27 September 2009 - Willoughby, OH - Putting experience and local course knowledge proved to be a key to victory, as Scott Buddie captured the Pro Division of the Great Lakes Tour Championship, and Don Niznik, the APA Division of the finals, held on the Village Course of the Willoughby Putt-Putt in Willoughby, Ohio.

Scott Buddie

The field of fourteen pros and ten APAs gathered for the two day, eight round finals, and were greeted by inclement weather. With temperatures in the upper 50s, steady rain delayed tee off for 90 minutes on Saturday, with players then having to deal with very damp carpets for the rest of the day under cloudy skies.

2006 PPA National Champion Brad Lebo shot an opening round 27 to establish a two stroke advantage over Don Cherry, Harry Sykes, Ken Hastings, and Bill Baus. Of note was Scott Buddies opening round 33, which placed him dead last after the first round. Lebos second round 29 gave him a three stroke lead over Hastings, and Buddie, whos 26 was the only score under 29 for the round. When Buddie shot another 26 in the third round, he shared the third round lead with Lebo at 85, five strokes ahead of a group at 90 which included Cherry, Craig Williams, John Bambling, and Jim Engel.

Scores improved for the field in the fourth round, except for the leaders. Buddie struggled to post a six under par 30 for a four round first day total of 115, but gained a one stroke advantage over Lebo, who could only shoot 31. Williams fired a 26 to tie Lebo for second at 116. Bambling shot 27 for a 117, and Engel and Cherry fired 28s to share fifth at 118. Scoring for the day was difficult, as no one in the pro division could break 26 on day one.

Day two again found temperatures in the upper 50s with damp carpets, but the cloudy conditions would change to sunny skies in the closing rounds. Scott Buddie came out on fire, shooting a brilliant 13 under par 23 to build a five stroke lead over Brad Lebo, who posted a 27. Meanwhile, Harry Sykes shot a 25 to move into a third place tie with Craig Williams at 146, eight strokes behind Buddie.

Buddie found the 23 hard to follow up, as his sixth round 30 left him at 168. Lebo posted a 29 to cut one stroke off the lead, and Jim Engel shot a solid 26 to move into third at 173. Buddie saw his lead shrink even more in the seventh round, as his 31 allowed Engel move within one stroke by shooting 27. John Bambling charged to a 26 to position himself just two back, while Lebo slipped to fourth place, three behind.

In a final round, Scott Buddie called on his thirty years of putting experience, and his home course knowledge of the Willoughby course. He posted a solid 28 under the intense pressure, which was good for an eight round total of 227, and earned a two stroke victory over Jim Engel, who fired a 29. Third place was shared among four players, as Brad Lebo, Craig Williams, John Bambling, and Harry Sykes all shot 231. Sykes final round of 26 was the low score of the round. The victory earned Buddie his first tour championship, and capped off a solid season, as he had previously scored tour victories at Warren, Ohio, and a month earlier on the same Willoughby course.

In the APA Division, Barb Mingo, twice winner of the Ray Browning Memorial tournament on her home course, opened with a 28, and established a two stroke lead over John Kropinak, Gerald Vick, Don Mathews, and Bill Combs. Her second round 31 maintained the lead by one stroke over Mathews, who posted his second consecutive 30 to move into solo second. In the third round, John Tuite fired a brilliant 24, the low APA score of the finals, to move into a tie for second with Mathews, who shot his third straight 30. Still they trailed Mingo by one stroke, after her 30 left her at 89.

The fourth round saw a dramatic change in the leaderboard. Both Mingo and Mathews struggled to even par rounds of 36, and fell back in the pack. John Kropinak took advantage, shooting a solid 26 to establish the first day lead at 119. Tuite followed his 24 with a 30, and maintained second place at 120. Meanwhile Don Niznik shot 28 to quietly move into contention in third at 121, one stroke ahead of Vick, and Jeff Brown.

In Sundays opening round, Don Niznik, just as pro winner Scott Buddie had done, made his move. He fired a solid 25 to move into a three way tie with first day leader Kropinak, who shot 27, and John Tuite, who posted 26. Niznik and Kropinak each shot 28 in the sixth round to remain tied at 174, and move three strokes ahead of Tuite, who struggled to a 31.

Round seven saw Kropinak surge back into the lead by shooting 28 to establish a two stroke lead over Niznik entering the final round. The only other player in contention was Jeff Brown, who had shot 26 and 28 in the sixth and seven rounds to move within four strokes of the lead. The leaders found the pressure of the final round difficult to deal with. Kropinak encountered problems with the difficult tenth hole, and struggled to a final round 34. Brown saw his aces dry up, and could only post 32. Meanwhile, Niznik shot his worst round of the day, a 31, but found his eight round score of 235 good enough for a one stroke victory over Kropinak. Brown finished third at 238. Matt Male was the only player to break 30 in the final round, and his 29 placed him fourth at 243, one ahead of John Tuite, in fifth place.

Like pro winner Scott Buddie, Don Niznik took advantage of playing on his home course. The victory capped an amazing weekend for Niznik. Though he had been competing in tournaments for almost forty years, it marked the first state tour victory of any type for him. It also was his first victory at the Willoughby course.

During the awards ceremony after the finals, Gerald Vick was named the APA Player-of-the Year. He dominated the tour with four victories, and also finished first in points, and weighted average.

The tour would like to thank the Willoughby course for its hospitality in hosting the finals weekend, and hard work in maintaining playing conditions in spite of the inclement weather.