Condy Roberson Wins $4,000 Pacific Open (26-27 August 1961

Condy Roberson Winner of $4,000 Pacific Open

Los Angeles, CA - August 26-27, 1961 - In a story-book finish, Condy Roberson of Savannah, Georgia, stroked a 30 foot putt dead into the center of the hole to win first place in the $4,000 Pacific Open concluded in Los Angeles, California, on Sunday, August 27, 1961. Roberson, who had fought an uphill battle all day finally tied Neil Connor at the conclusion of the 143rd hole at 34 under par. Connor putted first on the final hole, missed his putt by about 6" and tapped it in for a two, to finish 34 under par. Roberson, with a gallery of 500 watching, then completed his assignment in a business like fashion scoring the hole-in-one to give him the first place finish and third place in the PPA money winnings standings for the 1961 season beginning on June 4th and ending August 27th.

Lee Weldy, winner of the $7,500 National Championship of the PPA in Cincinnati, Ohio July 4th, finished in a 3rd place tie with Vance Randall, runner up in the National Championship, to each win $300. Connor was rewarded $850 for his efforts in winning second place which boosted his earnings for the season to $5,085 which put him at the top of the list of leading money winners.

Showing the way for the California putters in this event were Ron Koblin and Mike Kotzin both competing in their first National Tournament and both showing indications of being real threats on the tournament trial when the series begins again in the spring of 1962.

In the amateur division, Jeff Tufts of Burbank, California took first place with a 280, 8 under par, with a one stroke lead over Jack Gratrix in second place with a 281, 7 under par. In third place was Larry Cowan of Ventura, California with a 292.

			Round									Prize
	Player	City	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Total	Money
1	Condy Roberson	Savannah, GA	34	30	33	32	33	29	32	30	253	$ 1,600.00
2	Neil Connor	Greenville, SC	34	31	30	35	30	34	31	29	254	$ 850.00
3	Lee Weldy	Savannah, GA	34	33	37	32	30	32	31	30	259	$ 300.00
	Vance Randall	Asheville, NC	31	33	31	33	36	33	32	30	259	$ 300.00
5	Chuck Schaffer	Long Island, NY	35	33	29	34	32	32	33	32	260	$ 150.00
6	Ron Koblin	Santa Maria, CA	31	34	34	33	29	31	33	36	261	$ 150.00
7	Jan Bowman	Bristol, TN	31	33	36	32	36	32	30	33	263	$ 100.00
8	Mike Kotzin	Santa Maria, CA	33	34	34	31	30	31	34	38	265	$ 100.00
9	Phil Geffert	Mobile, AL	32	33	31	34	32	35	36	33	266	$ 75.00
	Hal Norton	Orange, CA	31	32	34	34	32	38	35	30	266	$ 75.00
11	Ron Slocumb	Columbus, GA	36	34	35	35	32	32	32	32	268	$ 75.00
12	Jim DesLondes	Hollywood, CA	32	32	37	34	31	30	35	38	269	$ 56.25
	Frank Holt	Savannah, GA	34	29	39	32	32	36	33	34	269	$ 56.25
	John Connor	Greenville, SC	34	33	36	37	30	32	35	32	269	$ 56.25
	Jim Cox	Phenix city, AL	36	31	38	35	31	31	35	35	269	$ 56.25
16	LeRoy Cooper	East Point, GA	35	32	39	33	34	31	34	32	270
17	John Cummings	Studio City, CA	34	31	37	28	35	35	37	34	271
	Edward Horsley	Pica Rivera, CA	32	35	29	34	35	37	34	35	271
19	Pete Reed	Atlanta, GA	33	32	32	32	35	37	35	36	272
20	Gene McDonald	Savannah, GA	35	36	36	33	30	37	35	31	273
21	Daryl Freeman	Bristol, TN	33	36	38	33	37	33	34	31	275
22	Richard Kotzin	Santa Maria, CA	36	31	34	36	34	36	34	34	276
23	Les Hinkley	Whittier, CA	35	32	32	33	41	39	32	33	277
	Chuck Dumond	Rodondo, CA	31	38	37	37	29	37	35	33	277
	Mel Curcie	Ventura, CA	40	33	36	36	38	28	33	33	277
26	George Marlow	Studio City, CA	33	33	34	35	36	33	38	36	278
	Ralph Rizzo	South Gate, CA	32	36	38	33	34	33	35	37	278
28	Bob Williamson	Jacksonville, FL	39	37	31	37	34	33	33	35	281
29	Dave Warrington	Jacksonville, FL	35	39	35	35	38	35	32	33	282
	Ron Nixon	Columbus, GA	42	37	38	31	33	36	33	32	282
31	Jack Conway	Studio City, CA	34	34	38	32	34	36	41	34	283
32	Ron Fountain	Van Nuys, CA	39	37	36	33	38	35	33	33	284
33	John Radley	Santa Maria, CA	37	33	34	35	40	38	34	34	285
34	Jim Pearson	Studio City, CA	40	34	34	33	39	35	35	34	286
35	Roy Brian	South Gate, CA	34	38	36	37	36	35	35	37	288
36	Jose Garcia	Santa Maria, CA	37	40	34	35	38	34	34	38	290
	Bill Rodgers	Los Angeles, CA	37	35	33	35	36	37	37	40	290
38	Jim O'Neil	Granada Hills, CA	32	37	40	37	35	36	38	39	293
39	Tom Long	Hermosa Bch., CA	35	37	40	34	40	36	32	40	294
40	Wayne Snaveley	Torrance, CA	39	38	34	33	35	40	36	41	296

