Gilbert Sharpe's Final Round 23 Secures Win in 2001 Richard Buchan Memorial
7 April 2001 - Durham, NC - On the first of four combined tournaments scheduled between the North Carolina and Virginia tours, another huge turnout was in full force, including five PPA National Champions and the reigning APA National Champion. Beautiful weather was on tap in Durham as the thermometer reached 80 degrees for the annual Richard Buchan Memorial. Gilbert Sharpe was trying to become only the second player in the NC/VA combined tour history to win at least two tournaments within the two tours (C. L. Jones winning Martinsville in 1997 and Roxboro in 2000 being the other). Sharpe would have to claw his way back from two shots down after the first round and hold off current NCPPA points leader Greg Newport in the final round. The first round saw three players all in with the lead at 25, including 2000 Virginia State Champion Vince Batten, Rick Baird, and Randy Reeves. The leaders would slip a bit when Batten fired a 31 and Reeves carded a 34. Baird shot a 27 in the second round and found himself in a three-way tie with Sharpe and Newport at 52 after Sharpe shot 25 that round and Newport posted a 26. In the final round, both Sharpe and Newport continued their incredible run as they separated themselves from the rest of the field. In one of the most dramatic outcomes in recent memory, Sharpe shot a final round 23 to go in the house at 75, tying the 54-hole record set by Mike Brown last year. Newport was still out there with seven holes left and had continued to keep pace with Sharpe. Newport, needing the last six aces to tie and force the playoff, ended his chances when his tee shot on 15 sailed wide off the back rail. With that, Sharpe won the tournament and became the second player in the North Carolina/Virginia combined tournament history to win two tournaments. Sharpe also won the event held in Lynchburg last year. A final round 30 was all Keith Waters needed to win for the second time this season in North Carolina. Tied with Jimmy Comer for the lead at 57 going into the final round, Comer fell behind with a final round 34, only to have Waters sail to victory. Waters ended up with a final score of 87, good enough for a four-shot victory over three other players, including Jimmy Comer, Brian Hutchins, and Tommy Hutchinson. There were 20 money spots paid out in this tournament and five spots for the APA. The score of 87 received a full share for the Pro Division and the score of 94 received a three-way split in reimbursement for the amateurs. Kevin Garrett and Rusty Taylor each put on a splendid performance on Saturday each firing 81 to tie for third. Batten came through with a final round of 26 to round out the top five at 82. Sharpe took both the State Qualifying spot to be played in Raleigh in October and the Match Play spot to be played in Durham in September. The two tours will then compete this Sunday, April 8, in Raleigh at 10:00am.
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Gilbert Sharpe playing the 4th hole in Richmond, Va.Professional Division of Durham, NC Event (7 April 2001)
Round Prize Player 1 2 3 Total Money 1 Gilbert Sharpe 27 25 23 75 $150.00 2 Greg Newport 26 26 24 76 $110.00 3 Kevin Garrett 29 26 26 81 $85.00 Rusty Taylor 27 27 27 81 $85.00 5 Vince Batten 25 31 26 82 $75.00 6 Rick Baird 25 27 31 83 $63.00 Robert Johnson 29 27 27 83 $63.00 Manfred Stewart 30 29 24 83 $63.00 Randy Reeves 25 34 24 83 $63.00 10 Bob Davis 28 29 27 84 $48.00 Peter Neumann 28 29 27 84 $48.00 12 Chris Bunting 30 26 29 85 $45.00 13 Andy Coradini 28 27 29 86 $40.00 Ed Grajewski 30 31 25 86 $40.00 Ray Guthrie 30 27 29 86 $40.00 Brad Lebo 27 30 29 86 $40.00 17 Tommy Barbour 26 31 30 87 $40.00 Mike Brown 32 27 28 87 $40.00 Bob Haizlip 27 29 31 87 $40.00 Michael Hitt 31 30 26 87 $40.00 21 Billy Caudle 30 29 29 88 Gary English 34 25 29 88 23 Gary Hester 33 29 27 89 24 C. L. Jones 29 30 31 90 Thomas Rawles 29 30 31 90 Rick Rybaczek 30 35 25 90 Lee Witcofski 30 28 32 90 28 Wesley Pollard 29 31 31 91 Larry Simpson 32 33 26 91 30 Michael Cardwell 32 27 33 92 Randy Carter 30 31 31 92 Daryl Freeman 32 32 28 92 Mike Griffin 34 28 30 92 Buddy Taylor 30 32 30 92 35 Bart Bason 33 29 32 94 Darrell Britt 30 33 31 94 Wayne Cheatham 30 29 35 94 38 Alan Quinnelly 29 32 34 95 39 Opie Roberts 31 30 35 96 40 Gary Moore 34 33 31 98 41 Peter Ansbacher 34 31 36 101 Amateur Division of Durham, NC Event (7 April 2001)
Round Expense Player 1 2 3 Total Reimbursement 1 Keith Waters 30 27 30 87 $20.00 2 Jimmy Comer 29 28 34 91 $20.00 Brian Hutchins 30 35 26 91 $20.00 Tommy Hutchinson 31 29 31 91 $10.00 5 Steve Helton 33 29 32 94 $7.00 Jonathan Moore 32 30 32 94 $7.00 Chuck Nance 36 32 26 94 $7.00 8 Tyler Proffitt 30 32 34 96 Amy Smith 30 32 34 96 10 Betty Helton 37 33 34 104 11 Walter Kolb 34 37 34 105 12 Kenny Goin 34 34 39 107 13 Russell Johnson 33 40 36 109 14 Chuck Cyr 30 31 41 110 15 Keith Brigman 42 39 36 117 16 James Bailey 40 40 41 121