Powerball® Cup Crowns Disc Golf Pro Tour Champions, Features Record $350,000 Purse

Championship Caps First Year of Powerball's Partnership with the DGPT

LYNCHBURG, VA, UNITED STATES, October 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The inaugural Powerball Cup concluded Sunday with Silva Saarinen and Gannon Buhr claiming Disc Golf Pro Tour Championship titles and earning $50,000 first-place prizes from the largest purse in disc golf history.

The championship also capped the first season of Powerball^® as Presenting Partner of the Disc Golf Pro Tour. Through the partnership, Powerball helped strengthen the Tour through investments in infrastructure, enhanced fan experiences, and a record-setting $350,000 championship purse. Powerball’s first season with the Disc Golf Pro Tour featured 23 tournaments held across four countries and 18 states where more than 650 professional athletes from over 25 countries competed for points on the Powerball^® DGPT World Standings and to secure a coveted spot at the season finale.

“What we've accomplished in our first year with the Disc Golf Pro Tour has been significant,” said Stephen Durrell, Powerball Product Group Chair and Kansas Lottery Executive Director. “From investing in the Tour's future to creating new opportunities for athletes and fans, we're proud of the impact this partnership has had on the sport. The Powerball Cup reflects that progress and the exciting opportunities that lie ahead.”

As part of the multi-year partnership, the circuit became the Disc Golf Pro Tour Presented by Powerball^®, with Powerball's support extending across the Tour's competition structure, including the Powerball^® DGPT World Standings, Powerball^® DGPT Playoffs, and the season-ending Powerball^® Cup.

“Powerball encourages us all to dream big, and thanks to their investment, the DGPT has reached new heights this season,” said Jeff Spring, DGPT CEO and Tour Director. “In our first season together, we’ve awarded the biggest purse in the history of the sport at the Powerball Cup, and we’ve introduced disc golf to new fans by making the first hour of every live broadcast this season available for free thanks to Powerball. We are incredibly thankful for Powerball’s support, and we’re even more excited about what’s ahead for players, fans, and professional disc golf as a whole.”

Beyond supporting investments in Tour infrastructure, Powerball also created new opportunities for fan participation through the Powerball^® Ace promotion at U.S. Tour stops.

Five spectators at each participating tournament were randomly selected for a chance to throw an ace and win cash prizes on the DGPT stage, with each contest taking place in front of the Saturday spectator gallery and covered live on the Disc Golf Network. The promotion debuted with a $5,000 grand prize at the 2026 Supreme Flight Open and increased by $1,000 after each tournament stop, building excitement for fans throughout the season. Spectators who landed closest to the pin at each event earned a $500 prize.

By the time of the Powerball Cup, the Powerball Ace™ prize pool had grown to $19,000, with Powerball adding an extra $1000 for the last Powerball Ace of the year. To cap off the inaugural season, $10,000 from the prize pool was awarded during the Powerball Putt™, a thrilling Ring of Fire putting competition that served as the season finale.

Powerball^® and the Disc Golf Pro Tour are excited to continue creating opportunities for fans to get in on the action all year long, with activations for 2027 to be announced ahead of next season.

About Powerball
Powerball^® tickets cost $2 per play. Powerball is currently sold in 45 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the United Kingdom. More than half of every $2 Powerball ticket purchase remains in the jurisdiction where it is sold, helping fund public programs and services that benefit local communities. Since 1992, Powerball has generated an estimated $38 billion for good causes, including education and scholarships, veteran services, parks and recreation, and more. Powerball drawings are performed live every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET from the Powerball draw studio in Florida. The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million. For more information, visit Powerball.com.

About Disc Golf Pro Tour Presented by Powerball
The Disc Golf Pro Tour is the official Pro Tour of the PDGA – the sport’s governing body. The DGPT’s mission is to create disc golf’s grandest stages at premier venues for the world’s best disc golfers in order to transmit the story of professional disc golf as an engaging, high-quality experience that inspires and grows fans of the sport on-site and online. Learn more about the Tour and buy tickets for upcoming events at DGPT.com.

2026 Powerball Cup Champions

FPO Champion: Silva Saarinen (Oitti, Finland) - $50,000
FPO Runner-up: Eveliina Salonen (Pirkkala, Finland) - $25,000

Mixed Professional Open (MPO)
MPO Champion: Gannon Buhr (Urbandale, IA) - $50,000
MPO Runner-up: Richard Wysocki (Scottsdale, AZ) - $25,000

For full tournament results, visit dgpt.com.

Charles McCracken
Disc Golf Pro Tour
charles@dgpt.com
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