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WAGONER, OK .... Tony Couch of Buckhead, Georgia, landed five bass weighing 16 pounds, 3 ounces in the opening round of bass fishing action to take the lead in the Wal-Mart FLW Tour World Bass Fishing Championship on Ft. Gibson Lake.
The prestigious event, presented by CITGO, is the culmination of the $4 million, 1999 tour, the most lucrative in angling history, and features the top 50 professional anglers from the seven-event series competing for the largest cash prize in bass tournament fishing $250,000.
Couch is competing against 49 other anglers in the Pro Division for one of 10 slots available in the second round of the unique elimination bass tournament that also features the world^s top 50 Co-Angler (amateur) anglers. Quinten Stacy of Bassett, Virginia, is leading the Co-angler Division with five bass weighing 10 pounds, 6 ounces. Co-anglers are vying for a share of $65,000, with $25,000 going to the winner.
The top 10 Professional and 10 Co-Anglers, based on total weight after two days of fishing, will advance to the competition^s second round on Friday. Daily weigh-ins will be held at the Wagoner Wal-Mart Supercenter, located at 410 S. Dewey. Thursday^s weigh-in will begin at 3:30 p.m. CST. Friday^s weigh-in begins at 5 p.m., with activities on Saturday beginning at 11:30 a.m.
At the conclusion of Friday^s fishing, the co-angler competition is completed and the pro field is cut to the "Final Five." Each of the finalists is paired with a camera crew from ESPN in the final round. The Wal-Mart FLW Tour Championship is scheduled to be televised on ESPN, Sunday, October 24, 1999, at 1:00 p.m. EST. Saturday^s final round of competition will determine the winner of the Pro Division based on total weight for that day. The final weigh-in will be broadcast live via satellite to the electronics department of over 2600 Wal-Mart stores.
Mike Terry of Obion, Tenn., landed the big bass in the Pro Division on day one with a bass weighing 6 pounds, 2 ounces. The angler (pro or co-angler) who catches the big bass of the event, determined at the conclusion of Thursday^s action, will receive $1,000 from Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola will award $5,000 to the angler landing the biggest bass during the 1999 tour. Jim Moynagh of Hopkins, Minnesota, is the current leader with a 10 pound, 4 ounce bass.
The highest-finishing Ranger boat owner in the tournament will qualify to enter the $3.6 million Ranger M1 Millennium tournament, the richest bass event in history, with a potential $1 million first place cash prize at stake. The Ranger owner who catches the largest bass in each division over the course of the season will also qualify for the Ranger Millennium tournament.
Sponsors of the Wal-Mart FLW Tour include: Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola, Land O^Lakes, CITGO Petroleum Products, Chevy Trucks, Uniroyal Tires, Fujifilm, EverStart Batteries, Eveready Flashlights, Black and Decker, Coleman Company, Ranger Boats, Mitchell Rods and Reels, Spiderwire, Evinrude Outboard Motors, Evinrude Electric Trolling Motors, Eagle Electronics, Timex Expedition, Wrangler, Chex Mix, Hamburger Helper, US Bank-VISA, and Wheaties.
Wal-Mart FLW Tour Championship
Wagoner, Oklahoma, Sept 22, 1999
Day 1 Standings
Pros PL Name City, State # Fish WGT
1 TONY COUCH BUCKHEAD,GA 5 16-3
2 STEVE DANIEL CLEWISTON,FL 5 14-13
3 RICKY DIEHL HUNTSVILLE,AL 5 13-14
4 DAVID P DUDLEY MANTEO, NC 5 13 7
5 DAVID FRITTS LEXINGTON ,NC 4 13-6
5 TERRY BOLTON PADUCAH,KY 5 13-6
7 ALVIN SHAW STATE ROAD,NC 5 13-0
8 CHRIS BAUMGARDNER GASTONIA,NC 5 12-12
9 ERIC HOLT CAPE FAIR,MO 4 12-8
10 BILL SMITH PRESTONSBURG,KY 5 11-14
11 RANDY HOWELL TRUSSVILLE,AL 4 11-9
12 GARY KLEIN WEATHERFORD,TX 5 10-13
13 ALTON JONES WACO,TX 5 10-11
14 CLARK WENDLANDT CEDAR PARK,TX 5 10-9
15 TOMMY BIFFLE WAGONER,OK 3 10-7
16 DAN MOREHEAD PADUCAH,KY 5 10-6
17 DARRELL ROBERTSON JAY,OK 4 10-4
18 CECIL KINGSLEY LAWRENCE,KS 4 10-2
18 MICKEY BRUCE BUFORD,GA 4 10-2
20 MIKE TERRY OBION,TN 3 9-15
21 RICK LILLEGARD ATKINSON,NH 4 9-14
21 JIM MOYNAGH CARVER,MN 4 9-14
23 PETE THLIVEROS JACKSONVILLE,FL 3 9-12
23 JIM BITTER FRUITLAND PARK, FL 5 9-12
23 DAVID WALKER CANNON,KY 5 9-12
26 MARK HARDIN CANTON,GA 5 9-9
27 WESLEY STRADER SPRING CITY,TN 4 9-6
28 CHUCK ECONOMOU PALM BAY,FL 4 8-4
29 ROLAND MARTIN CLEWISTON,FL 5 8-3
30 JOHNNY MCCOMBS MORRIS,AL 4 7-11
Co-Anglers PL Name City, State # Fish WGT
1 QUINTEN STACY BASSETT,VA 5 10-6
2 TERRY CHAPMAN CORNELIUS,NC 2 9-0
3 EDDIE AMOS DALTON,GA 4 8-11
4 SCOTT MARTIN CLEWISTON,FL 4 7-4
5 JIM SHORT OCEAN PINES,MD 2 6-13
6 DAVID COOKE DAVIDSON,NC 2 6-12
7 JOHN SISEMORE FARMINGTON,AR 2 6-9
8 DOUG CALDWELL KANE,PA 3 6-5
9 LEON WILLIAMS FAIRDALE,KY 2 5-10
10 RICHARD PRESTIGIACOMO AVON PARK, FL 2 5-9
10 DARRELL C STEVENS ROSELAND, VA 3 5-9
12 RAY BECK BEAUMONT,TX 2 5-4
13 RICK MARSH HIGH POINT,NC 3 5-1
14 ANTHONY GAGLIARDI PROSPERITY,SC 2 4-11
15 MIKE MCKINNIS LITTLE ROCK,AR 2 4-7
16 ROBERT VOGELSANG JESSUP,MD 2 4-3
17 BRYAN S JOHNSON SALISBURY, NC 2 3-12
17 BILL HALTER ANNA,IL 2 3-12
19 HOMER STEPHENS NOBLESVILLE,IN 1 3-7
19 TOM HUNLEY STAMPING GROUND, KY 1 3-7
21 RICK PARNELL CASSELBERRY,FL 2 3-4
21 JOHN CANTALE PANAMA CITY,FL 2 3-4
21 TIM IRWIN KNOXVILLE,TN 2 3-4
24 CHARLES TICHENOR WHEATON,MO 2 3-3
25 QUINT BOURGEOIS KNOXVILLE,TN 1 2-6
26 ROB NEWELL TALLAHASSEE,FL 1 2-3
27 KEITH BURDEN ST. PETERSBURG, FL 1 1-15
27 RICK GUNTER HOLLY HILL,FL 1 1-15
29 RICHARD PERSSON MIAMI,FL 1 1-11
30 T R FULLER AUBURN, AL 1 1-9
Uploaded: 9/23/1999
Uploaded: 9/23/1999