March 22–25, Pinehurst, NC

For the fourth time in five years, Jeff Soo and Mack Penwell squared off in the final match of the NC Open. Penwell, director of lawn sports at Pinehurst, won in ‘97 and ‘98. Soo, of Chapel Hill, NC, has now leveled the series by successfully defending his 2000 title. Soo won the final +20tp, +18tp, taking full advantage of one Penwell breakdown in each game. Soo finished the tournament with eight wins, no losses, and six triple peels.

Leo Nikora, of Kihei, Hawaii, also finished with eight wins and no losses in winning the First Flight. In the final, he beat Pinehurst resident Jim McGill +20.

Louis Nel, of Edwards, Ontario, won the Plate competition, with +3 net wins.

The Biscuit Barrel, a permanent trophy for the player with the best peeling record at the tournament, went to Jeff Soo for the second straight year. Other players performing triples were Paul Scott with two, and Bob Cherry and Ken Rosenberry with one each.

The Championship Flight format was a straight knock-out, each match best-of-three games, with no time limits. The Plate event was progressive Swiss. First Flight played Advanced Rules, with game time limits of two-and-a-half hours, in an incomplete block followed by single-elimination for the top four players.

Championship flight

First flight

First round

Soo bt. Siemers +25tp, +26
Short bt. Mitchell +26, -12, +15
Cherry bt. Heerens +24, +4
Scott bt. Aden +17tp, +26tp
Martin bt. Stevens +25, +12
Rosenberry bt. Roberts +15, +12
Penwell bt. Shipley +26, +26
Nel bt. Synan +2, +26

Quarterfinals

Soo bt. Short +11, +26tp
Cherry bt. Scott -21, +17tp, +17
Martin bt. Rosenberry +15, +16
Penwell bt. Nel +12, -12, +24

Semifinals

Soo bt. Cherry +26tp, +3tp
Penwell bt. Martin +26, +17

Final

Soo bt. Penwell +20tp, +18tp

Last modified on 12 December 2004