Orange Lake Country Club and Resort to Host the 50th Annual Professional Putters Association's National Championship

14 October 2008 - Orange Lake Resort and Country Club in Orlando, Florida has been selected to host the 50th annual PPA National Championship Tournament September 14-19, 2009.

(click here for a letter from Rick Galipault, Vice-President of Resort Recreation for Orange Lake Country Club and Resort Orlando)

This will be the 50th Annual National Championship for the Professional Putters Association, which began its national tournament program in 1959. Since then, over $8,000,000 in prize money has been awarded.  The annual event brings the finest professional and amateur putters from around the world together to crown the Association's National Champions. Kevin Lacey of Cincinnati, OH is the defending PPA National Champion and James Walker of Richmond, VA is the defending APA National Champion.

Kevin Lacey Wins 2008 PPA National Championship 

Kevin Lacey 20 September 2008 - Richmond, VA - After many heart-breaking close losses in the event, Kevin Lacey finally fulfilled his destiny and captured his first PPA National Championship. The victory was the icing on the cake of a stellar career for Lacey, whose other major PPA National Tour titles include the 1998 PPA Southern Open, the 2000 PPA Match Play Championship, and most recently the 2008 PPA Tournament Players Championship. Lacey brilliantly negotiated courses # 2 and # 3 at the beautiful Richmond, VA Putt-Putt Fun Center with rounds of 21, 26, 23, 26, 26, 24, 25, 20, 21, 22, 26, and 24 for a 148-under par, 216-hole total of 284 to earn the $2000.00 first prize. Lacey prudently laid up the final hole of the tournament for a deuce to narrowly defeat two recent PPA National Champions. 2005 PPA National Champion Jay Klapper charged into the clubhouse with closing rounds of 21 and 23, but fell one stroke short of tying Lacey and settled for runner-up honors at 285. 2006 PPA National Champion Brad Lebo, the tournament leader in rounds 4-9, finished another stroke behind Lacey, completing the event in third place at 286. Firing 21 on course # 3 in each of the final-day rounds on the course, 1993 PPA National Champion Andy Coradini stormed up the final leader board into fourth position at 288. Texan Wade Sahmel played solidly throughout the tournament to notch a fifth-place finish at 290. Rounding out the top ten finishers were perennial contender Rainey Statum in sixth place at 291, 2001 PPA National Champion Greg Ward in seventh at 293, 2004 PPA World Match Play Champion Darrell Anderson and 2008 GA State Champion Jeff Carr in an eighth-place tie at 295, and two-time PPA National Champion Cliff Matthews and 1997 PPA National Champion Randy Reeves in a tenth-place tie at 296.

Click here for complete scores from the 2008 PPA National Championship (Richmond, VA - 18-20 September 2008)  

James Walker Wins 2008 APA National Championship

James Walker

19 September 2008 - Richmond, VA - VCU sophomore James Walker captured the 2008 APA National Championship at the historic Richmond, VA Putt-Putt Fun Center with a two-day, 144-hole total of 203. Walker made full use of his extensive pre-tournament preparation on his home course to fire rounds of 23, 23, 26, 22, 26, 29, 26, and 28 and notch the first National amateur title of his young career. 2003 APA National Champion Bonnie White's valiant final-round clubhouse charge fell two strokes short of success, as she settled for runner-up honors at 205. Recently-crowned ProPutters.com Classic APA Champion Larry Smith recorded a brilliant second-day 98 to move into a tie for third position with Richmond, VA local standout Malcolm Shumaker at 206. Amateur veteran Chuck Dibbs shot 73 for the final 54 holes of the event to climb up the final leader board into fifth position at 208.

