Vince Batten Wins ProPutters.com Match-Play Championship (9 August 2001

Vince Batten Wins
ProPutters.com Match-Play Championship
and $2,000 First Prize Check

7 August 2001 - Lynchburg, VA - Vince Batten of Richmond scored 10 holes-in-one Tuesday en route to a 5 and 3 victory over Ken Hastings of Monroeville, Pa., in the finals of the $4,000 PPA ProPutters.com National Match Play Championship.

Vince Batten, winner of the 2001 ProPutters.com Match-Play Championship.

The 41-year-old Virginia State Champion collected $2,000 while earning his first major crown in the Professional Putters Association event held at the Putt-Putt Golf & Games family entertainment complex on Timberlake Road.

‘‘I really wasn’t thinking about my first major championship,’’ said Batten, who increased his PPA career prize money earnings to more than $38,000 since turning pro in 1983. “I was just trying to concentrate on each hole. Now that it’s over, it is beginning to sink in that I’ve just won my first major title.”

Hastings, a 53-year-old who has played in relative obscurity throughout his PPA career, won $1,000 - his largest payday on the PPA Tour that was founded in 1960.

“Vince just got on a run and ran away from me,’’ said Hastings, who advanced to the semifinals earlier Tuesday with a 4 and 3 victory over Craig Williams, who hails from Monroeville, too. “But it was such an honor for me to reach the finals of a major championship. I’m proud of what I accomplished.”

Batten earned his way into the finals with a 2 and 1 victory over Greg Ward, 39, of Loganville, Ga., the all-time winner in PPA history with 133 victories.

“Actually,’’ Batten said, “I was more nervous in the semifinal match against Greg, because he is such a great player. When I beat Greg, that’s when I started thinking about winning a major title.’’

The finals and semifinals were taped by WSET-TV, and are scheduled for syndicated telecast in the spring. Dennis Carter, sports anchor of the local ABC-TV affiliate, served as play-by-play announcer along with Joe Aboid, owner of the local franchise and PPA Commissioner.

“We had 64 of the best players in America competing for this championship, and Vince Batten certainly showcased his putting skills in the finals,” Aboid said. “We had great galleries, and we are looking forward to airing the telecasts for Lynch and surrounding counties in the spring.’’

More than 100 pros and amateurs have converged on the local facility for PPA National Championship Week, which continues Thursday with the $2,000 PPA Challenger Shoot-out and the Junior Putters of America National Championships. The $15,000 PPA National Champion is scheduled Friday through Sunday.

Semi-Finals	Finals	ProPutters.com Match-Play Champion
$500	$1000	$2000
Greg Ward (Loganville GA)
	Vince Batten (Richmond VA)
Vince Batten (Richmond VA)
		Vince Batten (Richmond VA)
Ken Hastings (Pittsburgh PA)
	Ken Hastings (Pittsburgh PA)
Craig Williams (Pittsburgh PA)

Robb Titchell (Columbus OH)
	Charlie Greenwalt 4 & 3
Charlie Greenwalt (Indianapolis IN)
		Greg Ward 1-Up
Peter Neumann (Blacksburg VA)
	Greg Ward 1-Up
Greg Ward (Loganville GA)
			Greg Ward 7-Up
Dan Anders (Columbus GA)
	Dan Anders 5 & 4
Tommy Barbour (Graham NC)
		Todd Fowler 1-Up
Todd Fowler (Duncan SC)
	Todd Fowler 5 & 4
Thomas Rawles (Portsmouth VA)
				Greg Ward 5 & 4
Gary English (Buford GA)
	Gary English (Comer conceded)
Jody Comer (Indianapolis IN)
		Bill Baus 2-Up)
Bob Haizlip (Whitsett NC)
	Bill Baus 2 & 1)
Bill Baus (Cleveland Heights OH)
			Bill Baus 1-Up
Andy Coradini (Loganville GA)
	Andy Coradini 1-Up
Randy Reeves (Montgomery AL)
		Andy Coradini 4-Up
Mark Hasty (Fairfield OH)
	Mark Hasty 3 & 2
Tom O'Brien (Cleveland OH)

