Vince Batten Posts 83 to Cruise to
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Play commenced with Batten and Freeman posting solid opening-round 27's to share the first-round lead. Newport carded 28 to move into third place. Bunched in a fourth-place tie at 29 were Rybaczek, Lebo, and the always-dangerous Ken Schooler.
Rybaczek posted the only sub-30 round in the second round of play in the professional division, carding 27 to surge into the second-round lead at 56. Batten and Freeman matched middle-round 31's and dropped into a tie for second place at 58. Schooler remained in contention, alone in fourth position at 59. Newport and Lebo shared fifth place at 60.
In the final round, the oft-cruel Charlottesville course claimed yet another victim, as Rybaczek struggled to a third-round 33 and quickly fell out of contention. Batten took advantage of Rybaczek's woes, firing a brilliant third-round 25 and cruising to a three-stroke victory with a 54-hole total of 83. The win was Batten's first of the 2007 PPA season. Freeman recorded a solid final-round 28 to finish in second place at 86. With a final-round 27, Newport charged into a third-place finish at 87. Rybaczek clung to fourth position at 89. Lebo completed the event in fifth place at 91. The cash line for the eight money spots awarded in the professional division in this tournament fell at 93.
In the amateur division of competition, 2007 Southern Open and Eastern Open APA Champion Dennis Biesma continued to tighten his 2007 stranglehold on the APA competition, carding rounds of 27, 32, and 27 for a 54-hole total of 86 and a six-stroke victory. The win was Biesma's twelfth of the 2007 season in the amateur division. 2006 Dogwood Open APA Champion Conway Coffey secured a distant second-place finish at 92. 2006 PPA Women's National Champion Vanette Block charged from out of the amateur pack in the final round to tie 2004 JPA National Champion John Petrie for third place at 95. At 96, 2006 Virginia Open APA Champion Barry Moore and Lynchburg's Bill Petrie shared fifth position.
Play began in the amateur division with Biesma posting the only sub-30 amateur division opening-round score. Biesma carded a first-round 27 to take a three-stroke lead over Coffey and John Petrie, who were tied for second place at 30. Block and 1983 VA State APA Champion Mike Matthews shared fourth position at 31.
As was the case in the second round in the professional division, only one amateur contestant, Ryan Carter, broke 30 in the middle round of action. Despite a lackluster second-round 32, Biesma still enjoyed a two-stroke 36-hole lead at 59. John Petrie stood alone in second place at 61. Coffey lurked another stroke behind the lead, in third position at 62. At 63, Moore and Mike Matthews were tied for fourth place.
The perplexing Charlottesville course continued to baffle the amateur field, as only two amateurs recorded rounds under 30 in the final round of play. In all, only four of the 54 rounds posted in the amateur division in the tournament were under 30. Biesma eliminated any drama from the amateur division's final outcome by rebounding with a stellar third-round 27, running away from the field for a six-stroke victory at 86. The triumph was Biesma's twelfth of the 2007 season in the APA division. Coffey posted a final-round 30 to notch runner-up honors at 92. Block carded a solid 29 for the final sub-30 round of the day in the amateur division and consequently soared into a third-place tie with John Petrie at 95. Moore and Bill Petrie rounded out the top five APA finishers at 96 and earned the final amateur division expense reimbursement spots awarded in the tournament.
The Virginia PPA Tour will return to action with the contesting of the tour's first major tournament of the season, the 72-hole Dogwood Festival Open, on course # 2 in Charlottesville, VA. Action commences at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 24.
Scores and Article provided by Brad Lebo, Rick Rybaczek and AmPutters.com.
Professional Division
(Charlottesville, VA - Course # 2 - 23 June 2007)
Round VA Prize Player 1 2 3 Total Points Money 1 Batten, Vince 27 31 25 83 25.00 $ 175.00 2 Freeman, Daryl 27 31 28 86 24.00 $ 115.00 3 Newport, Greg 28 32 27 87 23.00 $ 95.00 4 Rybaczek, Rick 29 27 33 89 22.00 $ 75.00 5 Lebo, Brad 29 31 31 91 21.00 $ 60.00 6 Anderson, Darrell 30 34 28 92 20.00 $ 55.00 7 Luthie, Bo 33 31 29 93 18.50 $ 50.00 Baus, Bill 31 32 30 93 18.50 $ 50.00 9 Schooler, Ken 29 30 35 94 17.00 10 Hinshaw, Gary 31 35 30 96 16.00 11 O'Brien, Tom 33 32 32 97 15.00 12 Summey, Matt 33 34 31 98 14.00 13 Grajewski, Ed 33 33 33 99 13.00 14 Rawles, Thomas 34 35 35 104 12.00 15 Ward, Robert 35 36 35 106 11.00 Amateur Division
(Charlottesville, VA - Course # 2 - 23 June 2007)
Round VA Expense Player 1 2 3 Total Points Money 1 Biesma, Dennis 27 32 27 86 20.00 $ 30.00 2 Coffey, Conway 30 32 30 92 18.00 $ 25.00 3 Block, Vanette 31 35 29 95 16.50 $ 20.00 Petrie, John 30 31 34 95 16.50 $ 20.00 5 Moore, Barry 32 31 33 96 14.50 $ 12.50 Petrie, Bill 33 32 31 96 14.50 $ 12.50 7 Smith, Amy 34 31 33 98 12.00 Walker, James 34 31 33 98 12.00 Carter, Ryan 36 29 33 98 12.00 10 Driskill, Wade 35 31 35 101 10.00 11 Matthews, Mike 31 32 39 102 8.50 LeBrun, James 33 36 33 102 8.50 13 Shiflett, Shane 36 37 31 104 7.00 14 Chetister, Bob 40 33 32 105 5.50 Carter, Dennis 38 32 35 105 5.50 16 Owens, Calvin 36 37 37 110 4.00 17 Matthews, Chris 35 40 39 114 3.00 18 Rush, Lamont 43 40 45 128 2.00