Queen's Late Surge Seizes Two-Stroke Lead at Reckoning on the River
At the Visit Bainbridge Presents Reckoning on the River - DGMT/PRO Weekend Sponsored by Dynamic Discs, Nathan Queen fired a 1047-rated opening round of 59 (-6) to seize a two-stroke lead at Bainbridge Oaks Disc Golf Course in Bainbridge, GA. Queen, coming off a top-10 finish at the 2026 Charlotte Roar in January, showcased strong early-season form in a dramatic back-nine battle. He trailed Ryan Monn by one stroke with three holes remaining but overtook him with a decisive swing on the par-3 17th, building a cushion he would protect on the demanding final hole.
The closing stretch delivered high drama as Monn defended his slim lead through hole 16, only for Queen to draw level and then separate by two strokes on the 390-foot 17th. Queen then navigated hole 18—the course's hardest at a 5.83 average on the par-5, 745-foot layout—to preserve his advantage, with Chandler Kramer lurking just two back at -4. Elsewhere, Harper Thompson buried a 26-foot putt on 17, while Elijah Rider Brandt showcased resilience with a 39-foot Circle 2 make on hole 8 and a par save after finding OB on the notorious 535-foot 12th.
The heavily wooded corridors of Bainbridge Oaks proved a stern test, with the field averaging +3 over par and only 10 of 46 players shooting even or better. Standout performances included RJ Chirkis, who exceeded his rating by 32 points with a 1028-rated round to join a tie for fourth at -3, and Braeden Sides, who played 5.8 strokes better than the field average to also sit at -3. Jake Monn finished at -2, while notable name Garrett Gurthie carded an even-par 65.
With two rounds remaining on one of the Southeast's toughest wooded courses, Queen's two-stroke lead is meaningful but far from safe. Six players sit within three strokes of the lead, setting up an intriguing weekend of precision golf where the dense tree-lined fairways will continue to demand accuracy and nerve from the 46-player MPO field.