Randy Reeves

26 April 2009 - White Lake, NC - On a sunny, pleasant spring morning, the Southern Putting Tour contested its first major medal play tournament of the season, the 72-hole Carolinas' Open, on course # 1 at the White Lake, NC Putt-Putt facility. 1997 PPA National Champion Randy Reeves took full advantage of the favorable playing conditions, firing progressively-improving rounds of 26, 25, 24, and 23 for a 72-hole total of 98 and a one-shot win, his second of the 2009 PPA season. With his second career Carolinas' Open title, Reeves became the fifth player in the 25-year history of the tournament to notch multiple victories in the event. Tony Jackson, who had won the Virginia Putting Classic just a week earlier, made a valiant attempt at capturing his second major state tour title in eight days. Sharing the third-round lead with Reeves at 75, Jackson posted a stellar final-round 24 ahead of Reeves. At 99, however, Jackson's efforts fell a stroke short of success and the diminutive putting dynamo settled for runner-up honors. 2006 GA State Champion Michael Hitt provided yet another impressive 2009 season performance, finishing in third position at 104. A fourth-place tie at 105 included two-time PPA ProPutters.com Classic Champion Greg Newport and PPA Hall of Fame member Greg Ward. The cash line for the sixteen money spots awarded in the event fell at 110.

Vanette Block

The amateur division of the tournament could have doubled as the women's division, as two female players dominated the amateur action. 2006 PPA Women's National Champion Vanette Block carded steady rounds of 26, 27, 26, and 27 for a 72-hole total of 106 and a two-stroke triumph, her fourth in eight amateur contests in 2009. 2003 APA National Champion Bonnie White orchestrated a spirited charge at Block's lead early in the final round. Entering the fourth round at 81 and two strokes behind Block's lead, White recorded a front-nine 11 to maneuver well within striking distance. After an ace at the 16th hole, White needed to ace the final two holes to force a playoff with Block. White's ace effort narrowly missed on the 17th hole, however, and she completed the event in second place at 108. 2001 PPA National Championship runner-up Ray Guthrie finished in third position at 113. After seizing a three-stroke 36-hole lead at 50, 2007 NC APA State Champion Chris Alley struggled in the event's final two rounds and at 115 fell into a tie for fourth place with 2004 Carolinas' Open APA Champion Steve Helton. The final of the fourteen amateur expense reimbursement spots distributed in the tournament came at a score of 121.

The Southern Putting Tour wishes to thank the Womble family, owners of the White Lake Putt-Putt facility and adjoining Goldston's Beach Hotel, for welcoming the tour to their beautiful resort setting and extending their usual wonderful hospitality. The Southern Putting Tour will resume action on the weekend of May 30-31, 2009 on course # 1 at the High Point, NC Putt-Putt Fun Center. Two 54-hole tournaments will be held on Saturday, May 30. The first of those two events will commence at 11:00 a.m., with the second event being scheduled to tee off at approximately 3:30 p.m. A third 54-hole tournament, the Wayne Hancock Memorial, will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, May 31.