1 April 2000 - High Point, NC - Rick Rybaczek made a stretch run toward the end of the tournament in High Point on Saturday when he made six in a row to tie the match with Rick Baird. After missing 17, he launched his tee shot on 18, where it went airborne to the back rail and slammed in the cup resulting in a one-stroke win.Rick Rybaczek Wins Furniture City Open with Ace on Final Hole
Rybaczek, playing in only his third season as a Pro, may be remembered for an outstanding fourth place finish at the 1999 Eastern Open. When he made the last ace of the tournament, it gave him his first ever victory as a professional. A back nine 11 that ended the round at 24, lowest round of the tournament, gave Rybaczek a one-stroke victory at 80.
Rick Baird was the two round leader at 52 going into the final round. Rybaczek was at 56 and in a tie for seventh. Baird went to 18 with the lead clinging until he bogeyed it to fall back at 81. By that time, Rybaczek had made 16 for his sixth consecutive ace, and tied the tournament up. Baird finished in second with 81, while Bart Bason, Gary Hester, and C. L. Jones finished in a three-way tie for third at 82.
Keith Waters and Billy Caudle were in a playoff to decide the APA division crown on Saturday. Steady play from both players put themselves in a tie at 88 heading into the playoff. Waters ousted Caudle in the playoff 30 to 32 for his second win of the season. Caudle finished second, while Brian Hutchins finished in third at 90.
Fifteen spots were paid out in this event with the score 86 placing for a five player split for four spots. Rybaczek, with his victory, accepted and became the third player to qualify for the NC State Championship and Match Play tournament in September. The next NCPPA tournament will be in Burlington on Course 1, Sunday, April 2 at 10:00am.
Scores and tournament recap provided by Opie Roberts.
Professional Division of High Point, NC Event (1 April 2000)
Round Prize Player 1 2 3 Total Money 1 Rick Rybaczek 28 28 24 80 $150.00 2 Rick Baird 27 25 29 81 $110.00 3 Bart Bason 30 26 26 82 $82.00 Gary Hester 29 26 27 82 $82.00 C. L. Jones 27 28 27 82 $82.00 6 Mike Griffin 28 27 29 84 $65.00 Ray Guthrie 30 27 27 84 $65.00 Randy Reeves 28 28 28 84 $65.00 9 Brad Lebo 29 30 26 85 $50.00 Randal Smith 29 30 26 85 $50.00 Rusty Taylor 30 30 25 85 $50.00 12 Mike Brown 28 25 33 86 $31.00 Bob Haizlip 25 29 32 86 $31.00 Robert Johnson 28 30 28 86 $31.00 Thomas Rawles 30 29 27 86 $31.00 Buddy Taylor 29 30 27 86 $31.00 17 Andy Coradini 30 30 27 87 Bill Kirby, Jr 31 29 27 87 Greg Newport 28 28 31 87 20 Michael Hitt 31 29 29 89 21 Dan Anders 27 29 34 90 Glenwood Arrington 33 28 29 90 Chris Bunting 34 27 29 90 Don Thompson 32 28 30 90 Greg Ward 30 30 30 90 26 Opie Roberts 30 32 30 92 Larry Simpson 32 29 31 92 Bill Walsh 31 28 33 92 29 Tommy Hollifield 29 33 31 93 30 Tommy Barbour 31 34 31 96 31 David Abshire 32 31 35 98 Barry Wyatt 34 31 33 98 Professional Teams Scores for High Point, NC Event (1 April 2000)
Round Total NC Prize Players 1 2 3 Score Points Money 1 R. Guthrie - R. Rybaczek 58 55 51 164 15.00 $20.00 2 R. Baird - A. Coradini 57 55 56 168 14.00 $10.00 3 G. Hester - M. Hitt 60 55 56 171 12.00 B. Taylor - R. Taylor 59 60 52 171 12.00 M. Brown - B. Lebo 57 55 59 171 12.00 6 B. Bason - C. Bunting 64 53 55 172 9.50 G. Newport - R. Smith 57 58 57 172 9.50 8 R. Johnson - B. Kirby, Jr. 59 59 55 173 8.00 9 B. Haizlip - L. Simpson 57 58 63 178 7.00 10 C. L. Jones - B. Wyatt 61 59 60 180 6.00 Amateur Division of High Point, NC Event (1 April 2000)
Round Expense Player 1 2 3 Total Reimbursement 1 Keith Waters** 28 31 29 88 $20.00 2 Billy Caudle 27 31 30 88 $20.00 3 Brian Hutchins 30 27 33 90 4 Donnie Carpenter 31 31 29 91 Tommy Hutchinson 29 28 34 91 6 Jimmy Comer 30 30 33 93 Chuck Nance 29 32 32 93 8 Russell Sigmon, Jr. 33 29 34 96 9 Steve Helton 33 35 32 100 10 Richard Lorenz 33 39 35 107
** Defeated Billy Caudle 30-32 in an 18-hole playoff for the victory.
Novice Division of High Point, NC Event (1 April 2000)
| Round | |||||
| Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | Total | |
| 1 |
Adam Smith |
30 | 35 | 27 | 92 |
| 2 |
Roy Sigmon |
33 | 33 | 34 | 100 |
| 3 |
Steve McGee |
36 | 36 | 33 | 105 |