Virginia Teams Win 1999 Clayton Cup and Hancock Cup in Wilmington, NC
Wilmington, NC - The 1999 Clayton Cup saw the South Carolina Tour play as the third professional team and saw the closest competition in Clayton Cup history since 1995. The Clayton Cup in 1995, played in Greensboro, NC, was not decided until the final group finished the final hole on Sunday with the Virginia Team posting a narrow victory. Clayton Cup history was again repeated in Wilmington, NC when the outcome of the Clayton Cup was not decided until the final group of three players finished the final hole.
The 1999 Clayton Cup was held in Wilmington, NC, site of the 1997 North Carolina State Championship. The course had received more than its fair share of rain and wind in the 6 weeks prior to the Clayton Cup being played but the owner of the course deserves a hearty welcome from all the players. The course showed none of the effect of the three hurricanes that had passed over this part of eastern North Carolina in September and October of 1999.
The competition began on Saturday with the better-ball and alternate shot competition. The format for 1999 was changed to accommodate the addition of the South Carolina Team.
Two-Player Better Ball (Clayton Cup - 23 October, 1999)
First Round Second Round Players Front Nine Back Nine 18 Hole Total Front Nine Back Nine 18 Hole Total 36 Hole Total Points Bart Bason/Rick Rybaczek 15 14 29 14 12 26 55 2 Michael Hitt/Tony Jackson 12 13 25 14 13 27 52 4 Buddy Taylor/Dave Taylor 15 13 28 15 14 29 57 0 Andy Coradini/Bob Haizlip 14 15 29 14 13 27 56 2 Tony Varnadore/Frank Warren 14 14 28 17 16 33 61 0 Ed Grajewski/Gilbert Sharpe 11 11 22 12 12 24 46 4 Greg Newport/Opie Roberts 13 13 26 13 12 25 51 2 Lewis Burton/Gary English 10 13 23 15 10 25 48 4 Rusty Taylor/Peter Neumann 12 14 26 13 14 27 53 0 Rick Baird/Chris Bunting 11 12 23 12 13 25 48 4 Todd Fowler/Jay Klapper 12 16 28 13 14 27 55 0 Kevin Garrett/Thomas Rawles 12 13 25 16 13 29 54 2 Bill Kirby/C. L. Jones 14 14 28 13 14 27 55 0 Greg Ward/Robert Johnson 12 15 27 13 13 26 53 2 Brad Lebo/Mike Brown 13 11 24 12 12 24 48 4
With both the South Carolina and Virginia Team winning two matches and finishing second in one match, each earned 10 points. The North Carolina Team won one match but finished second in three matches to earn 10 points. 1999 Clayton Cup Standings after Better-Ball Competition
Team
Points 1 North Carolina 10 South Carolina 10 Virginia 10
The alternate shot portion of the Clayton Cup, traditionally one of the more challenging, was made even more difficult by the fast carpet and abundance of trouble on the Wilmington, NC course. Only one two-man team, Buddy Taylor and Dave Taylor of the Virginia Team, was able to shoot under 60 for two rounds. Two-Player Alternate Shot (Clayton Cup - 23 October, 1999)
