Here’s a look at the top MPO storylines headed into this weekend…

1️⃣ Buhr’s Legendary Start Continues

Gannon Buhr enters Kansas City as the clear statistical center of gravity in MPO, sitting 1st in the DGPT standings and holding a 100% podium rate through his first five M/ES events of 2026 (3 wins, 2 seconds). His Jonesboro win places him among just five players to open a season with five straight M/ES podiums (by schedule). If he podiums at KCWO, he becomes one of only three players to reach six straight M/ES podiums to start a season, and a win would make him just the second player ever to win four of his first six M/ES events in a year, joining Paul McBeth (2015).

He also returns as the defending KCWO champion and has never missed a podium in three prior appearances across all tiers (3-for-3 wins). At this venue, he already owns the course record (53, -14) and held a seven-stroke lead over McBeth heading into the final round last year (a shortened nine-hole finish due to weather). Across 2026, he leads the field in strokes gained per round (7.64), Tee-to-Green (5.61), and Putting (2.03), making him one of the only players in the field elite in both creation and conversion. The question is no longer about form, but whether KCWO becomes the event where a historic start either continues into rare company or finally breaks.

2️⃣ Wysocki’s KCWO Revenge Arc

Ricky Wysocki enters KCWO 2nd in DGPT Powerball World Standings and already with one of the most stable 2026 profiles in the field: 1 win, 2 podiums, and a 100% cash rate in 5 starts this season. He also has one of the clearest recent KCWO benchmarks, 2nd place in 2025, finishing directly behind Buhr in a tournament where he posted a 1066-rated opening round (2nd best round rating in 2025 behind Buhr’s 1094 opening round) and was within striking range before major separation in round 2.

Historically, KCWO has been a high-floor event for him as well, including a 2016 win and multiple top finishes across its NT/DGPT-era transitions. Statistically, his 2026 profile is defined by balance: 38.4% birdie rate, 10% parked percentage, and 68.83% in scramble rate, but strong Tee-to-Green output (4.23 strokes gained), keeping him consistently inside contention without needing extreme putting spikes. The matchup layer is simple but measurable: he has already shown he can track Buhr at KCWO pace, but has not yet matched him in peak condition at this venue.

3️⃣ Isaac Robinson: The Silent Contender

Isaac Robinson enters KCWO ranked 3rd in the DGPT standings despite still searching for his first win of 2026, with consistency carrying his season instead. He comes off a season-best 2nd place finish at Jonesboro, along with multiple other top-10s that have kept him firmly inside the elite tier. At his KCWO debut in 2025, he finished 6th and opened with a 1043-rated round.

His profile is built on elite C1X putting (88.65%) and the second-best fairway hit rate in the field (76.95%), but a lower C2 conversion rate (25.84%) compared to the top players has limited his win conversion. The result is a player who consistently builds winning positions, but KCWO has historically required either separation bursts or elite putting spikes, neither of which has fully materialized yet in 2026.

4️⃣ Niklas Anttila’s Next Step

Niklas Anttila enters Kansas City ranked 4th in the DGPT World Standings after capturing his first career Major at the 2026 PDGA Champions Cup, marking a major step forward in his MPO season. Despite the breakthrough, he is still searching for his first Elite Series win of 2026, though he comes in off his best ES finish of the year with a 6th place result at Jonesboro, making KCWO a test of continuation rather than introduction.

He did not compete at the 2025 KCWO, giving him no recent course baseline and a clean statistical slate at Bad Rock Creek. His profile is strong but slightly split: a Major-winning peak without an Elite Series title this season to match it. KCWO becomes a conversion test, turning that ceiling into consistent weekly wins on a course where elite scoring can separate quickly but doesn’t always guarantee sustained control.

5️⃣ Breakthrough Watchlist

A significant portion of the KCWO top-10 field enters still searching for their first win of 2026 despite elite positioning in DGPT standings. That group includes Isaac Robinson (3rd), Adam Hammes (5th), Calvin Heimburg (6th), Sullivan Tipton (7th), Evan Smith (8th), Casey White (9th), and Aaron Gossage (10th), all inside the top 10 in season points but without a 2026 win.

Statistically, the group is defined less by inconsistency and more by conversion gaps. For example, Evan Smith leads the field in C1X (90.91%) and strong putting strokes gained (1.28), while Gossage leads the group in fairway hits (77.78%) but lags in C2 conversion. Hammes and Heimburg both sit in the “high structure, moderate conversion” tier, strong tee-to-green profiles without top-end putting separation. 

KCWO historically amplifies this split: past editions have produced both runaway winners and deep leaderboard compression, meaning this group is simultaneously positioned for breakthrough, but also exposed to another top finish without closure.

All the action starts on Friday, April 24th! Tune in to the Disc Golf Network and catch post-pro coverage from JomezPro all weekend.