Rick Baird Rebounds from Slow Start
to Win in Martinez, GA21 August 2004 - Martinez, GA - Rick Baird pulled off a tremendous comeback after a disappointing start to his day in Martinez on Saturday. Despite starting the day with seven consecutive deuces, Baird vaulted his way to the top of the 15-player field by posting a narrow one-shot win over Dan Anders and Frank Warren. Baird also held off a final set of holes charge by Rick Culverhouse and won when Culverhouse missed his tee shot on final hole of the tournament.
Baird began the day with pars on the first seven holes before getting on the board with his first ace on hole 8 and finished the front nine with a 17. Baird had a respectable finish on the back nine by firing a 13 to close the round out at 30. Leading the first round was Andy Coradini, who started out with a blistering 11 on the front and closed the round with a 24. Dan Anders was in second at 25, and third belonged to local player Frank Warren at 26.
Rick Baird playing Darrell Anderson (2004 PPA World Match Play Champion) in Richmond, VA on hole 12 of course #1.The scene shifted in the second as Coradini's stellar round was answered by a dreadful round of 32 that knocked him out of the top of the leader board. Warren fired a 28 to grab the lead at 54, with Baird gradually mounting his comeback and was in a tie for second with Anders at 55. Culverhouse also mounted a comeback on his own with a 26 to put him in a tie with Coradini at 56.
Baird moved ahead of the leaders with a final round 27 that would finish his day at 82. Anders and Warren both finished one back at 83, while Culverhouse was still out on the course. With three holes to play, Culverhouse needed to ace the final three holes to tie Baird at 82. He aced holes 16 and 17, but his tee shot rode up the hill and was in front of the hole before it rolled back down and caught the left lip and rolled to the edge of the hill. When Baird realized what had happened, he was in complete shock. Culverhouse would eventually take a bogey on the hole to fall to fourth with Coradini at 84.
The win for Baird was his first of the season in South Carolina and it was his first ever victory in the state of Georgia. It is also his second PPA win of the season, having a prior win this season in Richmond to his credit.
Jeff Carr continues to roll in Martinez when it comes to playing against the amateurs. Carr posted an incredible fifth consecutive win in Martinez by two shots over Ricky Schults and won with a score of 84. The win for Carr is his seventh of the season and now is within reach of clinching his first APA Player of the Year title. Schults was second at 86, while Larry Smith finished in third at 87.
The next tournament for the South Carolina tour is set for Sunday, August 22 in Martinez on the Blue Course. The tournament gets underway at 10:00 a.m.
Tournament results provided by Opie Roberts.
Professional Division of Martinez, GA Event
(Martinez, GA - Blue Course - 21 August 2004)
Round Prize Player 1 2 3 Total Money 1 Rick Baird
30 25 27 82 $ 120.00 2 Dan Anders 25 30 28 83 $ 73.00 Frank Warren 26 28 29 83 $ 73.00 4 Andy Coradini 24 32 28 84 $ 53.00 Rick Culverhouse 30 26 28 84 $ 53.00 6 Randy Orr 29 29 27 85 $ 45.00 7 Michael Hitt 29 28 29 86 $ 12.00 Tony Jackson 31 26 29 86 $ 12.00 Robert Johnson 32 28 26 86 $ 12.00 10 Opie Roberts 28 29 30 87 11 Bob Jackson 29 31 29 89 12 Jay Klapper 31 32 27 90 13 Vance Randall 30 32 29 91 14 Darrell Britt 31 29 32 92 Stan Seethoff 34 29 29 92 Amateur Division of Martinez, GA Event
(Martinez, GA - Blue Course - 21 August 2004)
Round Expense Player 1 2 3 Total Money 1 Jeff Carr
30 25 29 84 $ 10.00 2 Ricky Schults 29 30 27 86 $ 10.00 3 Larry Smith 32 27 28 87 4 Chris Alley 29 29 30 88 5 Chris Hudson 28 31 30 89 Russell Taylor 32 28 29 89 7 Terry Hendrix 31 34 30 95 8 Steve Helton 36 31 34 101 9 Todd Trent 37 33 34 104 10 Lynn Self 35 40 36 111
