16 September 2006 - Richmond, VA - For the first time in many years, the Virginia Tour met on Saturday to contest the 2006 Virginia Pro/Am tournament. Consisting of two rounds of better ball, the team of Rick Rybaczek and Barry Moore fired a final round 19 to tie the team of Ricky Schults and Jeff Carr at 40 for the two rounds.
Not satisfied to share the title, the teams went back to the carpets to decide the winners in sudden death. In one of the most exciting matches to hit the Richmond venue in recent years, the two teams matched the next 17 holes, only missing the tough 13th hole. On Hole 18, Rybaczek and Moore both missed, opening the door for Schults and Carr. Schults perfect tee shot finally ended the match.
Eleven professionals and 22 amateurs were matched through blind draw, with each professional paired with two amateurs. The format was two rounds of better ball on Richmond's Course #3.
Five teams powered their way to an opening round 20, with six more teams at 21.
Coming from a stroke behind after the opening round, Rybaczek/Moore got in sync, not missing a hole until the tough triangle Hole 17. After a miss by Rybaczek, Moore's tee shot came off the back rail only to stop short, overhanging the cup but just wouldn't fall. An ace on the final hole finished the round for the team at 19 and a team total 40. That score would hold up until the final group of Schults and Carr aced the final hole, shooting two rounds of 20 to tie for the win at 40.
Not accepting a tie for the title, the team of Rybaczek and Moore threw down the challenge - the title would be decided by sudden death. Unable to turn down the challenge, Schults and Carr gladly accepted the challenge and the two teams went to battle.
As with both earlier rounds, the professionals on both teams took the first tee shot. Schults and Carr narrowly escaped disaster on Hole 3, but stayed in the game. After perfect front nines by both teams, the title would certainly be decided through Richmond's "Amen Corner".
Rybaczek suffered a horrendous blood vessel burst in his finger after the excitement of the front nine, making the back nine more difficult. Missing Hole 10, Moore picked up the slack with the ace, and Schults and Carr responded. Rybaczek missed again on Hole 11, and with Rybaczek flair, Moore spun one into the corner for the ace to keep them in the game. Again Schults and Carr responded.
Yet again, the injured Rybaczek missed on the wrap around Hole 12, and again with even more Rybaczek flair, Moore swirled in the ace. Thinking there might be a chance that the match would end in their favor, Moore and Rybaczek watched as Schults' tee shot missed. Carr came to the rescue with the ace, keeping the team alive.
Rybaczek and Moore anticipated a heart-breaking loss after both missed the tough Hole 13. Schults and Carr could not capitalize on the mistake and the match went on.
After taking bogeys on the tough three pipe Hole 14 in the first two rounds, Rybaczek watched again as his tee shot came back down the hill. The deuce shot was dead center. Moore sent a perfect three rail shot to the hole, and once again the team hoped for the win. As Schults picked his ace from the bottom of the hole with a taunting "Not yet!", the match continued.
Both professionals sunk the ace putt on Hole 15. The gathered crowd, possibly the largest in Richmond history, watched as the suffering Rybaczek gutted his tee shot on Hole 16 into the cup. Again Schults and Carr would not be denied.
After the tough lip-hang on Hole 17 in the second round, Moore fired a perfect shot and once again Rybaczek and Moore waited, anticipating that the match was surely coming to an end. Again they would be denied.
Rybaczek and Moore watched in horror as their tee shots went to the back rail on Hole 18, settling for a deuce on the hole. Schults mercifully ended the match with a perfect ace shot, taking the title for Schults and Carr.
Had it not been sudden death, the final score would have been 19-20 in Schults and Carr's favor.