The 2026 Belgian National Tour officially teed off last Saturday, with the
season opener at the beautiful Recreation Domain De Ster in Sint-Niklaas.
Organized by Disc Golf Club Zuidrand, the event once again featured the club’s signature pop-up course, specially installed for the tournament and widely appreciated by players for its creative design and challenging shot variety.
For the fourth consecutive year, De Ster hosted the National Tour kickoff, welcoming 70 competitors eager to begin their 2026 campaign. With two competitive rounds scheduled across the temporary layout, players battled through wooded fairways, technical landing zones, and demanding greens — all while chasing the first valuable tour points of the season.
A New Era of Color Divisions
One of the most notable changes for 2026 was the introduction of a rating-based color division system, designed to create tighter competition across the field. Players were divided into six color divisions based on rating, alongside a Junior division, ensuring balanced competition for both experienced competitors and newer tournament players.
The new format proved immediately successful. Leaderboards remained tight throughout the day, with multiple divisions decided only on the final holes — and in two cases, even beyond regulation play.
Playoff Drama in White and Red
The most dramatic moments of the tournament came in the White and Red divisions, where the battles for first place could not be decided during the scheduled rounds.
In the White division, Tobias Hencsei shot a hot second round to force a sudden
death playoff with Floris Weijland. With spectators gathering near the finishing hole. Floris managed to secure the win after Tobias missed the 12m putt.
Moments later, the Red division delivered a nearly identical storyline. Boris Van de Loock and Antoni Sieliwonczyk ended regulation tied for first and headed to the playoff hole to determine the winner. Boris clutched up his drive and secured the win after Antoni unfortunately went out of bounds on his drive.
Division Winners
As the dust settled on the first stop of the season, several players emerged victorious and claimed the opening National Tour titles of 2026:
🥇 Gold Division: Brecht Heymans (Zuidrand)
🥇 Blue Division: Rik Dewit (Zuidrand)
🥇 White Division: Floris Weijland
🥇 Red Division: Boris Vandeloock
🥇 Green Division: Benjamin Vray
🥇 Purple Division: Janne Vanwynsberghe (Zuidrand)
🥇 Junior (MJ15): Thomas Stas (Zuidrand)
Each winner takes home not only the first trophies of the season, but also a valuable early lead in the Belgian National Tour standings.
A Strong Start to the 2026 Season
Once again, the De Ster pop-up course proved to be an excellent venue for launching the Belgian competitive disc golf season. The combination of scenic surroundings and technical shotmaking created a challenging but enjoyable experience for players across all divisions.
A big thank you goes out to Disc Golf Club Zuidrand, De Ster Sint-Niklaas and the volunteers who made the event possible.
With the opening stop now complete, the Belgian National Tour 2026 is officially
underway — and if the season opener at De Ster is any indication, players and fans alike can expect another year of close battles, exciting finishes, and outstanding disc golf across Belgium.