Eddie Coy Wins 1979 National Championship

Columbus, OH (18-19 August 1979)

19 August 1979 - Columbus, OH - 1979's National Champion, Eddie Coy, was barely 8 months old when the first PPA National Championship was held in 1960.  August 18 and 19 in Columbus, OH, Coy of Louisville, KY, putted against a field of over 90 pros, many who have spent more years playing Putt-Putt than Eddie has lived, to take the 1979 National Championship with a 92 under par 196 and win $4,000.

Bobby Gilmore of Burlington, NC, aced 13 consecutive shots to tally a 20 in his sixth round of competition and place second in the 1979 Nationals with a 201, 87 under par.  Gilmore won $2,500.

Charlotte, NC's Ed Haggerty, fourth place finisher in the 1978 World Putting Championship, took the third place prize of $2,000 in Columbus with a 202.  Joel Baker, of Ft. Worth, TX, finished fourth with a 203 and was awarded the distinguished honor of 1979 Putter of the Year.  Baker was also a top finisher in all of the 1979 $10,000 Regional Championships.

Don Ferrell, 45 year old amateur from Columbus, OH, maintained his slim lead over Alan Quinnelly of Chamblee, GA, to win the amateur division with an 80 under par 208.  Quinnelly, 1978 National Juniors Champ, place second with a 209.

Sportsmanship Awards Presented to Bozzacco and Ward

Ed Bozzacco, PPA pro from Alliance, OH, and Greg Ward, APA from Cleveland, TN, were presented 1979 Sportsmanship Awards at the 1979 PPA Banquet in Columbus, OH, in recognition of their outstanding sportsmanship in Putt-Putt.

Portugal Awarded Rookie Putter of the Year

Marc Portugal, rookie putter from Waco, TX, was presented the Second Annual Rookie Putter of the Year Award for his outstanding putting in 1979.