Greg Ward Defeats Robert Johnson in a Playoff for Win in Anderson, S.C.
23 June 2001 - Anderson, S.C. - Second times are always the charm as they were the key in Anderson on Saturday morning. Greg Ward won for the second time there en route to his second win of the season on the South Carolina tour, and had to do it in a playoff to Robert Johnson, who lost his second playoff in as many attempts in Anderson this year.
Greg Ward playing in the 2000 PPA National Championship.
In Ward's last victory, the three-time South Carolina State Champion made up seven shots on the leader with one round left to play and won. This time, he only trailed by one shot to Lewis Burton after the second round. Burton was leading the field at 56 and was looking for his second win of the year. However, he stumbled in the last round firing a 34 to finish two back of Ward. Ward carded a final round 31, but Johnson, playing in the same group with Ward, closed with a 27 to tie him and headed for an 18-hole playoff.
After both contestants ended the morning tournament with an 88, Ward managed to win for the second time of the season and in Anderson by defeating Johnson in the playoff. Johnson lost a previous playoff in Anderson against Greg Newport in the Carolina's Open.
For the tour's leading third time this season in the APA Division, Brian Hutchins won in Anderson for the first time since capturing the APA championship there in 1999. Hutchins had to work hard as he was in a logjam of eight players who were within three shots of the lead. Richard Griffin, who won in Spartanburg two weeks ago, and Linwood Moist led the field at 66, while J. L. Coffey and Keith Waters were a shot back, and Hutchins was tied for sixth with two other players.
Hutchins grabbed the win after he fired a final round 31 to edge out William Glisson and Steve Helton, while the top three scores through the second round faltered in the final round. Hutchins finished at 100 and moved to within 4.5 points of Tommy Hutchinson for the lead in the APA points title.
Michael Hitt took the Match Play and State Qualifying spots from this tournament, after he ended up tied for third with Burton at 90. Darrell Britt and Ray Guthrie finished in a tie for fifth at 91.
There were 13 money spots form the tournament with the score of 96 getting the last available spot. The amateurs cashed with the line sitting at 101.
Recap provided by Opie Roberts and scores provided by Rick Rybaczek.
Professional Division of Anderson, S.C. Event (23 June 2001)
Round
S.C. Prize Player 1 2 3 Total Points Money 1
Ward, Greg
28
29
31
88
30.00
$ 120.00
2
Johnson, Robert
29
32
27
88
29.00
$ 80.00
3
Hitt, Michael
30
31
29
90
27.50
$ 63.00
Burton, Lewis
27
29
34
90
27.50
$ 63.00
5
Britt, Darrell
31
29
31
91
25.50
$ 53.00
Guthrie, Ray
33
28
30
91
25.50
$ 53.00
7
Flavin, Mike
32
28
33
93
23.00
$ 42.00
English, Gary
30
33
30
93
23.00
$ 42.00
Anders, Dan
31
31
31
93
23.00
$ 42.00
10
Fowler, Todd
29
34
31
94
21.00
$ 40.00
11
Rybaczek, Rick
32
30
33
95
19.50
$ 35.00
Randall, Vance
31
35
29
95
19.50
$ 35.00
13
Mott, Jimmy
29
32
35
96
18.00
$ 35.00
14
Warren, Frank
35
31
31
97
15.00
Jackson, Tony
32
32
33
97
15.00
Reid, Jonathan
32
31
34
97
15.00
Jackson, Bob
35
28
34
97
15.00
Martin, Brian
32
32
33
97
15.00
19
Pack, Tony
34
32
32
98
12.00
20
Barbour, Tommy
33
34
32
99
11.00
21
Reeves, Randy
35
33
32
100
9.00
Newport, Greg
34
33
33
100
9.00
Klapper, Jay
33
37
30
100
9.00
24
Varnadore, Tony
33
33
37
103
6.50
Bryant, Robby
32
39
32
103
6.50
26
Ward, Robert
42
32
33
107
5.00
27
Hollifield, Edgar
34
32
42
108
5.00
Amateur Division of Anderson, S.C. Event (23 June 2001)
Round
S.C. Prize Player 1 2 3 Total Points Money 1
Hutchins, Brian
31
38
31
100
15.00
$ 10.00
2
Helton, Steve
37
31
33
101
13.50
$ 7.50
Glisson, William
39
30
32
101
13.50
$ 7.50
4
Waters, Keith
34
33
35
102
12.00
5
Hutchinson, Tommy
39
34
30
103
10.50
Trent, Todd
34
36
33
103
10.50
7
Griffin, Richard
35
31
38
104
9.00
8
Moist, Linwood
33
33
40
106
8.00
9
Hudson, Chris
35
34
38
107
6.50
Coffey, JL
32
35
40
107
6.50
11
Smith, Adam
40
38
33
111
5.00
12
Norby, Robbie
41
36
36
113
4.00
13
Helton, Betty
36
43
35
114
3.00
14
Harvey, Darren
42
38
40
120
2.00
15
Brigman, Keith
51
36
34
121
1.00
Trent, Robin
42
41
38
121
1.00
