Heart of Darkness

The finale of Chains of the Chupacabra arrived under a cold, clear desert sky at Bingham Creek—a setting fit for the “Heart of Darkness.” On April 22, eight challengers dared the B‑Pool’s untamed fairways, each bite of the morning air promising high drama. 🥏❄️ Tension crackled like storm static as Malachi Vazquez stalked his MPO crown to the last breath, clinching victory with a birdie on 18—his disc carving through the twilight as if summoned by the rising blood moon itself.

The MPO division was a test of survival in this crucible of dust and steel. Malachi Vazquez prowled the front line with a steely –8, battling back after faltering early with Britain Best on the treacherous third. But it was Malachi’s steady march through holes 10–18 that chained the fate of the round: a late-round hot streak on 8–10 and the final birdie that sealed his reign. Baylor Sandberg fought stoically at –5, the only soul to wrest a birdie from the jaws of infamous hole 3—a feat not seen since the Chupacabra’s last unlucky snack run. Britain Best surged at the wire, storming home with three straight birdies (16–18) to snatch third at –4. Each set a personal best, blooding the soil for battles yet to come. 🩸🔥

In MA1, Craig Bennett dominated from first drive to last, posting –5 and conquering Bingham Creek with unflinching precision. There were no mutinies nor stumbles, just a masterclass in resolve: steady front-nines, then a three‑hole blaze across 9–11, as if seeking to appease gods older than the game itself—maybe even the Chupacabra lurking beyond the scrub. His personal best raised the specter of a new order among the league’s elite. 📈⛓️

The desert winds whispered a new champion in MA3 as Leif Smith captured his maiden title at –2. Leading wire‑to‑wire, Smith’s lone birdie on the unforgiving ninth was like spotting a Chupacabra in daylight—rare and unsettling to the field. No contender dipped below par, cementing Smith’s rapid rise and teasing the untapped ferocity within him. 🏆🌵

MA40 was a test of nerves and patience, with Corey Mecham rising above the sand at +2. Mecham’s round was forged in discipline: the sole birdie on hole 10 shining through a par-laden gauntlet. A mid-round bogey prowled close, but he regrouped like an old jungle hunter, putting the rest of the division under his dusty heel and etching his best score on Bingham Creek. 📊💪

MA4 shook with early tremors before Ryan Hartley steadied the ship and claimed victory at +4. Though Dan Langford surged first, Hartley took the reins by the second, then extended his lead on the fifth. The real test came—double bogey on seven, only to rebound with a birdie on eight, each shot echoing the silent question: Who among you has the will to face the creature in the shadows? Langford’s cold streak at mid-round gave Hartley the daylight he needed, with Dan clinging just outside the prizes as runner-up. 🎯⚔️

Across the event, greatness howled through the wild. Malachi Vazquez not only set a new personal best but delivered a 965-rated round, outpacing his rating by thirty—fire in the veins, blood on the chain. Others fought uphill: Baylor Sandberg and Ryan Hartley found the sands shifting beneath their feet, shooting far below their usual pace. Throughout, birdies stood as solitary sentinels—Baylor on 3, Malachi on 5, Leif on 9, Corey on 10, Britain on 13, Dan on 4. Personal bests blossomed across divisions, the desert yielding fresh champions and new legend. 🏅🧰

With every basket, the “Heart of Darkness” drew the league further into the Chupacabra’s lair. Malachi’s clutch finish felt less like sport and more like prophecy—an omen sharpened for the endgame. “You call that a hazard? Try playing a round while the Chupacabra stalks you from the shadows,” as I’ve always warned; and today, the shadows seemed just a little darker, the wind a little colder. 🌑🐾

The 8th week closes the Chains of the Chupacabra, crowning survivors across five divisions beneath a blood moon sky. Standings settle, payouts ring, and eight rivals walk away forged anew by trial—marked by personal bests and the roar of near-mythic swings. The story, however, has only just begun: the true master behind the Chupacabra stirs, and the next chapter will demand every ounce of courage that desert souls can muster. Until then, remember: disc golf isn’t just a game—it’s a battle for your very soul. The Chupacabra is always watching. 🩸🥏