Darrell Britt in Three-Way Playoff in Forest City, NC
3 June 2001 - Forest City, NC - For the first time since August, 1999, the South Carolina tour played their tour stop that was not combined with North Carolina on North Carolinas' soil. The tour made the trek north from Spartanburg to Forest City for the first and only time on the schedule. Much like the play on Saturday in Spartanburg, it was down-to-the-wire action in the final round. Darrell Britt fired a second round 25 to share the lead with Ray Guthrie at 51. Andy Coradini fired a 23 in that round (lowest of the day) to move to second after starting the day in a tie for 11th after the opening round. Todd Fowler and Michael Hitt made a charge of their own in the final round by each shooting 26 to move into a tie with Britt at 79, after Britt managed to shoot 28 in the last round. Coradini could not join them to make the first-way playoff since the 1999 Palmetto Classic, and local favorite Allen Wall had a chance to join them, too, but a final round 25 was not enough. Guthrie faltered in the final round with a 31 to knock himself out of the top five.
Britt, Fowler, and Hitt all had sensational rounds of 8-under or better to get in the playoff, but the playoff proved differently as the three shot a combined 8-under for the playoff. Britt would mercifully grab on to his first win since winning in Augusta last season with a 31 in the playoff to win by two over Hitt. Fowler only managed to shoot even par for the playoff.
For the second straight South Carolina weekend, an APA player has swept the weekend. This time, it was Tommy Hutchinson with a two-shot victory over Forest City favorite Brian Hutchins. Hutchinson had the use the second round again to come from so far back to take the lead in the middle round and hold on to win.
Todd Trent was the first round leader at 26, and led by four shots over four other players, including Hutchinson. Hutchinson's 26 took himself into sole possession of first place by four shots over Hutchins and Coffey, while Trent's second round 35 moved him to a fourth place tie. Hutchinson would hold at the end with a 30 in the last round to win his second straight tournament and thus secured his lead in the APA Division Player of the Year race.
The state spot from this event went to Britt for his win on Sunday. Britt also took the Match Play spot. Another playoff had to be determined as the two-day qualifying spot was in order. Again, it involved Fowler, with the luxury of playing Coradini. Coradini would ace hole 18 in the playoff to defeat Fowler for the spot.
Fourteen spots were awarded from this tournament with the score of 85 getting the last available spot and the score of 89 rounded out the cash reimbursement line for the APA.
The South Carolina tour will compete again this coming weekend in Spartanburg. On Saturday, the tournament will be on Course 1, with a 12:00 p.m. tee time. On Sunday, Greg Newport will be looking to become a three-time repeat champion of the 5th annual Palmetto Classic, which is to get underway on Course 1 at 9:00 a.m.
Recap and Scores provided by Opie Roberts.
Professional Division of Forest City, NC Event (3 June 2001)
| | Round | | SC | Prize |
| Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | Total | Points | Money |
1 | Britt, Darrell ** | 26 | 25 | 28 | 79 | 30.00 | $ 125.00 |
2 | Fowler, Todd | 27 | 26 | 26 | 79 | 28.50 | $ 75.00 |
| Hitt, Michael | 26 | 27 | 26 | 79 | 28.50 | $ 75.00 |
4 | Coradini, Andy | 29 | 23 | 28 | 80 | 26.50 | $ 58.00 |
| Wall, Allen | 28 | 27 | 25 | 80 | 26.50 | $ 58.00 |
6 | Warren, Frank | 29 | 25 | 28 | 82 | 23.50 | $ 48.00 |
| Barbour, Tommy | 29 | 27 | 26 | 82 | 23.50 | $ 48.00 |
| Hollifield, Edgar | 26 | 28 | 28 | 82 | 23.50 | $ 48.00 |
| Guthrie, Ray | 25 | 26 | 31 | 82 | 23.50 | $ 48.00 |
10 | Hester, Gary | 25 | 27 | 31 | 83 | 20.00 | $ 39.00 |
| Reeves, Randy | 29 | 26 | 28 | 83 | 20.00 | $ 39.00 |
| Varnadore, Tony | 30 | 28 | 25 | 83 | 20.00 | $ 39.00 |
13 | English, Gary | 27 | 29 | 28 | 84 | 18.00 | $ 35.00 |
14 | Ward, Greg | 27 | 30 | 28 | 85 | 17.00 | $ 35.00 |
15 | Johnson, Robert | 29 | 28 | 29 | 86 | 16.00 | |
16 | Jackson, Tony | 29 | 30 | 29 | 88 | 14.00 | |
| Randall, Vance | 34 | 29 | 25 | 88 | 14.00 | |
| Burton, Lewis | 30 | 26 | 32 | 88 | 14.00 | |
19 | Baird, Rick | 27 | 29 | 33 | 89 | 11.50 | |
| Reid, Jonathan | 29 | 30 | 30 | 89 | 11.50 | |
21 | Anders, Dan | 32 | 28 | 30 | 90 | 10.00 | |
22 | Hollifield, Tommy | 30 | 30 | 31 | 91 | 9.00 | |
23 | Pack, Tony | 26 | 31 | 35 | 92 | 7.50 | |
| Mott, Jimmy | 29 | 31 | 32 | 92 | 7.50 | |
25 | Caudle, Billy | 29 | 31 | 33 | 93 | 6.00 | |
26 | Jackson, Bob | 30 | 31 | 33 | 94 | 5.00 | |
27 | Rybaczek, Rick | 31 | 31 | 33 | 95 | 5.00 | |
| Chambers, Kevin | 31 | 33 | 31 | 95 | 5.00 | |
29 | Gill, Nick | 32 | 34 | 34 | 100 | 5.00 | |