Tony Jackson Wins Spartanburg Open in Sudden Death Over Robert Johnson
28 July 2001 - Spartanburg, S.C. - His last victory on the South Carolina tour came on July 16, 1995. At that time, Tony Jackson had hovered on nine career South Carolina victories. On Saturday, he ended a long six-year drought since his last win and finally got the tenth win he deserved as he won on Course 3 in Spartanburg, the same course he picked up his last win on the tour. Jackson opened with a first round 24, which put him tied for second with Todd Fowler and trailed by two shots to opening round leader Robert Johnson, who shot the low round of 22. Jackson fired a 22 of his own in the second round to take the outright lead at 46. At that point, he and Johnson were the only ones in the 40's after the second round and the two matched up each other in the final round.
Tony Jackson playing the Martinez, Georgia Putt-Putt Golf Course.
Johnson fired a final round 25 to go in the clubhouse at 72. Jackson tried to match the final round, but only got to a 10-under 26 to force a playoff, the first this season in South Carolina since the three-way playoff in Forest City.
In the playoff, both players shot their worst round of the day, 8-under 28 and still had to continue into sudden death. Johnson had honors when they headed for the second hole of sudden death. Johnson was stymied behind the pipe and had to settle for a bogey three. It didn't matter at that point as Jackson aced it behind him to end the longest current South Carolina drought between victories for active players (130 tournaments).
For the amateurs, Steve Helton picked up his second victory in the last three tournaments with a three-shot win over four other players. Helton was in a four-way tie for the lead at 26, while fifth was in at 30. Helton took another 26 in the second round to only lead by one shot over fellow local J. L. Coffey, but kept his pace in the final round with a final round 28 to extend it into the winning margin of three shots.
Helton tallied a final score of 80 for his second win of the season on the South Carolina tour. Coffey tied William Glisson, Richard Griffin, and Tommy Hutchinson for second at 83.
The score of 72 set by Jackson and Johnson matched the all-time 54-hole record on the South Carolina tour. The all-time record was set on June 27, 1998 in Suwanee, Georgia, when Michael Hitt defeated Gary English in a playoff after they both shot 72 that day.
Andy Coradini and Rick Rybaczek each took third, finishing three shots in back of the playoff at 75. Tony Pack, Greg Ward, and Frank Warren each finished tied for fifth at 76.
In this 23-player field on Saturday, there were 12 spots paid out in the Pro Division with the score of 80 being good enough for a three-way split for the final two spots. In the 13-player field for the APA, three spots were paid out as 83, which finished tied for second, was good for a four-way split for the final two spots. Pack took the spots for the State Championship in Rock Hill, and the Match Play tournament next month on Course 2 in Spartanburg.
The South Carolina tour will return to action on Sunday, July 29, on Course 3.
Recap and Scores provided by Opie Roberts.
Professional Division of Spartanburg, S.C. Event (28 July 2001)
Round S.C. Prize Player 1 2 3 Total Points Money 1
Jackson, Tony
24
22
26
72
30.00
$ 120.00
2
Johnson, Robert
22
25
25
72
29.00
$ 80.00
3
Rybaczek, Rick
25
25
25
75
27.50
$ 68.00
Coradini, Andy
25
26
24
75
27.50
$ 68.00
5
Ward, Greg
27
24
25
76
25.00
$ 52.00
Warren, Frank
27
24
25
76
25.00
$ 52.00
Pack, Tony
26
25
25
76
25.00
$ 52.00
8
Hitt, Michael
25
29
23
77
22.50
$ 40.00
Britt, Darrell
26
26
25
77
22.50
$ 40.00
10
Fowler, Todd
24
30
26
80
20.00
$23.00
English, Gary
27
29
24
80
20.00
$ 23.00
Wall, Allen
27
26
27
80
20.00
$ 23.00
13
Martin, Brian
30
24
27
81
18.00
14
Varnadore, Tony
28
30
25
83
15.00
Klapper, Jay
29
26
28
83
15.00
Anders, Dan
28
28
27
83
15.00
Caudle, Billy
28
28
27
83
15.00
Gill, Nick
29
25
29
83
15.00
19
Guthrie, Ray
29
29
27
85
11.50
Chambers, Kevin
29
26
30
85
11.50
21
Randall, Vance
29
29
31
89
10.00
22
Jackson, Bob
28
26
36
90
9.00
23
Reid, Jonathan
32
30
29
91
8.00
Amateur Division of Spartanburg, S.C. Event (28 July 2001)
Round S.C. Prize Player 1 2 3 Total Points Money 1
Helton, Steve
26
26
28
80
15.00
10.00
2
Griffin, Richard
26
31
26
83
12.50
4.00
Hutchinson, Tommy
26
31
26
83
12.50
4.00
Coffey, J. L.
26
27
30
83
12.50
4.00
Glisson, William
31
28
24
83
12.50
4.00
6
Helton, Betty
30
27
29
86
10.00
7
Trent, Todd
31
26
30
87
9.00
8
Smith, Adam
37
28
25
90
8.00
9
Waters, Keith
30
31
32
93
7.00
10
Waldrop, Robbie
37
29
33
99
6.00
11
Moist, Linwood
32
33
37
102
5.00
12
Benton, Ryon
37
35
31
103
4.00
13
Walters, Billy
37
41
33
111
3.00