Bill Baus Wins Four-Way Playoff for Victory in Abingdon, MD Event

9 June 2007 - Abingdon, MD - On the eve of the PPA Eastern Open, the largest Virginia PPA Tour field of the 2007 season gathered to contest a 54-hole tournament on course # 1 at the beautiful Abingdon, MD Putt-Putt Fun Center facility. On an otherwise sunny and pleasant spring day, violent and swirling winds baffled the players and resulted in much higher field scoring than was anticipated. Two-time Senior PPA National Champion Bill Baus mastered the challenging conditions, firing rounds of 27, 26, and 24 for a 54-hole total of 77 to tie the triumvirate of PPA Hall of Fame legend Daryl Freeman, 1994 SC State Champion Rick Baird, and 2001 PPA National Champion Greg Ward at the end of regulation play.

In the ensuing 18-hole playoff, Baus posted 26 to defeat Freeman by a stroke and Baird and Ward by two strokes. The win was Baus' first of the 2007 PPA season. 2000 Dogwood Open Champion Rusty Taylor completed the tournament in fifth position at 78. In a five-way tie for sixth place at 79, the unassuming quintet of 2006 PPA National Champion Brad Lebo, 1999 PPA Eastern Open Champion Charlie Greenwalt, five-time Texas State Champion Jeff Smith, 2005 PPA National Champion Jay Klapper, and 1997 PPA National Champion Randy Reeves rounded out the event's top ten finishers.

Play commenced with Ward charging into the first-round lead with a stellar opening-round 24. Freeman and reigning PPA World Match Play Champion Peter Neumann shared second place at 25. A three-way third place tie at 26 included Rusty Taylor, 2003 PPA National Champion Robert Johnson, and reigning ProPutters.com Classic Champion Rick Culverhouse.

With a spectacular tournament-low 23 in the second round, Baird jumped to the top of the second-round leader board at 50. A second-place logjam at 52 included Baus, Freeman, Ward, 2001 PPA World Match Play Champion Vince Batten, Culverhouse, and rookie standout Jeff Carr.

The tightly-contested battle for victory continued until the final hole of the tournament and included many players. Baird's torrid pace cooled slightly in the final round of action, as he carded a third-round 27. Baus, Freeman, and Ward posted respective final-round scores of 24, 25, and 25 to catch Baird's lead. Those four contestants tied with a 54-hole total of 77 and a winner would be determined in an 18-hole playoff. Rusty Taylor finished alone in fifth place at 78. Grouped in a five-way sixth-place tie at 79 were Lebo, Greenwalt, Smith, Klapper, and Reeves. The cash line for the 19 money spots awarded in the tournament fell at 83.

In the subsequent 18-hole playoff, Baus took a commanding three-stroke lead into the final three holes of play. Baus deuced the 16th and 17th holes. With aces on 16 and 17, Freeman cut Baus' lead to a single stroke and set the stage for final-hole drama. With honors over Baus on the 18th hole, Freeman's ace effort was unsuccessful. Baus prudently laid up the final hole for a deuce to card a playoff score of 26 and in the process captured his first victory of the 2007 PPA season. Freeman completed the playoff at 27. Baird aced his final six holes of the playoff to tie Ward at 28.

In the amateur division, 2007 APA Southern Open Champion Dennis Biesma continued his 2007 domination of the amateur division by recording his tenth victory of the season. Biesma charged from behind to erase a three-stroke 36-hole deficit to tour dandy James Walker and notch a one-stroke win. Biesma posted rounds of 24, 30, and 25 for a 54-hole total of 79. Walker captured amateur division runner-up honors at 80. Reigning VA APA State Champion Chuck Dibbs and 2006 PPA Women's National Champion Vanette Block shared third place at 82. At 87, 2006 VA Open APA Champion Barry Moore finished in fifth position.

Action began in the amateur division with Biesma soaring into the opening-round lead with a sizzling first-round 24 for a three-stroke lead. Sharing second place after the opening round at 27 were Walker, 1999 VA APA State Champion Malcolm Shumaker, Baltimore's Alan Forish, and 2005 APA National Champion Walt Kizzie.

With Biesma uncharacteristically stumbling in the second round with a middle-round 30, Walker seized the opportunity to move into the lead. Walker recorded a brilliant second-round 24 for a 36-hole total of 51 and enjoyed a three-stroke lead over Biesma and Dibbs, who shared second place at 54. At 56, Block and Shumaker were tied for fourth position.

In the final round of play, Walker struggled in his attempt to hold off an inspired final-round charge by Biesma. Upon carding a bogey on the fickle ninth hole, Walker's chances of victory were shattered like a delicate windshield. Biesma fired a spectacular third-round 25 for a 54-hole total of 79 and a one-stroke victory over Walker. Walker rebounded to clean up the figurative broken glass from his ninth-hole gaffe to shoot 29 and hold on to second place at 80. Dibbs and Block shared third position at 82. Moore finished in fifth place at 87. The cash line for the seven amateur expense reimbursement spots awarded in the event fell at 88.

The Virginia PPA Tour would like to extend thanks and express its appreciation to course owner Jay Mottley and his staff for their gracious hosting of a very successful Virginia PPA Tour event at the picturesque Abingdon, MD Putt-Putt Fun Center facility. The Abingdon course will host the 72-hole PPA Eastern Open, the second PPA National Tour event of the 2007 season, beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 10. The next events for the Virginia PPA Tour are scheduled for June 23 and June 24 on course # 2 at the Putt-Putt Golf facility in Charlottesville, VA. A 54-hole Virginia PPA Tour event will begin at noon on Saturday, June 23. The 72-hole Dogwood Festival Open, the Virginia PPA Tour's first major event of the 2007 season, will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 24.

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