Neil Connor Wins $5,000 Eastern Open

Farmingdale (Long Island), NY - July 15-16, 1961 - The putting Connor brothers from Greenville, SC won first and second place in the $5,000 Eastern Open to take back to the Connor household $3,000 of the $5,000 purse put up for grab by the PPA.

At the end of the first 72 holes of play on Saturday, July 15th, John Connor led the field at 22 under par and when the 144 holes were finished today, Neil Connor moved into first place and John was forced to settle for second. Neil Connor was an amazing 27 under par for the final 4 rounds of play to finish 41 under par total. John Connor's score was 39 under par. First place money of $2,000 brings Neil Connor's winnings up to $4,150 in 6 weeks of tournament play.

Jim Cox of Phenix City, Alabama shot a 250, 38 under par, for third place money of $500 with Ron Slocumb 251, 39 under par, for fourth place money of $250.

The first day of play in the Eastern Open was played in a driving rain storm and the carpets were saturated with water making the putting conditions very difficult.

Professional Division of the $5,000 Eastern Open (Farmingdale, NY)

Round Prize
Player City 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total Money
1 Neil Connor Greenville, SC 34 29 34 33 29 29 28 31 247 $ 2,000.00
2 John Connor Greenville, SC 31 29 30 32 31 32 32 32 249 $ 1,000.00
3 Jim Cox Phenix City, AL 30 31 37 31 34 29 30 28 250 $ 500.00
4 Ron Slocumb Columbus, GA 27 31 32 33 33 33 32 30 251 $ 250.00
5 Condy Roberson Savannah, GA 32 31 30 33 34 35 30 28 253 $ 200.00
6 Ron Nixon Columbus, GA 33 32 33 32 30 35 30 30 255 $ 150.00
Daryl Freeman Bristol, TN 31 32 34 30 31 35 30 32 255 $ 150.00
8 Harold Hardester Orlando, FL 34 32 31 35 34 35 29 28 258 $ 100.00
9 Don Clayton Fayetteville, NC 31 35 34 33 34 30 30 32 259 $ 100.00*
Tracy Moore Farmingdale, NY 31 30 35 31 33 35 32 32 259 $ 100.00
11 Lee Weldy Savannah, GA 30 35 32 30 34 32 33 34 260 $ 100.00
Bud Taylor Baltimore, MD 29 31 34 34 35 34 32 31 260 $ 100.00
Dave Warrington Jacksonville, FL 29 34 36 33 31 35 31 31 260 $ 100.00
14 Harry Williams Roseboro, NC 25 34 35 37 32 35 31 32 261 $ 37.50
Pete Reed Atlanta, GA 36 32 33 32 33 35 32 28 261 $ 37.50
Frank Holt Savannah, GA 35 30 33 33 35 36 29 30 261 $ 37.50
Chuck Schaffer Farmingdale, NY 35 33 31 30 35 32 33 32 261 $ 37.50
18 Gene McDonald Savannah, GA 28 29 35 34 31 37 34 35 263
Peter Zaccaria Babylon, NY 32 33 34 31 36 35 32 30 263
Cal Skidmore Arlington, VA 34 32 34 31 31 33 36 32 263
21 Ken Boy Bristol, TN 35 32 32 35 34 29 35 32 264
22 Wayne Perdue Roanoke, VA 31 32 35 32 32 34 34 35 265
LeRoy Cooper East Point, GA 30 36 34 35 33 30 36 31 265
Earl Fritts Savannah, GA 32 33 35 32 37 32 31 33 265
25 John Colligan Farmingdale, NY 36 36 36 35 33 31 32 29 268
26 C. E. Moose East Point, GA 34 31 36 32 33 39 31 33 269
27 Marshall Seigfred Cincinnati, OH 35 33 33 32 33 39 30 35 270
Bob Williamson Jacksonville, FL 31 35 32 31 39 31 35 36 270
29 Tony Losito Elmira, NY 32 30 37 34 35 36 33 34 271
30 John Scotto Islip, NY 36 32 35 32 36 35 33 34 273
31 Al Simpson Lake Charles, LA 32 31 32 40 40 34 30 36 275
Philip Boerum Hicksville, NY 32 32 35 37 35 376 35 33 275
Larry Seibert N. Wilkesboro, NC 32 30 38 38 35 35 32 35 275
Charles Roche Bridgeport, CT 35 32 36 36 33 36 31 36 275
35 Chuck Norman Farmingdale, NY 36 35 33 35 30 37 33 38 277
36 Vance Randall Asheville, NC 35 36 35 36 34 35 33 34 278
Jim DesLondes Hollywood, CA 28 33 34 35 34 38 38 38 278
Jerry Gorcica Clifton, NJ 33 40 35 39 36 32 30 33 278
39 Don Ashewell Arlington, VA 35 38 38 36 32 33 35 32 279
40 Bob Divver Arlington, VA 36 33 39 34 37 37 35 34 285
41 Sam Wallace Baltimore, MD 37 36 41 38 34 35 32 34 287
42 Ed McCabe Farmingdale, NY 40 33 43 41 36 34 33 37 297
43 Pat Molfetto Farmingdale, NY 38 38 40 35 41 39 37 35 305