First Round Second Round Players Front Nine Back Nine 18 Hole Total Front Nine Back Nine 18 Hole Total 36 Hole Total Points C. L. Jones/Bob Haizlip 15 17 32 15 16 31 63 3 Ed Grajewski/Gilbert Sharpe 15 16 31 16 16 32 63 3 Michael Hitt/Tony Jackson 16 15 31 17 19 36 67 0 Opie Roberts/Rick Rybaczek 20 17 37 15 17 32 69 2 Rusty Taylor/Peter Neumann 15 19 34 16 22 38 72 0 Jay Klapper/Tony Varnadore 13 15 28 17 16 33 61 4 Bart Bason/Chris Bunting 16 15 31 13 17 30 61 0 Buddy Taylor/Dave Taylor 12 17 29 16 13 29 58 4 Todd Fowler/Frank Warren 13 15 28 15 17 32 60 2 Greg Newport/Bill Kirby 16 16 32 15 15 30 62 0 Brad Lebo/Mike Brown 14 15 29 15 16 31 60 3 Lewis Burton/Gary English 15 16 31 16 13 29 60 3 Rick Baird/Andy Coradini 14 15 29 18 17 35 64 0 Kevin Garrett/Thomas Rawles 13 18 31 15 17 32 63 2 Greg Ward/Robert Johnson 16 15 31 15 15 30 61 4
1999 Clayton Cup Standings after Alternate Shot Competition
Team |
Points | ||
| 1 |
 |
South Carolina | 23 |
| 2 |
 |
Virginia | 22 |
| 3 |
 |
North Carolina | 15 |
With twilight fast approaching, the final two rounds of Saturday's play were the two-man team competition. The total scores from two-players from each team is used to determine the outcome of each match. Two-Player Team Total (Clayton Cup - 23 October, 1999)
First Round Second Round Players Front Nine Back Nine 18 Hole Total Front Nine Back Nine 18 Hole Total 36 Hole Total Points Greg Newport 14 13 27 14 17 31 58 3 C. L. Jones 16 16 32 13 15 28 60 Brad Lebo 17 11 28 15 12 27 55 3 Mike Brown 14 18 32 16 15 31 63 Michael Hitt 15 16 31 13 15 28 59 0 Tony Jackson 16 18 34 18 17 35 69 Chris Bunting 15 21 36 15 14 29 65 0 Opie Roberts 17 18 35 15 14 29 64 Thomas Rawles 17 16 33 17 15 32 65 4 Kevin Garrett 16 16 32 10 16 26 58 Jay Klapper 13 16 29 15 14 29 58 2 Tony Varnadore 16 16 32 18 17 35 67 Bob Haizlip 16 13 29 16 15 31 60 4 Rick Rybaczek 15 14 29 16 15 31 60 Buddy Taylor 18 17 35 14 17 31 66 0 Dave Taylor 15 14 29 18 18 36 65 Todd Fowler 14 15 29 15 18 33 62 2 Frank Warren 18 16 34 14 18 32 66 Bart Bason 17 15 32 15 16 31 63 0 Bill Kirby 16 15 31 15 17 32 63 Rusty Taylor 16 18 34 12 15 27 61 2 Peter Neumann 15 14 29 18 15 33 62 Lewis Burton 14 14 28 15 14 29 57 4 Gary English 13 14 27 18 18 36 63 Rick Baird 13 17 30 13 16 29 59 2 Andy Coradini 15 12 27 18 18 36 63 Ed Grajewski 15 17 32 18 16 34 66 0 Gilbert Sharpe 17 14 31 14 17 31 62 Greg Ward 13 13 26 12 16 28 54 4 Robert Johnson 17 18 35 12 13 25 60
The first day of competition ended after 8 PM on the Wilmington, NC Putt-Putt Golf Course. The South Carolina Team, making their first appearance had jumped out to the first day's lead. 1999 Clayton Cup Standings after First Day of Competition
Team
Points 1 South Carolina 35 2 Virginia 31 3 North Carolina 24
The second day of the 1999 Clayton Cup featured three rounds of individual matches pitting players from all three teams against each other. With 90 points up for grab on Sunday, all three teams were fully capable of winning the Clayton Cup.
