Bart Bason Wins 1999 North Carolina State
Championship in Sudden Death over Michael Hitt
Durham, NC - October 17, 1999 - Last year, Bart Bason needed 26 extra holes to lose to Greg Ward for second place in the playoff. On
Sunday, he was in the predicament once again, this time playing off with Michael Hitt for the 1999 North Carolina
State Championship. Bason had to come from five strokes down with three rounds to play to
get into the playoff.
Bason shot three rounds of a total of 79 to force the playoff with Hitt, who shot 82 on
Sunday. The playoff began with Hitt making the first three holes and Bason taking a double
bogey on the third hole to fall four back after three. Bason charged back by making holes
7-10 in succession while Hitt missed six in a row from 5-11 to pull the match back even.
The two young players went back and forth until Hitt made 15 & 16 to lead by two,
7-under to 5-under, with two to play. Hitt left 17 short, opening the door for Bason to
make the last two. Bason made 17 to pull to within one of Hitt. Then, Bason, with pressure
mounting, went for 18 and made it dead in the cup to tie Hitt. Hitt decided to lay up the
ace putt, leaving him about five feet for his deuce putt, which he made forcing the first
sudden death playoff this year.
Both players shot 1-under after the first four holes. Heading to hole 5, Bason played
the left rail shot before the triangle, and made it front door. Hitt proceeded to play the
left rail shot behind the triangle, but missed the hole to the right, thus giving the
22-year-old college student from Gibsonville, North Carolina, his first major state
championship of his career.
Ray Guthrie held off a fierce charge from Tommy Hutchinson and Jimmy Comer, winning his
first state title in the APA Division when Comer bogeyed the automatic hole 16 while
Guthrie aced it to win by one. Guthrie, who has declared he will turn pro in 2000, fired
the final two round total of 58 to finish at 172. Hutchinson and Comer finished at 173.
Both players went to a playoff for second where Hutchinson won that playoff.
Other players with a good show this weekend in the Pro Division were, Gary Hester, Saturday's leader at the break
and fired a fifth round 22 to take lead on Saturday, finishing third at 217; Randy Reeves, with a fifth round 21
finished fourth at 218, and a three-way tie for fifth involving Andy Coradini, Bob Haizlip, and Rusty Taylor, the youngest player in the
championship, all at 220.
The biggest jump of the day went to Haizlip going from a tie of 24th to a tie of 5th.
Best score of the day went to Bason and Haizlip, each shooting 79 on this rain soaked day.
A light shower early Sunday did not dampen the play from the tournament as Hurricane
Irene was slowly approaching the East Coast. However, the rain started intensifying toward
the final round and well into the playoff.
The tournament contained a $9,000.00 purse in which Bason was getting $800.00 for the
win and Hitt receiving $650.00 for second. The playoff between Bason and Hitt was the
first in the state championship for first place since Bill Kirby faced off Barry Wyatt in
1994 held in Gastonia.
Awards were presented at a banquet held at Torero's Mexican Restaurant in Durham. Greg Newport received his NCPPA Player of
the Year award while Guthrie received the honor for the APA. Hester and Hitt received the
award for the Team of the Year. The sportsmanship award went to Durham local Fred
Hallaman. And, lastly, the naming of the 2000 NCPPA Committee was given out. Among those
who made the committee were Bart Bason, Rick Baird, Chris Bunting, Bill Kirby, Larry
Simpson, Greg Newport, and Rick Rybaczek.
Special thanks was also given to Phil McCarson, owner and operator of the Durham
Putt-Putt, for having the tour come for the weekend and also with the great food he
provided.
The North Carolina tour has officially completed its 1999 season and will be sending
ten players to the Clayton Cup to Wilmington next weekend. The players that will be going
are captain Chris Bunting, Greg Newport, Rick Baird, Andy Coradini, Bart Bason, Opie
Roberts, Bill Kirby, C. L. Jones, Bob Haizlip, and Rick Rybaczek. The quest for the cup
begins October 23 in Wilmington starting at 10am.
Tournament recap and scores courtesy of Opie Roberts
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