Daryl Freeman Wins |
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Action commenced with Freeman seizing the opening-round lead with a brilliant first-round 26. Bunched in second position at 28 were O'Brien, Schults, and Sharpe. Lebo, 2004 VA State Champion Matt Summey, and 1992 VA State Champion Gary Hinshaw were grouped in a fifth-place tie at 29.
Freeman continued his blistering pace in the event's second round, firing 27 to maintain the 36-hole lead at 53. O'Brien carded a second-consecutive 28 to remain in second position at 56. Dave Taylor and Hinshaw stood in third place at 59. Rusty Taylor and Schults shared fifth place at 60.
By virtue of a spectacular third-round 26, Freeman posted an unfathomable 54-hole total of 79 and enjoyed a six-stroke lead over O'Brien at the tournament's halfway mark. O'Brien entered the intermission alone in second place at 85. Rusty Taylor and Schults shared third position at 88. Stewart soared up the leader board with a third-round 27, moving into fifth place at 90.
After a short lunch break, the players were re-paired and teed off in inverted order according to their 54-hole scores. Freeman continued his torrid pace in the fourth round, as he carded 27 for a 72-hole of 106 to open up a seven-stroke lead. O'Brien fired a fourth-round 28 to try to stay within striking distance of Freeman's lead at 113. Schults maintained third position at 116. A fourth-place logjam at 120 included Rusty Taylor, Lebo, Dave Taylor, and Sharpe.
O'Brien cut significantly into Freeman's monumental 72-hole lead in the fifth round, carding a 10 on the outward nine en route to a fifth-round 25. Freeman struggled to a fifth-round 31, but still maintained the lead at 137. O'Brien now lurked just a stroke behind Freeman with a five-round total of 138. The tournament clearly had become a two-player race, as Schults was a distant third after five rounds at 147. At 148, Rusty Taylor and Dave Taylor shared fourth place.
In a tightly-contested final round, Freeman and O'Brien jockeyed for position. With honors, Freeman deuced the 14th hole, a straightforward "rat hole" design, giving O'Brien a glimmer of hope. O'Brien failed to capitalize on the opportunity, however, as he bogeyed the 14th hole behind Freeman, virtually sealing Freeman's victory. Freeman ultimately shot a sixth-round 29 to O'Brien's final-round 31, giving Freeman a 108-hole total of 166 and a three-stroke wire-to-wire victory. In the process, Freeman captured his second major state tour title of the 2006 season, as he also won the Carolinas' Open earlier in the year. O'Brien captured runner-up honors at 169. Rusty Taylor recorded a final-round 27 to leapfrog into solo third place at 175. Stewart carded his second-consecutive 27 in the final round to jump into fourth position at 176. Schults finished in fifth place at 177. A three-way sixth-place tie at 180 included Batten, Lebo, and Dave Taylor. Sharpe tumbled down the final leader board with a sixth-round 33, finishing in ninth position at 182. Baus and Newport rounded out the event's top ten finishers as they tied for tenth place at 183.
Several season-long honors were finalized in the professional division at the conclusion of the tournament. Vince Batten wrapped up his fourth career Virginia PPA Player of the Year Award. Batten opened up an large early-season lead in the VA PPA Tour standings over eventual Virginia PPA Player of the Year runner-up Brad Lebo, but Lebo won three of the four events leading into the VA State Championship weekend to make the race interesting. Batten's playoff victory in one of the 54-hole events on the day prior the VA State Championship, however, all but sealed the award for Batten. Batten also notched his fifth career Virginia PPA Tour Low Stroke Average Award, edging out Lebo by 11 total strokes over the 71 rounds played on the VA PPA Tour in the 2006 season.
The members of the Virginia PPA Tour ten-player Clayton Cup team also were determined at the conclusion of the day's play. The eight automatic qualifiers, determined by the final Virginia PPA Tour points, money, and relative stroke average rankings, were Batten, Lebo, Anderson, Sharpe, Baus, Summey, Freeman, and Stewart. Greg Newport and Rusty Taylor were chosen by a team vote to be the final two members of the team. The ten team members then chose Batten and Lebo to return as co-captains for the squad. The Virginia PPA Tour will be hosting the Clayton Cup competition on course # 3 in Richmond, VA on October 14-15.
