At times it seemed inevitable. At other times, impossible.

In the end, it was Anthony Barela who was last to get off the rollercoaster ride that was the MPO finale at the 2024 Jonesboro Open, and when he did, it was with his third DGPT Elite Series win of this still-very-young season in-hand.

Barela entered the final round sharing the lead with Isaac Robinson atop a crowded leaderboard that included six players within two strokes.

Then things went south for the 2024 DGPT Season Points leader.

He missed three C2 attempts in the first four holes before finally getting to dunk one in from 24 feet on Hole 5 for his first birdie of the round. A promising start to Hole 6 went south when his 35-foot birdie bid hit the very top of the cage, almost climbing in but ultimately rolling 60 feet downhill. It would be a three-putt bogey.

His putter let him down again on Hole 12 for his second bogey, leaving him even par for the round and in fifth place, four strokes back of the leaders with six holes to play.

Meanwhile, an all-out brawl ensued among the tightly packed group that began the day on the top two cards, with Ezra Aderhold, Ben Callaway and Calvin Heimburg grabbing shares of the lead.

A dejected Barela felt he had one chance left to get back into contention: 60-foot eagle bid on the par-5.

“After about 12 holes I didn’t even think I had a chance,” Barela said after the round. “Then once I got to hole 14 here and I looked at cupcake (his caddy) and said if I make this I can get momentum to win, I think. Then I drilled it and it was full sends from there.”

Callaway, who had built a two-stroke lead, had an opportunity to effectively put the tournament to bed on Hole 15 with a 20-footer for birdie but missed low.

Still, he arrived at hole 18 with a one-shot lead, but ceded it after hanging his tee shot right and never crossing in bounds. The bogey would cost him two strokes and an opportunity to win his first DGPT event.

After Callaway’s bogey, Barela and Heimburg arrived at Hole 18 tied for the lead. AB’s drive narrowly found the fairway, while Heimburg’s never had a chance. And just like that, Barela was holding his third trophy of the season.

“Ever since Chess Dot Com it’s been a new me,” he said, exuding confidence. “I’m so excited for the future and this is just the beginning.”