Dave Taylor Defeats Gilbert Sharpe in Playoff

30 September 2006 - Charlottesville, VA - In the second of two 54-hole Virginia PPA Tour events played on the eve of the Virginia State Championship on course # 2 at the beautiful Charlottesville, VA Putt-Putt facility, sunny and increasingly-breezy conditions made the already-difficult course even more challenging. As a result, general field scoring in the event increased over that of the day's first tournament. 2006 VA Putting Classic Champion Dave Taylor and 2003 VA State Champion Gilbert Sharpe tied at the end of regulation play with a 54-hole total of 85. After the two contestants tied at 28 in a hard-fought 18-hole playoff, Taylor aced the first hole of sudden death to defeat Sharpe and earn his second victory of the 2006 PPA season. Predictably, renowned wind specialist Rick Rybaczek mastered the conditions well, as he carded 87 to finish alone in third place. Sharing fourth position at 88 were 2005 VA State Champion Darrell Anderson, 2000 Dogwood Open Champion Rusty Taylor, and rookie sensation Ricky Schults.

Play began with 2006 VA Open Champion Greg Newport charging into the opening-round lead with a tournament-low round of 25. Defending champion Vince Batten lurked in second place at 28. Tied for third position at 29 were Dave Taylor, Rybaczek, and Anderson.

Rybaczek battled the tricky zephyrs admirably in the second round, as he carded a solid 27 to leapfrog into the 36-hole lead. Deadlocked in second place at 58 were Dave Taylor, Sharpe, Anderson, and Newport.

Dave Taylor and Sharpe matched final-round 27's to tie for the lead at 85 after 54 holes of regulation play. The duo would proceed to an 18-hole playoff to determine the event's winner. Rybaczek cooled to a third-round 31, enough to record a third-place finish at 87. Rusty Taylor and Schults posted third-round 28's to tie Anderson for fourth position at 88. The cash line for the nine money spots awarded in the tournament fell at 89.

In the ensuing 18-hole playoff, Dave Taylor bogeyed the fifth hole but rebounded to take the lead over Sharpe after the outward nine by a score of 14-15. Sharpe aced the challenging sidehill 12th hole to square the match. The players matched aces on holes 14, 15, and 17 to end the 18-hole playoff tied at 28. As the contestants advanced to sudden death, Sharpe settled for a deuce on the fickle first hole. Dave Taylor hit a perfect putt to ace the hole and in the process earned his second victory in only his sixth event of the 2006 PPA season.

In the amateur division of competition, 2005 VA APA State Champion Chuck Dibbs sought to make a strong statement heading into his looming title defense on the following day. Dibbs made his point emphatically, posting brilliant rounds of 27, 29, and 27 for a 54-hole total of 83, the lowest total in the event in either the amateur or professional field. The victory was Dibbs' second of the 2006 season. 2006 VA Putting Classic APA Champion Dennis Biesma continued his recent stellar play, seizing runner-up honors at 85. Defending champion Jeff Carr finished in third position at 88. Richmond local player Amy Smith completed the afternoon in fourth place at 89. At 90, 2006 Dogwood Open APA Champion Conway Coffey rounded out the event's top five amateur finishers.

Action commenced in the amateur division with Dibbs and Carr recording opening-round 27's to move to the top of the first-round leader board. Tied for third place at 29 were Biesma and Smith. 1983 VA APA State Champion Mike Matthews fired a first-round 30 to assume solo fifth position.

Dibbs and Carr continued their close battle in the second round, as each player posted a second-round 29 to share the 36-hole lead at 56. Biesma and Smith remained in contention, tied for third place at 59. Coffey moved into fifth position after two rounds at 60.

Dibbs fired a solid third-round 27 to remove any drama from the tournament's outcome. Dibbs' 54-hole total of 83 gave him his second win of the 2006 season. As Carr struggled in the event's final round, Biesma carded a sizzling final-round 26 to jump into second place at 85. Despite a final-round 32, Carr clung to third position at 88. Smith finished in fourth place at 89. Coffey completed the day in fifth place at 90. At 93, Matthews finished sixth and captured the tournament's final amateur expense reimbursement spot.

In the final Old Dominion Cup competition of the season in the amateur division, the Tidewater tandem of Dibbs and Matthews posted a 54-hole total of 83 to record a one-stroke victory over the team of Biesma and 2006 VA Open APA Champion Barry Moore, who finished alone in second place at 84. The Lynchburg squad of Coffey and Randy Baldwin finished in third position at 86. Biesma and Moore survived a late-season charge by Coffey and Baldwin to successfully defend their season-long Old Dominion Cup title. It marked the fourth time in as many years that Biesma has been a member of the winning Old Dominion Cup team.

The Virginia PPA Tour returns to action for its final tournament of the 2006 season, the 108-hole Virginia State Championship. The event will be contested on course # 2 in Charlottesville, VA beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 1.

Scores and Article provided by Brad Lebo, Rick Rybaczek and AmPutters.com.