Prior to commencement of play in the VA State Championship, players voted for the 2007 Virginia PPA Tour Committee and for professional and amateur 2006 Sportsmanship Award winners. Gary Hinshaw remained as permanent Virginia PPA Tour Committee chairperson. Professionals Vince Batten, Brad Lebo, Matt Summey, Rick Rybaczek, Bill Baus, and Greg Newport and amateurs Barry Moore, Dennis Biesma, and Conway Coffey were elected as 2007 Virginia PPA Tour Committee members. The tour membership voted Ed Grajewski and Randy Baldwin as well-deserved 2006 Sportsmanship Award recipients in the professional and amateur divisions, respectively. It was the second-consecutive season in which Baldwin earned the honor.
The Virginia PPA Tour membership would like to extend thanks to course owner Lloyd Wood and his staff for graciously welcoming the tour to the picturesque Charlottesville, VA Putt-Putt facility and hosting a weekend of very successful tournaments. The VA State Championship concluded the 2006 Virginia PPA Tour schedule. The Virginia PPA Tour's ten-member Clayton Cup and six-member Hancock Cup squads will represent the tour in the Clayton Cup and Hancock Cup team tournaments to be contested on course # 3 in Richmond, VA on the weekend of October 14-15.
Scores and Article provided by Brad Lebo, Rick Rybaczek and AmPutters.com.
Professional Division of 2006 Virginia State Championship
(Charlottesville, VA - Course # 2 - 1 October 2006)
Round Prize Player 1 2 3 4 5 6 Total Points Money 1 Freeman, Daryl 26 27 26 27 31 29 166 30.00 $ 500.00 2 O'Brien, Tom 28 28 29 28 25 31 169 25.00 $ 400.00 3 Taylor, Rusty 30 30 28 32 28 27 175 24.00 $ 350.00 4 Stewart, Manfred 33 30 27 32 27 27 176 23.00 $ 300.00 5 Schults, Ricky 28 32 28 28 31 30 177 22.00 $ 250.00 6 Batten, Vince 33 32 27 31 29 28 180 20.00 $ 191.67 Lebo, Brad 29 33 29 29 31 29 180 20.00 $ 191.67 Taylor, Dave 30 29 32 29 28 32 180 20.00 $ 191.67 9 Sharpe, Gilbert 28 33 30 29 29 33 182 18.00 $ 140.00 10 Baus, Bill 33 35 29 29 30 27 183 16.50 $ 117.50 Newport, Greg 33 31 31 31 25 32 183 16.50 $ 117.50 12 Grajewski, Ed 34 32 28 32 28 31 185 14.50 $ 97.50 Rawles, Thomas 33 29 31 33 29 30 185 14.50 $ 97.50 14 Anderson, Darrell 37 31 29 30 31 31 189 13.00 $ 90.00 15 Summey, Matt 29 33 33 30 32 33 190 11.00 $ 81.67 Rybaczek, Rick 31 31 32 34 29 33 190 11.00 $ 81.67 Hinshaw, Gary 29 30 34 37 29 31 190 11.00 $ 81.67 18 Ward, Robert 35 31 38 34 30 31 199 9.00 $ 80.00
Chuck Dibbs Wins Second Consecutive
Virginia State APA Championship
Chuck Dibbs
2006 APA Virginia State Tour Champion1 October 2006 - Charlottesville, VA - In the amateur division, defending champion Chuck Dibbs continued his stellar weekend play as he carded rounds of 31, 30, 26, 28, 25, and 26 for a 108-hole total of 166 and a successful defense of the VA APA State Championship title. Dibbs' win was a dramatic one, as he was forced to fire a final-round inward-nine 11 to overtake 2006 Dogwood Open APA Champion Conway Coffey for a one-stroke victory. The victory was the third of the 2006 season for Dibbs. In the process, Dibbs notched his fifth career VA APA State Championship title, also having won the event in 1980, 1981, 1982, and 2005. Coffey finished alone in second position at 167. 2006 APA World Match Play Champion Jeff Carr completed the day in third place at 172. 1983 VA APA State Champion Mike Matthews posted 173 to finish in fourth position. Rounding out the amateur division's top five finishers at 174 were Lynchburg's Bill Petrie and 2006 PPA Women's National Champion Vanette Block.
Play began in the amateur division with Coffey surging into the opening-round lead at 27. Two-time VA APA State Champion Chuck Cyr fired 28 to assume second position. Sharing third place at 29 were Carr, Bill Petrie, and Block.
Carr motored into the 36-hole lead at 55 after carding a sizzling second-round 26. Bill Petrie dished out a second-round 27 to move into second place at 55. Coffey cooled to a second-round 31 and fell into a third-place tie with former JPA National Champion John Petrie. Block stood in fifth place at 59.
