2001 Season Opener
IPPT Southport Open Tom Morrison Wins His First State Medal Play Event
Tom Morrison, winner of IPPT Southport Open on April 29th.
29 April 2001 - Tom Morrison of Franklin, Indiana saved his best putting for rounds 3 and 4 to capture his first Indiana Professional Putters Tour Event. Morrison fired rounds of 28-31-26-27 for a 72 hole total 112. 2000 Points Champion Shawn Gilliland of Indianapolis finished in second place with a 4 round total 116 that included the days lowest round of 11 under par 25. Jim Bryant of Clayton, Indiana was third with a 4 round total of 120. Tom Gross of Columbus, Indiana was the leader after two rounds, but settled for fourth with a four round total 121. Morrison had the first round lead with an 8 under par 28, but fell into second place 3 shots back after Tom Gross fired a 10 under par 26. Morrison recaptured the lead with a 3rd round score of 10 under par 26, but was joined in a tie for the lead by Gilliland who fired the 11 under 25. Morrison sealed the victory shooting a fourth round 27 that included 2 boogies. Gilliland could only fire a 31, while Bryant had his low round of the day, a 7 under par 29, to move into third place. With the victory, Morrison takes the early points lead on the Indiana Tour with 241.2 points. Gilliland winds up second in the Points Race with a total of 203.6 points while Bryant sets in third place after the first event with a total of 179.2 points. The Indiana Professional Putters Tour will visit Terre Haute, Indiana for two events on May 12th and 13th. The "West Major" tournament will be held on Sunday May 13th. Tee off time is 1:30 p.m. both days.
IPPT Southport Open Match Play
Tom Gross Wins Third State Title29 April 2001 - Touring Pro Tom Gross was having a great day when on the 71st hole of medal play, he chipped a front tooth. His error free tournament went by the way side as he finished 4 and 3 on the final two holes. The staff at the Southport, Indiana Putt-Putt came to his rescue in time for Match Play with some aspirin, and Gross went on to win his third IPPT Match play title. Gross advanced to the Match Play finals by defeating Medal Play Champ Tom Morrison 1 up 18 after he drained an ace on the tough 17th hole on course 3 at Southport. Gross met Jim Bryant in the 36 hole final and after taking a 3 hole lead through 8, Bryant battled back to trail by only 1 hole at the turn. Gross was able to pull to a two shot advantage by making number 4, the right to left swing hole, and held on to win 2 up with 1 to play. Bryant defeated Darren Clayton 2 and 1 and took out the defending Match Play Champion, Shawn Gilliland, 4 and 3 to advance to the finals.
2001 IPPT Southport Open Amateur Division Holcomb Has Them Singing "Oh Danny Boy"
29 April 2001 - APA player Danny Holcomb of Hope, Indiana had not played a Putt-Putt event since the State Championship in 1998 when he lost the State Amateur Title to Vicki Chinn in an 18 hole play off. Holcomb used the first IPPT event at Southport to prove he could still putt and win a playoff as he defeated Nate Nichols of Edinburgh for his first State Amateur Title. Holcomb and Nichols finished the 72 hole event dead even with identical 26 under par 118's. Holcomb fired a final round 28 that included an 11 on the front 9 to finish tied for the lead. Nichols did that one better by shooting a 9 under 27 (the low amateur round of the day) on his final round to move ahead of Scott McCutcheon of New Palestine and Bill Hammons of Indianapolis who were in the club house with 25 under par 119's. Holcomb went on to defeat Nichols in the 18 hole playoff shooting his best round of the day, a 10 under par 26. Nichols too was on fire shooting a 28 in the playoff. In the amateur Match Play event Holcomb continued his hot shooting defeating John Watkins of Indianapolis 4 and 3 in the 36 hole final. Holcomb advanced to the finals by defeating brothers Steve and Mike Moon of Edinburgh. Holcomb defeated Steve 5 and 4, and Mike 3 and 2. Watkins defeated Mike Lebeda of Terre Haute 2 and 1, Nate Nichols of Edinburgh 3 and 2 and Dave Hager of Greenwood 1 up to advance to the finals.
Professional Division of Southport, IN Event (29 April 2001)
Round
Prize Match Play Player 1 2 3 4 Total Money Points Won Lost Cash 1 Tom Morrison
$55.00 $0 2 Shawn Gilliland
29 31 25 31 $35.00 1 1 $10.00 3 Jim Bryant
30 30 31 29 $25.00 2 1 $20.00 4 Tom Gross
30 26 30 35 $10.00 3 0 $40.00 5 Darrin Clayton
29 31 34 29 0 1 $0 6 Mark Greenwell
34 31 34 29 0 1 $0
Amateur Division of Southport, IN Event (29 April 2001)
Round
Match Play Player 1 2 3 4 Total Points Won Lost Cash 1 Danny Holcomb*
31 28 31 28 118 $5 ex 311 3 0 $5 ex 2 Nate Nichols
30 30 31 27 118 $5 ex 261 0 1 3 Scott McCutcheon**
30 30 28 31 119 $5 ex 245 1 1 4 Bill Hammons
28 30 31 30 119 $5 ex 235 1 1 5 Dave Hager
31 32 29 30 122 208.2 2 1 6 John Watkins
30 28 36 29 123 203 3 1 $5 ex 7 Steve Moon
35 34 29 26 124 168 1 1 8. John Howard
37 30 29 30 126 138.6 0 1 9 Mike Lebeda**
33 29 33 32 127 124.2 0 1 10 Vicki Chinn
33 32 34 28 127 114.2 0 1 11 Mike Moon
36 31 31 30 128 120 2 1 12 Sean Clark
33 29 34 37 133 72 0 1 13 Chuck Gulley
35 34 32 33 134 59 0 1
* Won 18 hole playoff
** Won sudden death playoff