Click here for complete scores from the 2008 APA National Championship (Richmond, VA - 19 September 2008) 

Vince Batten and Brad Lebo Win 2008 PPA National Doubles Championship in Playoff over Rick Baird and Steve Shively

Brad Lebo

Vince Batten

16 September 2008 - Richmond, VA - On an overcast afternoon, 26 two-player teams battled in the PPA National Doubles Championship, held on courses # 2 and 3 at the Richmond, VA Putt-Putt Fun Center. The unique 72-hole format included, in sequence, rounds of alternate hole, better ball, better ball, and alternate hole competition. In a very tightly-contested tournament, 2007 PPA Tournament Players Champion Vince Batten and 2006 PPA National Champion Brad Lebo took advantage of their extensive experience on the Richmond, VA courses to post rounds of 24, 22, 20, and 23 for a 72-hole total of 89 to tie 2007 PPA National Champion Rick Baird and 1987 Elton Davis Memorial Champion Steve Shively for the clubhouse lead at the end of regulation play. In the ensuing 18-hole, alternate-hole playoff on course # 3, Batten and Lebo seized an early lead and subsequently strategically laid up several of the dangerous holes on the inward nine to defeat Baird and Shively, 24-26, and earn the 2008 PPA National Doubles Championship title. The Texas squad of Joel Baker and Cliff Matthews nearly made it a three-team playoff, as they narrowly missed the final hole of regulation to shoot 90 and settle for a third-place finish. A three-team, fourth-place tie at 92 included the pairs of Jeff Carr and Ricky Schults, Randy Reeves and Tony Varnadore, and Andy Coradini and Manfred Stewart. The cash line for the event fell at 94.

Several teams matched existing scoring records in the low-scoring affair. In the event's second round, the tandem of David McCollister and Danny Tatum carded a perfect better ball score of 18 on course # 3, tying the existing better ball record. Not to be outdone, the team of Rick Alessi and Tim Greenert shot a perfect better ball score of 18 on course # 2 in the third round of the event to join McCollister and Tatum in the record book.

In the amateur division, Virginia Tour amateur heavyweights Chuck Dibbs and Mike Matthews dominated the amateur field with a brilliant performance. Dibbs and Matthews fired rounds of 23, 21, 23, and 24, which included multiple prudent lay up efforts during their final round of play, for a 72-hole total of 91 and a comfortable five-stroke victory. Michael Foster and Ken Stanfill notched runner-up honors at 96. Richmond, VA local stalwarts Marty Handschuh and Malcolm Shumaker shot 97 to finish in third position. Another Richmond, VA duo, Amy Smith and James Walker, carded 98 to complete the event in fourth place. Finishing in a tie for fifth position at 99 and earning the final amateur division expense reimbursement spots awarded in the tournament were the squads of Lynn Self/Larry Smith and Bill Combs/Chuck Cyr.

The events of the 2008 PPA National Championship week will continue with the contesting of the 49th annual PPA National Championship beginning on Thursday, September 18, 2008. Play in the 12-round, three-day tournament will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 18; 10:00 a.m. on Friday, September 19; and 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 20.

Click here for complete scores from the 2008 PPA National Doubles Championship (Richmond, VA - 16 September 2008)

Kevin Lacey Fires 93 To Capture 2008 PPA Tournament Players Championship

Kevin Lacey

16 September 2008 - Richmond, VA - Steady rain showers and saturated carpets greeted players for the contesting of the 2008 PPA Tournament Players Championship on courses # 2 and 3 at the Richmond, VA Putt-Putt Fun Center.  The challenging conditions proved to be no match for the putting prowess of 2000 PPA Match Play Champion Kevin Lacey, as he fired impressive rounds of 25, 22, 23, and 23 for a 72-hole total of 93 and a one-stroke victory.  The only player to seriously challenge Lacey was PPA Hall of Fame legend Daryl Freeman, who settled for runner-up honors at 94.  Continuing his strong early-week play, 2008 NC State Champion Ricky Schults carded 98 to finish alone in third position.  2007 PPA Tournament Players Champion Vince Batten and two-time SC Tour Match Play Champion Darrell Britt tied for fourth place at 99.  The cash line for the event fell at 104.