With a third-round 29, Carr established the lead at the halfway point of the tournament at 84. After a stellar third-round 27, Block pole-vaulted into a second-place tie with Bill Petrie at 86. Dibbs awoke from a pedestrian start to the tournament with a third-round 26 to jump into a two-way fourth-place tie with Coffey at 87.
After a short 54-hole intermission, players in the amateur division were re-grouped according to 54-hole scores and teed off in inverted order. As the final group of Carr, Bill Petrie, and Block struggled in the fourth round, Dibbs and Coffey seized command of the event. Coffey posted a fourth-round 27 to establish the 72-hole lead at 114. Dibbs hovered one stroke behind in second place at 115. Despite a fourth-round 33, Carr remained in contention, in third position at 117. At 118, Block was in fourth place. Matthews jumped into fifth position at 119.
With a tournament-low fifth-round 25, Dibbs wrestled the lead away from Coffey. Dibbs posted a 90-hole total of 140 to move one stroke ahead of Coffey, who stood alone in second place at 141. Carr rebounded courageously from his fourth-round woes, matching Dibbs' tournament-low round of 25 to creep within two strokes of the lead, in third position at 142. Block carded a spectacular fifth-round 26 to remain within four strokes of the lead, in fourth place at 144. At 146, Matthews held fifth position.
Coffey made a spirited final-round surge, as he shot 12 on the outward nine to open up a two-stroke lead on Dibbs with nine holes remaining in the event. Dibbs fought back valiantly, however, orchestrating an inspired clubhouse charge of his own. Dibbs posted an inward-nine score of 11 for a final-round 26, enough for a one-stroke victory over Coffey. Dibbs finished the tournament with a 108-hole total of 166, matching the winning score in the professional field. The victory was the third of the 2006 season for Dibbs and marked his fifth career win in the amateur division of the VA State Championship. Coffey finished alone in second place at 167. Carr clung to third position at 172. Matthews carded his second-consecutive 27 in the final round to leapfrog into fourth place at 173. Bill Petrie and Block shared fifth place at 174. At 179, Richmond local standout Malcolm Shumaker finished sixth and captured the final amateur division expense reimbursement spot awarded in the event.
With the 2006 Virginia PPA Tour schedule concluding with the VA State Championship, Coffey locked up the 2006 Virginia Tour APA Player of the Year Award. Coffey's outstanding play throughout the season was highlighted by a victory in the amateur division of the Dogwood Open and four consecutive wins late in the 2006 season.
The six-player Virginia Tour Hancock Cup team also was finalized at the conclusion of the VA State Championship. As VA APA State Champion, Dibbs earned the first spot on the team. The next four team members earned their positions on the squad based on their standing in a season-long points system. Those four players were Coffey, 2006 VA Putting Classic Champion Dennis Biesma, Shumaker, and Matthews. Those five team members then elected 2003 APA National Champion Bonnie White to the squad as its final member. The VA Tour Hancock Cup team will represent the tour in the Hancock Cup team competition in Richmond, VA on October 14-15.
Scores and Article provided by Brad Lebo, Rick Rybaczek and AmPutters.com.
Amateur Division of 2006 Virginia State Championship
(Charlottesville, VA - Course # 2 - 1 October 2006)
Round Player 1 2 3 4 5 6 Total 1 Chuck Dibbs 31 30 26 28 25 26 166 2 Conway Coffey 27 31 29 27 27 26 167 3 Jeff Carr 29 26 29 33 25 30 172 4 Mike Matthews 31 30 29 29 27 27 173 5 Bill Petrie 29 27 30 34 28 26 174 Vanette Block 29 30 27 32 26 30 174 7 Malcolm Shumaker 33 30 32 29 28 27 179 8 John Petrie 31 27 30 34 32 30 184 Dennis Biesma 33 33 27 32 27 32 184 10 James Walker 32 35 32 28 30 30 187 11 Barry Moore 35 32 31 29 31 34 192 12 Chuck Cyr 28 35 33 34 32 32 194 Wade Driskill 37 34 33 30 31 29 194 14 Amy Smith 34 32 31 34 31 33 195 15 Marty Handschuh 33 33 36 33 31 34 200 Chuck Nance 34 31 37 33 32 33 200 17 Bob Chetister 33 35 33 37 31 35 204 18 Walter Kolb 38 32 33 36 39 33 211 James LeBrun 36 30 37 34 38 36 211 20 Randy Baldwin 35 41 36 39 34 28 213
