One of the world’s premier disc golf tournaments has landed in Stockton this week as the 2025 PDGA Champions Cup, presented by OTB and MVP Disc Sports, officially kicking off at Swenson Park Golf Course.
This marks California’s first mixed pro major since 2011, drawing elite players and thousands of fans to the heart of Stockton for four days of championship-level competition. In addition to the main event, the week opened with the Presidents Cup, a rare U.S.-hosted international team showdown in disc golf.
“This is a PDGA Major event—the first one in California in over a decade,” said Sean Jack, event director for the Champions Cup. “We’re going to have thousands of spectators here this weekend, a $150,000 prize purse, dozens of vendors, local food and beer, and family-friendly activities. It’s a really good time.”
Jack, who has helped grow the Stockton stop from a Disc Golf Pro Tour event into a PDGA Major over the past five years, says the goal is not just world-class competition — but lasting community impact.
“We hope we inspire more people to play disc golf,” he said. “It’s a low-cost, lifelong activity that almost anyone can play. We’re working with programs like Universal Play and EDGE to teach disc golf in local schools while we’re here. Hopefully, we’re kind of Johnny Appleseeding the sport while we go from community to community.”
With bleachers, elevated viewing decks, a ZÜCA Fan Zone, vendor village, and kids’ zone featuring face painting and a mini-disc course, Jack says organizers are aiming to make this one of the most fan-accessible stops on tour.
One of the sport’s longest-running competitors, Nikko Locastro, is back in Stockton and ready to compete.
“I’ve pretty much played this tournament every year since they started stopping in California,” said Locastro, who is originally from St. Louis, Missouri. “This is my 20th year on tour — I’ve been doing this full time since I was 18.”
As he warmed up ahead of Thursday’s round, Locastro praised the event’s energy.
“The fans are great. They’re just as stoked — or even more stoked — than we are to be here,” he said. “It’s a really supportive community, and I’m grateful to be part of it.”
Swenson Park’s layout challenges players with tight fairways and OB-heavy shot placement —factors made even more interesting by a midday breeze on the first day of play.
“The wind’s picking up a bit, so it’ll keep things interesting,” Locastro said. “I’m just trying to keep it in bounds and put together a solid first round.”
The tournament runs May through 4, with action starting each day at 7:30 a.m. Spectator tickets include VIP access, and kids 10 and under get in free with a ticketed adult. Fans can follow any card, but must check in before tee times to do so.
More details, including maps and tee times, are at pdga.com/2025championscup.