Walt Kizzie

 

In the amateur division, 2005 APA National Champion Walt Kizzie added another major title to his resume.  Kizzie recorded steady rounds of 25, 26, 26, and 25 for a four-round total of 102 and a comfortable three-stroke victory.  Buffalo, NY's Phil Kosobucki surged into second place at 105 by virtue of a brilliant final-round 23.  Sharing third position at 106 were 2003 APA National Champion Bonnie White and Richmond, VA local standout Malcolm Shumaker.  At 109, 1998 APA National Champion Jeff Brown completed the tournament in fifth place.  The final amateur division expense reimbursement spot came at a 72-hole total of 114.

 

Play in the 2008 PPA National Championship week will continue with the 72-hole PPA National Doubles Championship, which will commence at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16, 2008.

Click here for complete scores from the 2008 PPA Tournament Players Championship (Richmond, VA - 16 September 2008)

 

Daryl Freeman Dominates Field En Route to Victory in 2008 PPA Seniors National Championship

Daryl Freeman

16 September 2008 - Richmond, VA - The 72-hole 2008 PPA Seniors National Championship, an event limited to professionals 50 years of age and older, was held on courses # 2 and 3 at the Richmond, VA Putt-Putt Fun Center amidst gloomy skies and steady rain showers.  Nothing, however, could dampen the dominating performance of PPA Hall of Fame legend Daryl Freeman.  Freeman carded stellar rounds of 24, 24, 23, and 23 for a 72-hole total of 94 to earn a five-stroke victory and add yet another title to his illustrious career resume.  1995 PPA National Champion and PPA Hall of Fame member Bill Kirby, Jr. notched runner-up honors at 99, marking the second time in three years that Kirby has finished in second place in the event.  A three-way, third-place tie at 101 included 2006 PPA National Doubles Champion Randy Orr, 1968 PPA National Champion Bob Marcellino, and 1995 PPA Augusta Open Champion Dave Taylor.  The cash line for the tournament fell at a four-round score of 104.

 

Bonnie White

In the amateur division, 2003 APA National Champion Bonnie White cruised to a three-stroke victory.  White recorded rounds of 28, 27, 26, and 25 for a 72-hole total of 106.  1998 APA National Champion Jeff Brown finished in second position at 109.  At 111, recently-crowned ProPutters.com Classic APA Champion Larry Smith and Terry Sanner tied for third place.  2007 Northern Open APA Champion Ken Stanfill rounded out the top five amateur division finishers at 112.  The last amateur division expense reimbursement spot for the event fell at a 72-hole total of 116.

 

Play in the 2008 PPA National Championship week will continue with the 72-hole PPA National Doubles Championship, which will commence at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16, 2008.

Click here for complete scores from the 2008 PPA National Seniors Championship (Richmond, VA - 16 September 2008)

 

Greg Ward Wins ProPutters.com Classic for His Third National Win of the Season

Greg Ward

15 September 2008 - Richmond, VA - The 2008 PPA National Championship week kicked off with the contesting of the 72-hole PPA ProPutters.com Classic on course # 3 at the Richmond, VA Putt-Putt Fun Center.  Despite baking sunshine and tricky winds, 2001 PPA National Champion Greg Ward continued his 2008 dominance of the PPA National Tour, earning his third PPA National victory of the season with a dramatic final-hole ace to edge a duo of players by one stroke.  After opening the event with lackluster rounds of 26 and 26, Ward charged into the clubhouse with finishing rounds of 23 and 23 for a 72-hole total of 98.  2007 PPA Tournament Players Champion Vince Batten and PPA Hall of Fame member Roger Beckerman shared runner-up honors at 99.  A six-way, fourth-place logjam at 100 included Ricky Schults, Rick Culverhouse, Rick Rybaczek, Darrell Britt, David McCollister, and Rainey Statum.  The cash line in the tightly-bunched t

Larry Smith

ournament fell at 104.

