Greg Ward Sweeps Opening Weekend on PPA South Carolina State Tour
Greg Ward28 March 2004 - Columbia, S.C. - For the first time since the 1997 season, one player has started the season with two straight wins in as many tournaments played on schedule. After winning in a grueling playoff on Saturday, Greg Ward narrowly averted aplayoff after a late final four-hole surge by Todd Fowler closed the gap to just a single stroke.
Ward would better his first round from the day before by one stroke with a 24, but it would not lead after the opening round. Jay Klapper fired a course-tying record of 23, set last season by Tommy Hutchinson (APA) in the 2003 Palmetto Classic, to grab the lead through the first 18. That round performed by Klapper was overshadowed in the second round as he fired a 31 to slip back to a three-way tie for second.
Ward would then respond by posting a 27 to grab the lead at 51 and would let the lead hang on. Ward fired a final round 28 to set the new three-round Columbia record with a score of 79. Fowler made a run to catch Ward, but missed hole 14 down the stretch that would clinch the win for the four-time South Carolina State Champion.
Ward would win Columbia to complete a season opening weekend sweep. This is the first time that a South Carolina player had opened the season with two consecutive victories since Bo Seiber opened the 1997 season with back-to-back wins at the North Charleston course.
Brian Hutchins would win his second APA tournament of the 2004 season, but would get his first on the South Carolina tour. Hutchins did what Saturday's winner Chris Hudson did to win and that was to open with a 25 and win from the start. Hutchins won by five shots over Ricky D. Schults and posted a score of 79. Schults was second at 84, while Russell Taylor came in third at 87.
Fowler's 80 was good enough to claim second by himself. Klapper finished tied with Rick Baird at 81, while a trio of players were tied for third at 85, including Andy Coradini, Mike Flavin, and Tony Varnadore. There were nine cash spots available again in the Pro Division and the score of 87 was good enough for a four-for-one split.
Fowler would get the second South Carolina State spot after Ward received on Saturday. Baird was the recipient of the two-day low medalist score. Ward got the first South Carolina issued World Match Play that was given to the weekend low score.
The South Carolina tour returns to action on the weekend of April 17th and 18th in Lumberton, North Carolina for a pair of events with the North Carolina tour. The weekend gets underway at 12:00 p.m. on the 17th and 10:00 a.m. on the 18th.
Tournament results provided by Tony Jackson and Opie Roberts.
Professional Division of Columbia, S.C. Event
(Columbia, S.C. - 28 March 2004)
Round Prize Player 1 2 3 Total Money 1 Greg Ward
24 27 28 79 $ 120.00 2 Todd Fowler 27 27 26 80 $ 80.00 3 Rick Baird 26 28 27 81 $ 60.00 Jay Klapper 23 31 27 81 $ 60.00 5 Andy Coradini 31 25 29 85 $ 45.00 Mike Flavin 25 31 29 85 $ 45.00 Tony Varnadore 30 28 27 85 $ 45.00 8 Hank Mersereau 29 29 28 86 $ 35.00 9 Rick Culverhouse 29 28 30 87 $ 9.00 Bob Jackson 27 31 29 87 $ 9.00 Randy Orr 30 29 28 87 $ 9.00 Frank Warren 30 29 28 87 $ 9.00 13 Darrell Britt 29 30 29 88 Vance Randall 30 32 26 88 Allen Wall 26 30 30 88 16 Tony Jackson 28 32 30 90 Robert Johnson 30 33 27 90 18 Michael Hitt 35 27 30 92 19 Steve Lyon 32 32 32 96 Amateur Division of Columbia, S.C. Event
(Columbia, S.C. - 28 March 2004)
Round Expense Player 1 2 3 Total Money 1 Brian Hutchins
25 28 26 79 $ 10.00 2 Ricky D. Schults 32 28 24 84 $ 10.00 3 Russell Taylor 31 30 26 87 $ 10.00 4 Chris Alley 27 31 33 91 Jeff Carr 28 30 33 91 6 Chris Hudson 28 31 33 92 7 Steve Helton 33 33 28 94 Larry Smith 35 31 28 94 9 Lynn Self 34 35 26 35 10 Todd Trent 33 31 33 97 11 Robin Trent 35 31 35 101 12 Linwood Moist 32 33 37 102