* Don Clayton stated that he would allocate his $100 winnings to the Kingsport, Tennessee tournament on July 23rd. The PPA contestant scoring the most holes-in-one will be awarded the $100.00.

Amateur Division of the $5,000 Eastern Open (Farmingdale, NY)

Round
Player City 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total
1 Jim Arnold Farmingdale, NY 33 32 33 37 31 35 29 29 264
2 Larry Anderson Farmingdale, NY 30 35 38 30 35 32 30 35 265
3 Sam Schaffer Farmingdale, NY 33 33 39 34 34 37 35 33 277
4 Bill Fingerhut Farmingdale, NY 34 37 37 36 34 31 34 34 277

Lowest Average Score Per 18 Holes National PPA Tourneys:
(Must have played in at least two tournaments)

Stroke
Player City Average
1 Neil Connor Greenville, SC 32.23
2 Ken Boy Bristol, TN 32.35
3 Daryl Freeman Bristol, VA 32.40
4 Bob Williamson Jacksonville, FL 32.47
5 Lee Weldy Savannah, GA 32.54
6 Bob McDowell High Point, NC 32.62
7 Condy Roberson Savannah, GA 32.65
8 Bill Hales Goldsboro, NC 32.69
9 Harold Hardester Orlando, FL 32.84
10 Jim Bryan East Point, GA 32.87

Top Money Winners to Date:

Prize
Player City Money
1 Neil Connor Greenville, SC $ 4,150.00
2 Lee Weldy Savannah, GA $ 3,225.00
3 Vance Randall Asheville, NC $ 1,650.00
4 Condy Roberson Savannah, GA $ 1,525.00
5 Pete Reed Atlanta, GA $ 1,237.50
6 John Connor Greenville, SC $ 1,125.00
7 Bob Williamson Jacksonville, FL $ 1,016.00
8 Ken Boy Bristol, TN $ 825.00
9 Daryl Freeman Bristol, VA $ 825.00
10 Frank Holt Savannah, GA $ 762.50

Notice - Tournament Cancellation

The $2,000 PPA tournament scheduled in Knoxville, Tennessee on July 29 & 30 has been cancelled at the request of the course owners. There was a strong possibility of the lease being cancelled with the result that the course will be removed from the present location to another part of the city. Due to the uncertainty existing, the Board of Directors of the PPA have cancelled this tournament.

Next Tournament Stop - July 23 Kingsport, Tennessee $1,000

The next in the series of 1961 PPA National Tournaments will be held in Kingsport, Tennessee at the Putt-Putt Golf Course located on Stone Drive. The entry fee for this tournament is $2.00. Qualifying rounds will begin promptly at 2:00 PM. All pros must be registered prior to this time.

Mid-Week Tourneys:

July 18 - Wilmington, Delaware $500

July 20 - Charlottesville, Virginia $500

Notice!!!

All PPA Pros competing in the National or Mid-Week events are required to furnish their own putters and it is recommended that all Pros attend tournament prepared to play in rainy conditions as the tournament will not be cancelled for a shower. The tournament will be cancelled only if weather conditions make it impossible to continue.

All score, statistics and descriptions taken from the Putt-Putt Professional Putters Association Newsletter, Volume 2, Number 6, July 16, 1961.

 
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