		72 Hole
Player	City	Score
Don Clayton	Fayetteville, NC	149
Al Evangelist	South Gate, CA	149
Gary Bachle	Seplveda, CA	150
Clarence Mroch	Cathedral City, CA	150
Val Valente	Bakersfield, CA	151
Jim Colclasure	Little Rock, AR	152
Frank Persichino	Burbank, CA	155
Harold Spence	Long Beach, CA	156
Melvin Elrod	South Gate, CA	156
Bob Downs	Sherman Oaks, CA	157
Larry Saltz	Santa Ana, CA	158
Mike Dancer	Sierra Villa, CA	160
Louis Hlcyeocich	Lynwood, CA	160
A. J. Persichino	Burbank, CA	161
Tom Ferugi	Woodland Hills, CA	161
Joe Vettraino	Santa Maria, CA	163
Fred Primo	Studio City, CA	163
Dennis McNally	South Gate, CA	165
Tony DeLaVega	Torrance, CA	165
John LaFata	Glendale, CA	167
Ralph Lindstrom	Anaheim, CA	169

			Stroke
	Player	City	Average
1	Ken Boy	Bristol, TN	32.10
2	Bob McDowell	High Point, NC	32.44
3	Neil Connor	Greenville, SC	32.74
4	Lee Weldy	Savannah, GA	32.86
5	Ron Slocumb	Columbus, GA	32.86
6	Chuck Schaffer	Augusta, GA	32.89
7	Harold Hardester	Orlando, FL	32.90
8	John Connor	Greenville, SC	32.93
9	Daryl Freeman	Bristol, TN	32.93
10	Bob Williamson	Jacksonville, FL	33.04

			Prize
	Player	City	Money
1	Neil Connor	Greenville, SC	$ 5,085.00
2	Lee Weldy	Savannah, GA	$ 3,743.75
3	Condy Roberson	Savannah, GA	$ 3,382.08
4	Vance Randall	Asheville, NC	$ 2,418.33
5	Ron Slocumb	Columbus, GA	$ 1,975.00
6	Pete Reed	Atlanta, GA	$ 1,400.06
7	Daryl Freeman	Bristol, TN	$ 1,325.00
8	Bob Williamson	Jacksonville, FL	$ 1,292.66
9	John Connor	Greenville, SC	$ 1,199.58
10	Lehman Key	Lake Charles, LA	$ 1,125.09

Notice: To All PPA Members

The Professional Putters Association Board of Directors has been advised that several of the members of the PPA have been abusing the rights and privileges of PPA membership by practicing on the courses without payment of proper green fees to courses involved. This is to notify all members of the PPA that their membership in the Professional Putters Association does not entitle them to free green fees. In the event there is a report received in the Home Office of any PPA Member to the effect that that member has visited the course and played on that course without paying or presenting complimentary passes, that person will automatically be suspended from membership in the PPA and that shall be final. Under no condition should a Pro violate the rights and privileges of membership in the Association and those that do are not entitled to that membership. Therefore, all managers of affiliated courses and pros in the Association are invited to notify the Home Office immediately in the event any individual violates this agreement.

Pro Committee

Don Clayton, President of PPA, announces that after a vote of all the members of the Professional Putters Association the 1962 Pro Committee consists of Neil Connor of Greenville, SC, Chairman, Frank Holt of Savannah, GA, Vice Chairman, Earl Fritts of Savannah, GA, Member and Lee Weldy of Savannah, GA, Member.

All score, statistics and descriptions taken from the Putt-Putt Professional Putters Association Newsletter, Volume 2, Number 11, August 31, 1961.