Individual Matches - Round One (Clayton Cup - 24 October, 1999)
| Players | Front Nine | Back Nine | 18 Hole Total | Points | |
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Bob Haizlip | 12 | 15 | 27 | 2 |
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Brad Lebo | 18 | 18 | 36 | 0 |
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Todd Fowler | 15 | 16 | 31 | 1 |
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Rick Rybaczek | 14 | 23 | 37 | 0 |
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Mike Brown | 14 | 16 | 30 | 2 |
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Tony Varnadore | 15 | 16 | 31 | 1 |
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Opie Roberts | 17 | 14 | 31 | 1 |
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Dave Taylor | 15 | 15 | 30 | 2 |
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Jay Klapper | 16 | 17 | 33 | 0 |
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Chris Bunting | 19 | 13 | 32 | 0 |
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Peter Neumann | 14 | 17 | 31 | 1 |
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Tony Jackson | 14 | 15 | 29 | 2 |
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C. L. Jones | 14 | 14 | 28 | 2 |
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Kevin Garrett | 15 | 16 | 31 | 0.5 |
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Frank Warren | 17 | 14 | 31 | 0.5 |
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Rick Baird | 15 | 15 | 30 | 1.5 |
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Gilbert Sharpe | 14 | 17 | 31 | 0 |
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Gary English | 16 | 14 | 30 | 1.5 |
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Andy Coradini | 14 | 14 | 28 | 1.5 |
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Ed Grajewski | 14 | 18 | 32 | 0 |
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Michael Hitt | 15 | 13 | 28 | 1.5 |
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Bill Kirby, Jr. | 14 | 15 | 29 | 1 |
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Thomas Rawles | 15 | 13 | 28 | 2 |
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Robert Johnson | 13 | 17 | 30 | 0 |
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Greg Newport | 13 | 14 | 27 | 1.5 |
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Buddy Taylor | 16 | 16 | 32 | 0 |
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Lewis Burton | 14 | 13 | 27 | 1.5 |
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Bart Bason | 15 | 13 | 28 | 2 |
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Rusty Taylor | 16 | 16 | 32 | 1 |
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Greg Ward | 18 | 19 | 37 | 0 |
The North Carolina Team made the biggest move picking up 12.5 points in the first round of the individual matches winning or tying six of the ten matches. South Carolina picked up 9 points and Virginia 8.5 points.
1999 Clayton Cup Standings after First Round of Individual Matches
Team |
Points | ||
| 1 |
|
South Carolina | 44 |
| 2 |
|
Virginia | 39.5 |
| 3 |
|
North Carolina | 36.5 |
Individual Matches - Round Two (Clayton Cup - 24 October, 1999)
| Players | Front Nine | Back Nine | 18 Hole Total | Points | |
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Bob Haizlip | 16 | 16 | 32 | 0 |
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Brad Lebo | 16 | 15 | 31 | 1 |
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Todd Fowler | 16 | 14 | 30 | 2 |
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Rick Rybaczek | 16 | 16 | 32 | 1 |
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Mike Brown | 16 | 19 | 35 | 0 |
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Tony Varnadore | 14 | 15 | 29 | 2 |
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Opie Roberts | 16 | 13 | 29 | 2 |
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Dave Taylor | 19 | 14 | 33 | 0 |
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Jay Klapper | 14 | 17 | 31 | 1 |
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Chris Bunting | 14 | 15 | 29 | 0 |
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Peter Neumann | 11 | 16 | 27 | 2 |
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Tony Jackson | 13 | 15 | 28 | 1 |
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C. L. Jones | 14 | 16 | 30 | 1 |
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Kevin Garrett | 14 | 15 | 29 | 2 |
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Frank Warren | 16 | 15 | 31 | 0 |
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Rick Baird | 15 | 16 | 31 | 0.5 |
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Gilbert Sharpe | 15 | 13 | 28 | 2 |
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Gary English | 16 | 15 | 31 | 0.5 |
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Andy Coradini | 12 | 11 | 23 | 2 |
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Ed Grajewski | 19 | 17 | 36 | 0 |
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Michael Hitt | 12 | 14 | 26 | 1 |
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Bill Kirby, Jr. | 17 | 15 | 32 | 1 |
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Thomas Rawles | 13 | 15 | 28 | 2 |
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Robert Johnson | 16 | 17 | 33 | 0 |
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Greg Newport | 14 | 13 | 27 | 2 |
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Buddy Taylor | 16 | 15 | 31 | 0 |
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Lewis Burton | 13 | 16 | 29 | 1 |
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Bart Bason | 13 | 14 | 27 | 2 |
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Rusty Taylor | 14 | 15 | 29 | 1 |
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Greg Ward | 15 | 15 | 30 | 0 |
After two rounds of individual matches, the 1999 Clayton Cup became a much tighter match with only 4.5 points separating all three teams. Once again the North Carolina picked up the most points earning 11.5 points being paced by Andy Coradini who fired a round of 23, 13-under par. The Virginia Team, chasing the team from South Carolina and trying to hold off the team from North Carolina, earned 10 points. The South Carolina Team, which had lead since the Saturday alternate shot matches, earned 8.5 points but saw their lead shrink to 3 points over the Virginia Team and only 4.5 points over the North Carolina Team.
