—an understatement if there ever was one. The round was a chaotic masterpiece, part triumph, part trainwreck, and undeniably DGA.

Gianni Young, back for the first time since The View Open, tied with Sorg at the bottom of the leaderboard. He posted a 96, notched 5 pars, but fell victim to a stretch of doubles and triples. Highlights were limited—aside from using Gilmore’s hands to stay warm in the cart.

With Athletic Brewing Company sponsoring the event and handicaps flipping the leaderboard, The Pine Hill Thrill proved to be one of the most unpredictable events in DGA Tour history. Three events in, the standings are shifting, the storylines are multiplying, and no one is safe.