Rick Rybaczek Conquers High Winds and Field for Victory in Charlottesville

The challenging winds whisked into Charlottesville just in time for the start of the tournament. The course had been yielding consistently low scores for most players in the previous day's ideal practice conditions. The dramatically different tournament conditions created havoc for many in the field. Rybaczek and Batten, however, crafted brilliant first-round 26's to move into a tie for the first-round lead. Tied for third position after the first round at 28 were Virginia PPA Tour chairman Gary Hinshaw and Jeff Spainhour. Bunched in a tie for fifth at 29 were Summey, Gary Moore, former PPA World Champion Buddy Taylor, and Ed Grajewski.

Scoring rose slightly in the second round of action. Taking advantage, Rybaczek continued his stellar play by shooting 25 and vaulting into a five-stroke lead after two rounds. Rybaczek's second round featured consecutive aces on holes 13 through 17. His closest competitors heading into the final round were Summey and Hinshaw, tied for second place at 56. Despite a second-round 31, the always-dangerous Batten still was lurking in fourth position at 57.

In the final round, Rybaczek posted a solid 14 on the front nine and appeared to be on his way to an easy win. But playing three groups ahead of Rybaczek, Summey made a valiant clubhouse charge, shooting 11 on the back nine and posting a score of 83. The plot thickened as Rybaczek missed the first four holes on the back nine and subsequently lagged the hole on hole 14, a "rat hole." Rybaczek courageously regrouped, making the deuce from the tee-mat at on hole 14 and then acing hole 15 to move one stroke ahead of Summey. Aware of his standing, Rybaczek wisely played the last three holes conservatively for deuces, and secured a one-stroke victory with a bogey-free final total of 82. Summey finished alone in second place at 83 and was the only player in the field who kept all three rounds under 30. Batten's final-round 28 moved him into third place at 85. Hinshaw placed fourth at 86. Rounding out the top five were Bill Baus and Spainhour, who tied at 87. The cash line for the eleven money spots awarded in the event came at a score of 92.

One qualifying spot for the 2005 World Match Play Championship was awarded by the Virginia PPA Tour in this event to the player with the lowest score who did not already have two such qualifying spots. Rybaczek accepted that spot, giving him his second 2005 World Match Play Championship spot.

In the amateur division, Amy Smith dominated the field en route to her first Virginia PPA Tour victory since the 2000 Virginia Open. The windy conditions proved difficult for the amateur field as well, as no amateur player managed to break 31 in the first round of action. A trio of players including Conway Coffey, John Petrie, and Walter Kolb fired opening-round 31's to tie for the lead. One stroke back at 32 was Smith.

By shooting a second-round 28, Smith posted the lone round below 30 in either of the first two rounds in the amateur field. As a result, Smith jumped into the lead after two rounds at 60, with Coffey and John Petrie in close pursuit at 61. Kolb remained in the hunt at 64, four strokes off Smith's pace.

Smith's strong third-round score of 27 separated her from the amateur field and secured a five-stroke victory. Coffey finished in second place at 92. The runner-up finish was Coffey's fourth in five events on the Virginia PPA Tour this season. Another stroke back in third place at 93 was John Petrie. Finishing in fourth place and earning the final expense reimbursement spot was Dennis Biesma, who shot 97. Brandon Whitton completed the amateur top five at 98.

The Virginia PPA Tour will return to action with the first tour major of the season, the Dogwood Festival Open, on course # 2 in Charlottesville, VA beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, May 15.

Scores and Article provided by Brad Lebo.