Mike Brown Wins the
2005 Dogwood Festival Open to Complete Career Virginia PPA Tour Grand Slam

The day's action began with the bulk of the field scoring considerably lower than in the extremely windy conditions of the previous day's event. Jon Drexler, winner of multiple international professional putting titles, seized the first-round lead with a blistering 24. One stroke back in a three-way tie for second at 25 were Dave Taylor, Thomas Rawles, and former Dogwood Festival Open Champion Rusty Taylor. Bart Bason was alone in fifth place at 26. Brown and Vince Batten, another former Dogwood Festival Open Champion, were lurking three strokes off the lead at 27. Within sight of the lead at 28 were defending champion Brad Lebo and the previous day's winner, Rick Rybaczek.

The slightly damp carpet promoted continued low scoring by the leaders in the second round. With a second-round 26, Rawles jumped to the front of the tightly-bunched leader board at 51. Dave Taylor's 27 gave him sole possession of second place at 52. Drexler cooled off a bit with a second-round 29, and was alone in third place at 53. Gary Hinshaw made a significant move in the second round with a 24, tying Drexler for the day's low round. Hinshaw moved into a tie for fourth place with Brown and Bason at 54. Reigning PPA World Match Play Champion Darrell Anderson rebounded from a lackluster start with a second-round 25 and was at 55. Still within striking distance at 56 were Lebo, Batten, Rybaczek, and 2003 PPA National Champion Robert Johnson. In all, eleven players were within five strokes of the lead at the halfway mark, setting up the drama of the final two rounds.

As rain began to fall a bit more heavily in the third round, the scoring began to rise among the leaders. As all great champions do, Brown made a third-round "moving day" statement with a 26, and leaped to the top of the scoreboard at 80 with Hinshaw, who also fired 26. One stroke back of the leaders at 81 was Dave Taylor. Second-round leader Rawles struggled to a 31, leaving him in a four-way logjam for fourth place with Bason, Rybaczek, and Batten at 82. Still in contention at 84 were Johnson and the charging Manfred Stewart, who fired a third-round 26. Rounding out the players within five strokes of the lead and clinging to flickering title hopes at 85 were Lebo, Anderson, and Gary Moore.

The alternating light showers and sunshine of the late third round and fourth round led to changing course conditions and a consequent further rise in scoring near the top of the leader board during the final round. Third-round co-leader Hinshaw struggled in the final round and dropped out of contention by firing 34. Rawles moved into position to post a low score, but missed the final four holes of the tournament. Bason, playing five groups ahead of Brown, posted a solid final-round 27 and a four-round total of 109 that would prove to be the score for Brown to beat. Playing in the final group and aware of the situation, Brown aced hole 15 to move one stroke ahead of Bason. Brown prudently played the treacherous 16th hole conservatively for a deuce, and then aced hole seventeen to give himself a two-shot cushion. Brown struck hole 18 firmly to ensure a tap-in deuce, and with that deuce putt secured a two-shot victory with a bogey-free 72-hole total of 107. Bason finished second at 109. Rawles and Dave Taylor tied for third place at 110. Alone in fifth place was Rybaczek at 111. Rounding out the top ten were Stewart at 112; Batten and Johnson at 113; and Lebo, Hinshaw, and Anderson at 114. The cash line for the twelve money spots awarded in the tournament fell at 115.

The victory brought Brown's career Virginia PPA Tour major titles total to eleven, the most of any player in tour history. Those eleven major titles include five Virginia Putting Classics, three Virginia Opens, two Virginia State Championships, and now finally one Dogwood Festival Open.

The Virginia PPA Tour awarded one qualifying spot for the 2005 PPA World Match Play Championship to the player with the day's lowest total who did not already have two such qualifying spots. Runner-up Bart Bason accepted that spot, which represents his second spot in the 2005 PPA World Match Play Championship.

In the amateur division, Dennis Biesma successfully defended his Dogwood Festival Open title, but had to overcome a final-round charge by Conway Coffey to do so. Biesma and Coffey appropriately began the day's epic battle by each posting 27 and tying for the first-round lead. Malcolm Shumaker was one stroke back at 28. The previous day's winner, Amy Smith, was the only other amateur to break 30, posting a 29 to move into fourth place. Barry Moore and Marty Handschuh were another stroke back at 30.

Biesma took command in the second round by firing 26 and establishing a five-stroke lead at 53. In second place at 58 was Coffey. Moore was the only other amateur to break 60 for two rounds, positioning himself in third place at 59.

Biesma only shot 30 in the third round, but nevertheless at 83 extended his lead to six strokes over Coffey, who posted a third-round 31 to remain in second place at 89. Smith jumped into third place at 90 with a third-round 29, one stroke better than Moore and Handschuh, who were tied for fourth at 91. Walter Kolb crafted a spectacular third-round 25 to move into a tie for sixth place with Shumaker and into contention for second place.

Coffey made a major move on the front nine of the final round, shooting an 11 and gaining five strokes on Biesma, who shot a front-nine 16. After Coffey aced hole 10, Biesma hit an obstacle and made an untimely bogey, allowing to Coffey to take a one-stroke lead. Biesma regrouped to ace holes 11 and 12 and retake a one-stroke lead. Coffey's ace on the challenging 13th hole squared the match once again. Biesma regained a one-shot advantage with an ace on hole 15. After the two players matched cards on holes 16 and 17, Biesma aced hole 18 to seal the hard-fought victory. Coffey's total of 114 secured his fifth second-place finish in six tournaments on the Virginia PPA Tour this season. Smith shot a final-round 28 to finish third at 118. Moore's fourth-round 28 moved him into fourth place at 119. Shumaker rounded out the amateur top five with a final total of 121.

Biesma's final score of 112 tied the amateur Dogwood Festival Open scoring record set by Chris Kern in 2003. The victory was Biesma's third of this season.

In Old Dominion Cup competition in the amateur division, the team of Biesma, Moore, and Shumaker earned its third victory in as many events this season with a total of 227. The Lynchburg squad of Coffey, John Petrie, and Randy Baldwin finished in second place at 245.

The Virginia PPA Tour would like to extend thanks and express its appreciation to Lloyd Wood and his staff for welcoming the tour to the Charlottesville, VA facility for a very successful weekend of tournaments. The next events on the Virginia PPA Tour will be held on course # 2 in Martinsville, VA on May 21 and 22. The 54-hole tournaments will be dual events with the North Carolina PPA Tour. Action begins at noon on Saturday, May 21 and at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, May 22.

Scores and Article provided by Brad Lebo.