Can Silva Saarinen become the best FPO player ever?

By all accounts, Silva Saarinen isn’t just having a moment—she’s rewriting what’s possible in modern women’s disc golf. She has to be the hottest player in all of disc golf right now with a current PDGA rating of 985!

At just 22 years old, Silva already has multiple DGPT Elite Series wins, a Major title, and a world ranking that puts her among the best players on the planet. And the question we’re starting to ask isn’t “Is she a rising star?”—it’s “Could she go down as the greatest FPO player of all time?”

Why Silva’s Rise Is So Remarkable

Silva’s rapid climb is impressive in isolation. In 2025 alone, she’s taken home wins at the Ale Open, The Preserve Championship, Turku Open, and most notably, the European Disc Golf Festival—a PDGA Major. She’s done all this while going head-to-head with the world’s top-ranked players, including Kristin Tattar (now competing under the name Kristin Lätt), Holyn Handley, and Missy Gannon.

She’s not just competing with the best—she’s beating them. That’s a huge deal, especially considering how much deeper and more global the FPO field is today compared to a decade ago.

What About Paige Pierce?

You can’t talk about FPO greatness without talking about Paige Pierce. She’s a five-time World Champion and holds 17 Major titles—still the most in FPO history. She set the bar for dominance in disc golf, and for a long time, no one was even close to challenging her.

But we also have to acknowledge context. Pierce rose to the top in an era when only a small handful of women were touring full-time. The depth of the field just wasn’t there. She was a generational talent—but she didn’t have to fend off the kind of week-in, week-out elite competition that today’s players face.

Kristin Lätt: The New Benchmark

Then came Kristin. More consistent than anyone else in recent memory, Lätt has brought European excellence to the top of the DGPT leaderboard. She became the gold standard in the post-Pierce era—methodical, reliable, and dominant.

That’s what makes Silva’s emergence so fascinating. In back-to-back events in 2025, Silva outdueled Kristin Lätt—beating her at the Ale Open, the Preserve Championship, and the European Disc Golf Festival. These aren’t flukes; they’re battles, and Silva is winning them.

The Modern FPO Landscape Is a Beast

Let’s not gloss over this: the FPO field in 2025 is the deepest it’s ever been. The level of fitness, training, sponsorship, and media coverage has transformed disc golf into a truly professional sport. Players like Handley, Gannon, Salonen, Hansen, and dozens more are threats to win every weekend.

So when Silva puts up multiple wins—and does it before she’s even in her mid-twenties—you have to take notice. She’s doing what Pierce did in her early days, but against a field that’s lightyears tougher.

Can She Be the GOAT?

Here’s the honest answer: it’s too early to tell. She doesn’t yet have the body of work, the titles, or the years of dominance under her belt to be called the greatest. But—

She might be on a faster trajectory than anyone we’ve ever seen.

If she continues at this pace—winning Majors, finishing on podiums, and staying mentally and physically sharp—Silva could one day surpass both Kristin Lätt and Paige Pierce in terms of career accomplishments. And because she’s doing it in an era that demands more from every player, it would mean even more.

Final Thoughts

Greatness isn’t just about trophies—it’s about context. And the context Silva Saarinen is building her career in is as fierce as it gets.

If she keeps this up, we won’t just be talking about her as the best of her generation. We’ll be talking about her as the best ever.

Photo courtesy of DGPT.