Chris Bunting Fires 78 in Martinsville for Second Career Victory
Chris Bunting playing in the 2000 National Championship.18 August 2001 - Martinsville, VA - Chris Bunting's last victory on the PPA level came exactly six years ago when he won in Greensboro. On Saturday, in front of the smallest turnout of the season in the Pro Division (19 players), Chris Bunting dominated in Martinsville for his first tour win of the season and since 1995. For the first time ever, the annual Martinsville Open was contested on Course 2, after ten straight years on Course 1, including the 1995 NCPPA State Championship. Bunting was tied for the lead after the opening round with defending champion C. L. Jones at 25. After the first round, only six shots separated first from last. Bunting continued to play strong throughout and a second round 26 enabled him to get into the clubhouse with a three-shot lead over Glenwood Arrington and Ray Guthrie. Bunting would be in the house at 51 with one round left to play. All 19 players were still within reach of the tenth and final cash spot after the second round.
As conditions got warmer during the afternoon, Bunting would continue to be the hottest player out there. He fired a final round 27, including missing the last four holes in regulation to tie an all-time 54-hole record at Martinsville with a score of 78. That score tied Arrington's mark on Course 2, in which he did so on two separate occasions. Arrington fired a 78 during local play in 1994 and 1996. Arrington would also finish in second at 81.
Rick Baird tied another course record in this tournament, as he carded a final round 23 (tied for all-time single-round record with C. L. Jones and Steve Vaughan) to tie Lee Witcofski for third at 82. Guthrie would round out the top five at 83.
For the first time ever in his career, Russell Sigmon, Jr. won in the APA Division. Sigmon has played on the tour since 1997 and finally collected his first win by using his home course to his advantage. Sigmon carded rounds of 26, 28, and 27 to win wire-to-wire and dominate the nine-player APA field. Sigmon finished the afternoon at 81, while Jimmy Comer, current leading contender for APA Player of the Year, was in second at 85. Keith Waters ended up in third at 87.
The Pro Division paid out ten spots as the cash line was set at 86, good enough for the final spot. The APA Division only paid out two spots as 85 was the final spot. With his win, Bunting took both qualifying spots to the State Championship that will be played in Lumberton in October and the Match Play Championship for next month in Durham.
The North Carolina State Tour will now head south to Winston-Salem to play the annual Twin Cities Open. The event will get underway at 10:00 a.m. with Glenwood Arrington out as the defender in this event.
Scores provided by Rick Rybaczek and tournament recap provided by Opie Roberts.
Professional Division of Martinsville, VA Event (18 August 2001)
Round Prize Player 1 2 3 Total Money 1 Chris Bunting 25 26 27 78 $150.00 2 Glenwood Arrington 28 26 27 81 $110.00 3 Rick Baird 30 29 23 82 $85.00 Lee Witcofski 31 25 26 82 $85.00 5 Ray Guthrie 27 27 29 83 $75.00 6 Randal Smith 27 29 28 84 $60.00 7 Andy Coradini 27 29 29 85 $43.33 Mike Griffin 27 29 29 85 $43.33 C. L. Jones 26 31 29 85 $43.33 10 Bill Kirby 26 31 29 86 $40.00 11 Michael Cardwell 31 27 29 87 Opie Roberts 30 29 28 87 13 Tommy Barbour 29 28 31 88 14 Greg Newport 28 30 31 89 15 Billy Caudle 30 31 29 90 16 Randy Carter 29 28 34 91 Gary Moore 28 31 32 91 Rick Rybaczek 29 30 32 91 19 Bob Haizlip 27 32 34 93 Amateur Division of Martinsville, VA Event (18 August 2001)
Round Expense Player 1 2 3 Total Reimbursement 1 Russell Sigmon, Jr. 26 28 27 81 $20.00 2 Jimmy Comer 29 30 28 85 $20.00 3 Keith Waters 28 33 26 87 4 Bear Landin 28 31 29 88 5 Steve Helton 30 30 29 89 6 J. L. Coffey 33 29 33 95 Chuck Nance 31 32 32 95 8 Walter Kolb 30 30 36 96 9 Kenny Goin 35 29 35 99
