Foot fault call ends Kristin Lätt's run at season's first PDGA major title

Disc golf star Kristin Lätt had to settle for second place at the first grand slam tournament of the 2025 season, the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) major in Stockton, California, after a judge ruled she had foot faulted.
Lätt, ranked number one in the world, stayed in second place after the third day, finishing at 21 under par, three strokes behind U.S. competitor Missy Gannon (-24). American Paige Pierce was third (20 under par) and Finn Silva Saarinen fourth (17 under par).
One stroke was added to Lätt's score on hole 16 of the final round after she was adjudged to have committed a foot fault. This meant a bogey (one over par), and since Gannon did not falter on the last two holes, the American held on to win, with Lätt finishing runner-up.
Lätt noted on her social media: "Not the first time I've found myself at Champions Cup in a controversial situation involving the PDGA," adding that, "this time, for the first time in my career, a marshal made a foot fault call independently without any input or complaint from my cardmates."
"I understand that marshals are doing their job and trying to ensure fair play, which I truly respect, but consistency matters. If you apply rules like this, they should be applied equally to everyone, on every card, at all times," she continued.
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"Of course, I would never want to gain an advantage unfairly. But the situation was strange. When I asked the marshal if he was 100 percent sure the disc was still in my hand when it moved, his answer was that he couldn't focus on two things at once and couldn't see, but he is still 100 percent comfortable giving me a penalty stroke. Which is funny and sad at the same time, but above all this response was concerning to me because it seemed to reflect a misunderstanding of the rule (you do have to see both things) which is frustrating when such significant decisions are being made alone. No previous foot faults had been called in the round and the timing felt unfortunate, just as I had gained momentum and was getting back into contention," she went on.
Lätt acknowledged her mistakes and the distraction caused by the penalty. She committed to improving her game, especially putting, approach shots, and run-ups, while focusing on what she can control to prevent similar issues in the future.
She ended on a positive note: "Aside from this, California was great. The giant trees that I got to see were magical, all the disc golf fans were just awesome, you have a great vibe here and I'm looking forward to visiting that part of the U.S. again."
The previous controversy Lätt mentioned was from three years ago, when she was told mid-round that her young daughter could not walk the course with her, even though, Lätt said, she had been allowed to do so previously.
Lätt went into the final day in Stockton in second place behind Gannon. The first nine holes were challenging, but from the 10th to the 15th she took five birdies, lifting her back into contention.
Heading into the last three holes, Lätt was 26 under par, one stroke behind Gannon.
She started the 16th hole with an accurate throw, but received the penalty on her second throw.
The judge accompanying the lead group ruled Lätt had committed a foot fault by holding the disc in her hand while her foot moved.
Meanwhile, in the men's category, Albert Tamm was the top Estonian player, tied for 59th place at two below par.
Most of Lätt's competitive play is in the U.S., but the sport is growing in Europe too, including in Estonia. A Disc Golf Pro Tour (DGPT) even took place in Tallinn last year, a grand slam event is to be held this year at the Song Festival Grounds, and in 2029, Estonia hosts the world championships.
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Editor: Maarja Värv, Andrew Whyte