Jay Hadsell (N. Olmsted OH)
	Rick Rybaczek 2 & 1
Rick Rybaczek (Greensboro NC)
		Rick Rybaczek SD (1st hole)
Opie Roberts (Eden NC)
	Jay Klapper 4 & 2
Jay Klapper (Loganville GA)
			Vince Batten 5 & 4
Bo Luthie (Poquoson VA)
	Bo Luthie 10 & 9
Greg Newport (Liberty NC)
		Vince Batten 8 & 7
Vince Batten (Richmond VA)
	Vince Batten 3 & 2
Darrell Britt (Loganville GA)
				Vince Batten 1-Up
Jeffrey Smith (Dallas TX)
	Jeffrey Smith 1-Up
Dave Taylor (Pasadena MD)
		Jeffrey Smith 5 & 3
Michael Hitt (Greensboro NC)
	Bob Davis 1-Up
Bob Davis (Wilmington NC)

Mike Flavin (Martinez GA)			Rusty Taylor 2 & 1
	Rusty Taylor 3 & 2
Rusty Taylor (Gambrills MD)
		Rusty Taylor (Gambrills MD)
John Bambling (Pittsburgh PA)
	Rick Baird 1-Up
Rick Baird (Pineville NC)

Brad Lebo (Shippensburg PA)
	Bryan Boyd 7 & 6
Bryan Boyd (Bristol TN)
		Ken Hastings 1-Up
Ken Hastings (Pittsburgh PA)
	Ken Hastings 3 & 2
Todd Barfield (Highlands NJ)
			Ken Hastings 5 & 3
Buddy Taylor (Gambrills MD)
	Buddy Taylor 2 & 1
Vance Randall (Asheville NC)
		Jimmy Mott 6 & 5
Jimmy Mott (Charlotte NC)
	Jimmy Mott 3 & 2
Manfred Stewart (Richmond VA)
				Ken Hastings 2-Up
Todd Viau (Grand Rapids MI)
	Todd Viau 3 & 2
Jim Engel (Canfield OH)
		Todd Viau 3 & 2
Paul Sample (Bend OR)
	Mike Brown 5 & 4
Mike Brown (Springfield PA)

Kevin Lacey (Cincinnati OH)			Todd Viau 4 & 3
	Kevin Lacey 5 & 4
Daryl Freeman (Bristol TN)
		Kevin Lacey 8 & 7
C. L. Jones (Danville VA)
	Lewis Burton 3 & 2
Lewis Burton (Lawrenceville GA)

Jim Cruse (Baltimore OH)
	Cliff Matthews SD (1st Hole)
Cliff Matthews (Arlington TX)
		Cliff Matthews 8 & 7
David Lynch (Dallas TX)
	David Lynch 4 & 3
Jim Heikkinen (N. Olmsted OH)
			Rich Gillooly 1-Up
Dave Nutini (Canal Winchester OH)
	Dave Nutini 3 & 2
Robert Johnson (Lake Wylie SC)
		Rich Gillooly 2 & 1
Rich Gillooly (Amstelveen Amsterdam)
	Rich Gillooly 7 & 6
Ray Guthrie (High Point NC)
				Craig Williams 1-Up
Frank Warren (Augusta GA)
	Frank Warren 5 & 4
Tony Jackson (Spartanburg SC)
		Tony Varnadore 4 & 3
Alan Quinnelly (Atlanta GA)
	Tony Varnadore 2 & 1
Tony Varnadore (Rock Hill SC)

Craig Williams (Pittsburgh PA)			Craig Williams Sudden Death
	Craig Williams 6 & 5
Kevin Garrett (Richmond VA)
		Craig Williams 6 & 5
John Ventura (Cincinnati OH)
	John Ventura 2 & 1
Paul Johns (Gahanna OH)