 

In the amateur division, 2007 APA Seniors National Champion Larry Smith emerged victorious by carding rounds of 27, 28, 24, and 24 for a 72-hole total of 103.  2005 APA National Champion Walt Kizzie and Richmond, VA local amateur standout Malcolm Shumaker tied for second place at 106.  Grouped in a three-way, fourth-place tie at 107 were 2003 APA National Champion Bonnie White and Virginia Tour amateur heavyweights Mike Matthews and Chuck Dibbs.  The final amateur division expense reimbursement spot fell at a score of 111.

 

Action will continue in the 2008 PPA National Championship week with the contesting of the PPA and APA Tournament Players Championship and the PPA and APA Seniors National Championship on courses # 2 and 3 at the Richmond, VA Putt-Putt Fun Center.  Play in the 72-hole events, which will be held simultaneously as part of the same tournament, will commence at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Click here for complete scores from the 2008 PPA ProPutters.com Classic (Richmond, VA - 15 September 2008)

Jimmy Harritos and Jim Borchelt
Join the 2008 PPA Hall of Fame Class

14 August 2008 - The Professional Putters Association is pleased to announce that Jimmy Harritos and Jim Borchelt join Lewis Burton as the 2008 inductees into the PPA Hall of Fame.

Throughout his lengthy career, Harritos won numerous PPA national events including his first tournament victory in 1962. He won the 1968 PPA Parade of Champions TV series and the 1978 U.S. Match Play Championship in Memphis, TN. Harritos was one of the final eight players in the first World Putting Championship, held in Fayetteville, NC in 1969. Harritos was the second player ever to shoot a 19 in tournament play. His near perfect score came in the last round and propelled him to victory in Winston-Salem in 1971.

One of the most likable players ever, the "Golden Greek" gave much to the PPA off the golf course as well, as a member of the Pros-Players Committee. Harritos, 69, will be honored as the 40th person inducted in the PPA Hall of Fame in ceremonies in Richmond, VA.

On and off the course, Jim Borchelt was controversial, outspoken, and opinionated. Borchelt's PPA career will be remembered for all these things and for his stellar putting record. During his playing days, Jim Borchelt won four PPA major titles including the 1977 National Championship, the 1981 Northern Open and the 1988 and 1993 Commissioners Cup tournaments. He also appeared on the PPA television show in three consecutive years (1980, 81 and 82) and won the 1982 Ohio State Championship.

He also won several World Putting Championship qualifying events and was considered a favorite in every tournament he participated in. Borchelt, 63, will be honored as the 41st person inducted in the PPA Hall of Fame in ceremonies in Richmond, VA.

Lewis Burton to be Inducted into
PPA Hall of Fame

5 July 2008 - The PPA is proud to announce that Lewis Burton of Lawrenceville, GA has been named as a member of the 2008 class of inductees into the PPA Hall of Fame. Lewis joined the APA in 1981 and quickly showed his talent by winning the 1982 and 1983 APA National Championships in Fayetteville, N.C. By accomplishing that feat he became the first player to win 2 APA National titles.

In 1989 Lewis won the 1989 PPA National Championship, also in Fayetteville North Carolina, the 1989 Southeast Putting Tour Championship and was a member of the 1989 PPA National Team Champions. In the mid 1990s Lewis again showed his skill by finishing runner up to 2007 PPA Hall of Fame inductee Jeff Estep in the 1994 PPA National Match Play Championship. Burton followed that up by making the Putt-Putt Skins TV show four straight years from 1996 thru 1999. In 1997 he won the Commissioners Cup in Augusta, GA. That win propelled him to the 1997 National Player of the Year and the Tracy Moore Stroke average award. But Lewis was not done.

Burton truly showed his Hall of Fame credentials when he defeated Jeff Smith to win the 1998 National Championship in Orange Lake, Florida becoming the fourth player to win two PPA National Championships. Lewis will be inducted during the PPA National Championship week in Richmond, Virginia in September. Burton will be honored as the 39th person inducted in the PPA Hall of Fame in ceremonies in Richmond, VA.

Article written by Rick Baird.

