Gilbert
Sharpe's Final Round 23 Secures Win in 2001 Richard Buchan Memorial
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Gilbert Sharpe playing the 4th hole in
Richmond, Va.
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7 April 2001 - Durham, N.C. - 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 N.C./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.
Scores and tournament recap provided by Opie Roberts.
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