Vibram Open 2009 Closes with Record-Breaking Finishes and Spirited Celebration
Date Published
The 2009 Vibram Open came to a close on Sunday, marking the final PDGA National Tour Event of the year. While the tournament may not have ended with dramatic flair, it was still met with a sense of accomplishment and closure for an outstanding series of NT events this calendar year.
The event drew in hundreds of spectators, who gathered around the 18th green to watch the action unfold. The live video coverage and commentary by Billy Crump on the internet allowed fans from around the country and even Europe to join in on the excitement. In fact, ESPN.com's Jack McCluskey was on hand to interview top players and learn more about the sport.
In the Pro Grand Masters division, Dean Pfeifer proved unstoppable, leading wire-to-wire and finishing at one under par with a respectable round of 64. The real battle for second place took place between Kevin Couch and Eric Vandenberg, who went head-to-head in a thrilling finish. Couch's incredible round of 61 unofficially rated at 1012 ultimately gave him the edge he needed to overtake Vandenberg.
Sarah Stanhope delivered a stunning performance in the Women's division, winning convincingly with a strong round that left three-time PDGA World Champion Val Jenkins struggling to keep up. Despite facing some early challenges, including a disc in the pond on her opening drive and a circle 6 on hole #1, Stanhope played smart and consistent golf to take home a $1500 paycheck.
The Open division saw Barry Schultz cruise to victory with a 55, finishing an impressive 25 under par for the three rounds. Nikko Locastro took second place at 18 under par, while Arizona's Paul Ulibarri delivered an incredible round of 53 (9 under par) to take third. Jeremy Koling rounded out the top four.
The awards ceremony began with a touching tribute to the late Tim Selinske and was followed by an emotional speech from Jay Reading. Tournament Director Steve Dodge recognized the entire tournament staff before handing out oversized checks, beautiful maple wood trophies, and stone tree trophies designed by Steve Brinster. The CEO of Vibram expressed his appreciation for the generous support he's received from the disc golf community.
Competitors were gracious in their thanks to the tournament staff, volunteers, and sponsors, with many calling it "the best disc golf tournament they've ever attended." While superlatives were tossed around, the real winner was the Maple Hill course, which had been reborn after the devastating ice storm that damaged it last winter.
The evening concluded with a trip to a local venue for "candlepin" bowling, where top players and staff members showed off their skills – or lack thereof – in this notoriously challenging sport. Despite some frustration from the disc golfers, everyone had a great time experiencing the New England tradition.
This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/vibram-open-wrapup