1999 Clayton Cup Standings after Second Round of Individual Matches
Team |
Points | ||
| 1 |
|
South Carolina | 52.5 |
| 2 |
|
Virginia | 49.5 |
| 3 |
|
North Carolina | 48 |
Individual Matches - Round Three (Clayton Cup - 24 October, 1999)
| Players | Front Nine | Back Nine | 18 Hole Total | Points | |
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Bob Haizlip | 16 | 18 | 34 | 0 |
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Brad Lebo | 12 | 16 | 28 | 2 |
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Todd Fowler | 14 | 16 | 30 | 1 |
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Rick Rybaczek | 17 | 15 | 32 | 0.5 |
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Mike Brown | 15 | 16 | 31 | 2 |
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Tony Varnadore | 16 | 16 | 32 | 0.5 |
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Opie Roberts | 16 | 14 | 30 | 1 |
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Dave Taylor | 19 | 16 | 35 | 0 |
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Jay Klapper | 14 | 15 | 29 | 2 |
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Chris Bunting | 13 | 16 | 29 | 2 |
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Peter Neumann | 15 | 15 | 30 | 1 |
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Tony Jackson | 18 | 13 | 31 | 0 |
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C. L. Jones | 17 | 16 | 33 | 1 |
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Kevin Garrett | 15 | 17 | 32 | 2 |
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Frank Warren | 16 | 20 | 36 | 0 |
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Rick Baird | 21 | 14 | 35 | 0 |
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Gilbert Sharpe | 14 | 15 | 29 | 2 |
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Gary English | 17 | 14 | 31 | 1 |
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Andy Coradini | 14 | 12 | 26 | 2 |
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Ed Grajewski | 17 | 16 | 33 | 1 |
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Michael Hitt | 16 | 19 | 35 | 0 |
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Bill Kirby, Jr. | 16 | 18 | 34 | 0 |
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Thomas Rawles | 17 | 15 | 32 | 1 |
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Robert Johnson | 16 | 15 | 31 | 2 |
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Greg Newport | 18 | 12 | 30 | 2 |
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Buddy Taylor | 17 | 15 | 32 | 0 |
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Lewis Burton | 15 | 16 | 31 | 1 |
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Bart Bason | 16 | 17 | 33 | 0 |
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Rusty Taylor | 11 | 16 | 27 | 2 |
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Greg Ward | 15 | 15 | 30 | 1 |
Through five matches the Virginia team had picked up 3.5 points on the South Carolina Team putting them in the lead by 0.5 points over South Carolina and 4 points ahead of North Carolina. Leading the Virginia Team in the first five matches were Brad Lebo, Mike Brown, and Kevin Garrett who all won their matches. Match six was won by Gilbert Sharpe moving the Virginia Team 1.5 points ahead of South Carolina.
Andy Coradini his spectacular play in Match 7 firing a round of 26 to win the match for North Carolina. Ed Grajewski came from one stroke behind Michael Hitt after the front nine to secure second place in the match and move Virginia 2.5 points ahead of South Carolina. Robert Johnson won Match 8 for South Carolina to pull South Carolina back within 1.5 points of Virginia. South Carolina picked up another point on Virginia in Match 9 when Lewis Burton finished second, ahead of Virginia's Buddy Taylor, to put South Carolina one-half a point behind Virginia with only Match 10 to be finished.
Match 10 had seen Rusty Taylor open the final round with a front-nine of 11, 7-under par, to lead Greg Ward by four strokes. Greg Ward was only able to make up one stroke on Rusty Taylor on the back nine and Taylor deuce on the 18th hole secured a three stroke victory in the match and the Clayton Cup for the Virginia Team.
1999 Clayton Cup Standings after Final Round of Individual Matches
Team |
Points | ||
| 1 |
|
Virginia | 62.5 |
| 2 |
|
South Carolina | 61 |
| 3 |
|
North Carolina | 56.5 |