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Estep Wins 1982 National
Medal-Play Championship
Fayetteville, NC - A 20 year old printing press operator, Jeff Estep
of Dayton, Ohio became the first man in history to successfully defend the Professional
Putters Association National Championship.
Estep, with scores of 28-24-28-29-27-27-25-26 – 214, finished 74 under par for
eight trips over the Fayetteville No. 2 installation for a three-stroke victory over 1979
National Medal-Play Champion Eddie Coy, Louisville, Ky.
The victory was worth $3,000 to Estep, who increased his career earnings to an
estimated $30,000 as the Ohioan collected his third major PPA crown.
Coy, the diminutive putter who staged a miraculous comeback after an opening round 35,
won $2,000 in an effort that saw Coy suffer a triple-bogey 5 at the treacherous ninth hole
in the final round.
Steve Lyon, Winston-Salem, N.C., who held a five-stroke lead after Saturday’s
initial four rounds, share third with Mark Coup of Columbus, Ohio, both at 218 and winning
$1,350 each.
Pre-tournament favorite Ed Haggerty of Charlotte, N.C., who holds every major PPA title
with the exception of this prestigious event shared fifth with former National Juniors
Champion Alan Quinnelly of Chamblee, Ga., and 1981 PPA Rookie of the Year Dean Dwiggins of
Winston-Salem, all at 219 and winning $900 each.
Columbus, Ohio product John Napoli, one of the two men to author perfect competitive
games in this sport was alone in eight at 220.
In the Amateur Putters Association division, Lewis Burton of Atlanta, Ga., set a
blistering pace that had him three strokes ahead of the entire field after four rounds and
went on to claim a nine-stroke victory over David Shankle of Farmington Hills, Mi., for
the prestigious National Amateur crown.
Freddie Karem of Louisville, Ky., was third at 228. Chuck Dibbs of Virginia Beach, Va.,
was fourth at 229.
Frederick Captures National Match-Play
Championship
Ron Frederick overcame a 20-minute delay and knocked in a
26-foot hole-in-one on the first hole of sudden death to out duel fellow Ohioan Jeff Estep
for the $113,000 Professional Putters Association National Match Play Championship.
The victory was worth $22,000 to Frederick, a 22 year-old Ohio State University senior
who donated $2,000 to the children of the late Ray Browning, the 1975 and 1980 National
Medal-Play Champion who died in an automobile accident at the outset of the current
season.
"You win the National Championship and you are No. 1," said Frederick,
Toledo, Ohio, who defeated Columbus, Ohio pro Steve Guyton 7 and 6 in the semifinals and
pre-tournament favorite Ed Haggerty of Charlotte, N.C., 4 and 3 in the quarterfinals.
Estep, who defeated Haggerty 2-up for the 1981 National Match-Play title, earned
$10,000 for his runner-up finish.
In the Amateur Putters Association
division, former professional Paul Johns of Monroe,
Mich., defeated Peter Neumann of Dayton, Ohio 6 and 5 for the Match-Play crown.
Frederick Named PPA Player of the Year
"What can you say…Ron Frederick, the Putter of the
Year," said PPA Vice-President Neil Buie in announcing the selection of the 1982
National Match-Play Champion as the game’s top player this season.
Frederick parlayed a strong performance in Fayetteville, N.C., to out duel
1981 and 1980
Player of the Year Ed Haggerty, Charlotte, N.C., David McCaslin of Memphis, Tenn., and
Jeff Estep of Dayton, Ohio for the honor.
Beck Receives PPA Sportsmanship Trophy
There is more to professional putting than holes-in-one and tough deuce putts.
It’s treating a golf course and a fellow player with respect and shaking an
opponent’s hand after defeat and carrying victory with a touch of humility.
For more than 20 years, Wesley Beck of Atlanta, Ga., has exemplified what the model pro
is in this 22 year-old sport which is why he was selected to receive the PPA
"Sportsmanship" Award.
Haggerty Claims PPA Stroke Average Honor
For the past two years, Ed Haggerty of Charlotte, N.C., has been bringing the
"Tracy Moore" Stroke Average Trophy to the site of the National Championship.
A 21 year-old N.C. State University senior, Haggerty won the low stroke average honor
in 1980 and 1981. With a 27.63 stroke average for 1982, Haggerty earned a permanent claim
on the trophy this year. Winner of four events this season, both back-to-back in High
Point, N.C. and Burlington, N.C., Haggerty finished far ahead of his closest pursuer, Ron
Frederick.
McCaslin Named Rookie of the Year
Former National Juniors Champion David McCaslin of Memphis, Tenn., wasted
little time in establishing himself as a star of the future by winning four PPA tour
events this season and edging Greg Ward of Cleveland, Tenn., for PPA Rookie of the Year
honors.
McCarthy APA Player of the Year
Perhaps, the heir-apparent to Female Putter of the Decade Evelyn Florin, Terry
McCarthy was selected the Amateur Putters Association Player of the Year for 1982.
Despite an opening round 34 in the APA National Medal-Play Championship, McCarthy, of
North Olmsted, Ohio, closed with a final round 24 for a 232 total and seventh place
finish.
That 232 total would have been worth $215.00 in the pro division. And incidentally, the
closing 24 was low round in the APA division final 18 holes and was matched by only two
professionals John Crawford and David Barnett.
Hancock Receives APA Sportsmanship Award
"Every tournament I’ve ever been to, he always comes up afterward and
says thank you," said Neil Buie, vice president of the PPA,, in announcing that Wayne
Hancock of High Point, N.C., was the recipient of the 1982 APA Sportsmanship Award.
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