Team Burlington #1 Wins
JPA National Title, Pennington Wins JPA Individual National Championship

26 July 2008 - Burlington, NC - Junior Putters from around the country gathered in Burlington, NC this weekend for the 2008 Junior Putters of America National Championships.

Burlington JPA Team #1 won the JPA National Tournament today in Burlington, North Carolina by 17 strokes over the JPA Team from Lake Charles, Louisiana, and two other JPA teams, one from Lynchburg, Virginia, and the other being Team #2 from Burlington. After the first round, Burlington JPA Team #1 held a one stroke average over the JPA Team from Lake Charles. However, the Burlington JPA Team #1 opened up a 16 stroke lead after the second round, a lead that they never relinquished.

Lincoln Pennington from Burlington, North Carolina, won the JPA National Championship over Ty Newcomb, from Lake Charles, Louisiana, by two strokes after 72 holes. Lincoln shot a 114 Friday afternoon while attempting to qualify as a member of the Burlington JPA teams, and failed to qualify for either team. However, he got off to a very fast start Saturday morning with a 28, and led from the beginning of the tournament to the end. After 18 holes, he maintained a one stroke lead at 28 over Ty Newcomb, Jon Hall of Burlington, North Carolina, and Nate Williamson, of Lynchburg, Virginia. After 36 holes of play, Lincoln achieved a two stroke lead at 58 over Trevor Davis, of Burlington, North Carolina. After 54 holes, Lincoln held a 2 stroke lead at 89 over Ty Newcomb and Trevor Davis. In the final round, Ty was able to close the lead held by Lincoln to one shot after he aced the 18th hole before Lincoln putted, but Lincoln topped Ty's ace on the 72nd hole to win the National Junior Putter of America title for 2008 by 2 strokes.

The PPA would like to thank Brian Patterson and his staff at Burlington for all the hard work and preparation that went into hosting the 2008 JPA National Championships.

Article written by Mickey Delucca

Click here for complete scores from the 2008 JPA National Championships (Burlington, N.C. - 26 July 2008)

Greg Ward Wins
2008 PPA Southern Open Title

22 June 2008 - High Point, N.C. - Greg Ward, of Loganville, Georgia, fired a final round 23, 13 under par, to pull ahead of third round leader, Kevin Lacey, and out of a tie with Randal Smith. Ward's total of 97, 47 under par, was enough for a narrow one-stroke victory over Randal Smith, who was three strokes clear of Greg Newport and Randy Reeves who tied for third at 101. The win by Greg Ward gives him the first two majors of the 2008 PPA National Tour having already won the 2008 PPA Western Open in early May.

In the APA division, Larry Hoover, of Winston-Salem, N.C. earned the 2008 APA Southern Open title with a final round 21, 15 under par, for a three-stroke victory over Ray Guthrie and five-stroke victory over Ben Blake. Hoover's 72 hole total of 104, 40 under par, included rounds of 28, 28, 27 and his final round 21.

Click here for complete scores from the 2008 PPA Southern Open (High Point, N.C. - 22 June 2008)

Greg Ward Wins
2008 PPA Western Open Title

4 May 2008 - Lake Charles, LA - Greg Ward, of Loganville, Georgia, shot 24 under par for the final 36 holes of the Professional Putters Association's 2008 Western Open Sunday afternoon in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Ward shot a 42 under par, 102, for four rounds and finished first in a field of 26 professionals from all over the country in the first PPA National event of the season. Mike Baldoza of Austin, Texas, finished one stroke behind Ward for 2nd place. Both Ward and Baldoza are members of the PPA Hall of Fame.

In the APA division, 2007 APA National Champion Nathan Anderson also posted a one stroke victory shooting 110, 34 under par. In second were Jack Ramsey and Adam Sahmel at 111 with Alan Sahmel at 112 rounding out the top four in the amateur division.

Click here for complete scores from the 2008 PPA Western Open (Lake Charles, LA - 4 May 2008)

Article provided by Gary Reed.