Brown Wins Virginia State Tour Opener in Richmond, VA
25 March 2000 - Richmond, VA - Mike Brown, who just the week before opened the North Carolina season with a four-shot win in Durham, won again, this time to open the Virginia season. Brown secured his second victory in as many weeks by defeating Dave Taylor in an 18-hole playoff after both players ended the tournament in regulation with a score of 78.
Brown had to come from two strokes behind after the second round to get in the playoff with Taylor, who was one off the lead of Greg Newport. In the playoff, Brown took the lead on Taylor with a front nine of 12 to Taylor's 13, and never let Taylor regain the lead as he fired a playoff round of 24 to win the first tournament of the 2000 Virginia season. It was Brown's fourth within the last two seasons in Richmond on Course 3, including last year's Virginia Open.
Rounding out top five for the pro division were Newport, Robert Johnson, and Buddy Taylor all shooting 79. There were 22 pros and 19 amateurs in this tournament where 82 placed as the final cash spot for the pros and 83 finished last cash for the APA.
Amy Smith also came from behind to win her first APA career tournament ever, when she fired a final round 25 to win by one shot over 1999 Virginia APA State Champion Malcolm Shumaker and Jonathan Moore.
Brown will get to defend his title on Sunday, March 26, at 11 AM on the same Course 3 in Richmond. After that, the next event on the Virginia schedule will be in two weeks when they join the North Carolina tour in Durham on Saturday, April 8 at 12 PM, and on Sunday, April 9, in Roxboro at 10 AM.
Scores and tournament recap provided by Opie Roberts.
Professional Division of Richmond, VA Event (25 March 2000)
| Round | Prize | |||||
| Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | Total | Money | |
| 1 | Mike Brown** | 24 | 29 | 25 | 78 | $200.00 |
| 2 | Dave Taylor | 27 | 25 | 26 | 78 | $110.00 |
| 3 | Robert Johnson | 28 | 27 | 24 | 79 | $75.00 |
| Greg Newport | 26 | 25 | 28 | 79 | $75.00 | |
| Buddy Taylor | 25 | 27 | 27 | 79 | $75.00 | |
| 6 | Brad Lebo | 29 | 24 | 27 | 80 | $43.00 |
| Gilbert Sharpe | 30 | 24 | 26 | 80 | $43.00 | |
| Rusty Taylor | 27 | 29 | 24 | 80 | $43.00 | |
| 9 | Darrell Anderson | 29 | 24 | 27 | 81 | $40.00 |
| Ken Cook | 24 | 28 | 28 | 81 | $40.00 | |
| 11 | Kevin Garrett | 25 | 32 | 25 | 82 | $40.00 |
| 12 | Wayne Cheatham | 26 | 26 | 31 | 83 | |
| 13 | Gary Hinshaw | 30 | 33 | 23 | 86 | |
| Rick Rybaczek | 30 | 27 | 29 | 86 | ||
| Matt Summey | 29 | 29 | 28 | 86 | ||
| 16 | Opie Roberts | 29 | 28 | 30 | 87 | |
| 17 | Rich Gillooly | 31 | 25 | 32 | 88 | |
| 18 | Ed Grajewski | 32 | 27 | 30 | 89 | |
| Gil Logan | 29 | 31 | 29 | 89 | ||
| 20 | Thomas Rawles | 30 | 32 | 28 | 90 | |
| Manfred Stewart | 29 | 30 | 31 | 90 | ||
| 22 | Bart Bason | 32 | 29 | 31 | 92 | |
** Defeated Dave Taylor 24-25 in an 18-hole playoff for the victory.
Amateur Division of Richmond, VA Event (25 March 2000)
Round Expense Player 1 2 3 Total Reimbursement 1 Amy Smith 28 28 25 81 $20.00 2 Jonathan Moore 29 26 27 82 $20.00 Malcolm Shumaker 27 27 28 82 $20.00 4 Steven Jones 29 28 26 83 $20.00 John Warriner 29 26 28 83 $20.00 6 Walter Kolb 28 28 28 84 7 Bob Chetister 26 32 28 86 Jeremy Knutson 27 27 32 86 Wesley Pollard 30 26 30 86 10 Wayne Saunders 32 26 29 87 11 Chuck Cyr 28 30 30 88 Nat Morva 25 32 31 88 13 Bill Garrett 31 28 30 89 14 David Sharp 31 33 26 90 Phillip Wagoner 29 33 28 90 16 Bob Allen 32 28 31 91 Matt Coghill 33 29 31 91 Mike Grant 28 29 34 91 19 Russell Johnson 32 31 33 96