Randal Smith Wins Rain Shortened
Season Opener in a Playoff
Randal Smith
Winner of
2003 Asheboro Open15 March 2003 - Asheboro, N.C. - The 2003 season on the North Carolina tour got off to one of its dreadful starts in the tour's history. Forty-one players had to deal with persistent showers and bone-chilling conditions before play was finally called midway into the third round. Randal Smith and Andy Coradini matched up each other round for round with both carding rounds of 27 and 26.
Standing water was finally noted in the third round and play was halted two hours into the tournament and two Pro Division groups had finished play. After a 20-minute delay, the tour had elected to call off the tournament and count the two-round score as the official score. With Smith and Coradini tied for first, a playoff had to be determined, but had to wait another day to do it. The two agreed to use the first round of Sunday's tournament as the playoff round.
In the playoff and Sunday's first round, Smith jumped out to a five-shot lead on Coradini 15-20 on the front nine. Coradini clawed back and made up three shots on the next three holes and eventually caught him with two holes to play. It came down to the final hole with Coradini taking honors. The 2001 State Champion lagged the ramp on his tee shot and barely got his deuce putt on the table to finish off the round at 34. Smith managed to get it on the table and settled for par to win the playoff 33-34 over Coradini and picked up the first qualifying spots in the NCPPA State Championship in Burlington and NCPPA Match Play spot here in Asheboro later this year.
Smith and Coradini both shot 53 in the soggy conditions in Asheboro. Brad Lebo came in third at 54. Tommy Barbour finished in fourth at 55, and defending champion Gary Hester tied Robert Johnson for fifth at 57.
Brian Hutchins earned a three-shot win over Donnie Carpenter on Saturday after posting a 27 in the second round to take the lead. Hutchins won the rain-shortened 36-hole tournament with a final score of 57. Carpenter was second at 60. Four players, including state champion Russell Sigmon, Jr. and local player David Gregor finished tied for third at 61.
This was the first time since the 2001 NCPPA State Championship that play was suspended of such due to inclement weather.
The North Carolina tour will complete its Asheboro weekend on Sunday, March 16, at 10:00 a.m.
Tournament recap provided by Opie Roberts and scores provided by Rick Rybaczek..
Professional Division of Asheboro, NC Event (15 March 2003)
Round NC Tour Prize Player 1 2 Total Points Money 1 Randal Smith** 27 26 53 40.00 $150.00 2 Andy Coradini 27 26 53 34.00 $110.00 3 Brad Lebo 28 26 54 33.00 $90.00 4 Tommy Barbour 30 25 44 32.00 $80.00 5 Gary Hester 26 31 57 30.50 $72.50 Robert Johnson 29 28 57 30.50 $72.50 7 Michael Cardwell 28 30 58 27.00 $54.00 Ray Guthrie 32 26 58 27.00 $54.00 Michael Hitt 27 31 58 27.00 $54.00 Greg Newport 31 27 58 27.00 $54.00 Rick Culverhouse 29 29 58 27.00 $54.00 12 Allen Wall 29 30 59 23.50 $40.00 Justin Taylor 28 31 59 23.50 $40.00 14 Mike Griffin 29 31 60 22.00 $40.00 15 Bob Jackson 28 33 61 20.00 Rick Rybaczek 30 31 61 20.00 Bear Landin 28 33 61 20.00 18 Ben Blake 31 31 62 17.00 Bob Haizlip 29 33 62 17.00 Rick Baird 31 31 62 17.00 21 Billy Caudle 33 30 63 15.00 22 Randy Carter 30 34 64 14.00 23 Opie Roberts 30 35 64 12.00 Lance Perdue 30 35 65 12.00 Buddy Taylor 31 34 65 12.00 26 Gary Moore 33 34 67 9.50 Adam Smith 32 35 67 9.50 28 Glenwood Arrington 35 34 69 7.50 Chris Bunting 35 34 69 7.50 ** Won in playoff over Andy Coradini 33-34.
Amateur Division of Asheboro, NC Event (15 March 2003)
Round NC Tour Expense Player 1 2 Total Points Reimbursement 1 Brian Hutchins 30 27 57 23.00 $10.00 2 Donnie Carpenter 29 31 60 19.00 $10.00 3 Russell Sigmon, Jr. 28 33 61 16.50 $5.00 Keith Waters 31 30 61 16.50 $5.00 Dennis Biesma 31 30 61 16.50 $5.00 David Gregor 31 30 61 16.50 $5.00 7 Ricky D. Schults 31 32 63 14.00 8 Chuck Nance 30 35 64 12.00 Kenny Goin 32 33 65 12.00 Walter Kolb 33 32 65 12.00 11 Larry Hoover 34 32 66 10.00 12 Frankie Peters 37 31 68 9.00
