Mike Brown Posts
His First Victory of 2005 Season
30 April 2005 -
White Lake, N.C. -
The second event of the day in White Lake proved that scores can be
tightly competitive than the earlier action. This event was played under
cloudy skies and gusty winds as the approaching severe storm coming from
the west was looming. Radar showed that the majority of the
thunderstorms were well south of the area and play started on time and
without delay.
This was a North Carolina event while the South Carolina tour did not
participate and would not see action again until Sunday, so all
statistics from this event were exclusively on the North Carolina tour.
Scores surprisingly rose in the first round compared to the earlier
start of the tournament. Rick Rybaczek led the field of 38 pros with an
opening round 24. The 2005 NCPPA chairman only led by a single stroke
over five players, including Mike Brown and Randy Orr. Those two were
key factors in the outcome in the regulation of play.
Rybaczek continued to hold on to the lead despite firing a 27 in the
second round. His chasers fared no better, but Jay Klapper made a move
to capture Rybaczek for the lead at 51. There were five players within a
shot of the lead, including Brown and Orr.
Both Brown and Orr made a move to overtake Rybaczek and Klapper.
Klapper fired a final round after Rybaczek shot 25. Orr, playing in
Rybaczek's group, shot 24 in the final round to finish tied with
Rybaczek at 76. Brown also shot 24 in the closing round to make it a
three-way playoff at 76. Three other players missed out on the playoff
with a score of 77. Those players were Tony Jackson, Brad Lebo, and Matt
Summey. Six players were two off the lead at 78. The twelve players
within two strokes was the largest number of competitors finishing
within two of the lead ever in history. Jackson also joined the list of
players who have the record for score of a single round in White Lake
with a 22 in the final round. The list includes Rybaczek and Brown, who
has it down on two separate occasions.
In the 18-hole playoff, Brown jumped out early and staved off Orr and
Rybaczek. Brown shot 27 to Rybaczek's 28 and Orr's 29. In just his
second PPA event of the season, Brown won his first event of the season
and since the 2004 Virginia Putting Classic. It was his first North
Carolina victory since a weekend sweep in Lynchburg in 2003 and his
first South Carolina win since 2002 in Rock Hill.
After a fifth place finish in the APA Division, Chris Hudson jumped
out to an early first round lead. Hudson fired a 23 to lead by three
shots on Frankie Peters and cruised to a three-shot win over Ricky
Schults.
Hudson easily won with a score of 78. It would be his second APA win
this season, but it would be his first on the North Carolina tour.
Schults, who turned in a 23 in the second round, came in second at 81.
Dennis Biesma, who won earlier in the day, finished tied with Terry
Hendrix for third at 82.
Rybaczek earned the North Carolina State Championship and Match Play
qualifying spots. Matt Summey earned the two-tournament North Carolina
State Championship spot. Hudson earned the North Carolina APA qualifying
spot. Rusty Taylor earned his second qualification spot in the 2005 PPA
World Match Play Championship to be held in Louisville, KY in July.
The North Carolina tour will conclude its weekend on Sunday, May 1 at
10:00 a.m.
in White Lake. The tour will compete with the South Carolina tour once
again for this event.
Tournament
results provided by Opie Roberts and Rick Rybaczek.
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