WON BASS Press Release
It took landing a haymaker blow in the opening
round, then dodging opponents punches for him to do it, but Clifford Pirch
today claimed his third WON Bass Nitro Boats / Mercury U.S. Open victory. The
win joins him with Mike Folkestad and Aaron martens as the only individuals to
have won the West's most prestigious bass fishing event a trio of times.
"I'm speechless right now, especially after
being so close the last two years," said the Payson, Ariz. pro. "I
really didn't think that I had produced enough weight to hold on, but it feels
great to pull through, and I'm especially blessed to have been so fortunate to
win this event three times; I'm completely humbled right now."
 |
| Pirch at elite level with 3rd win. (Photo: WON BASS) |
Pirch opened the event by landing a giant uppercut
to the field when he weighed in a 15.49-pound limit that gave him almost a four
pound lead after the first day. He decided to play it safe in the second round
and stayed closer to the Calville Bay takeoff area trying to conserve equipment
and avoid disappointment by making a big gamble. That move resulted in a
7.80-pound limit that left the door open to competitors to overtake him.
However, he entered the final day with a two-pound lead.
He decided to make a sizeable run to the back of
the Overton Arm to target dirty runoff and debris that had resulted from
upstream monsoons and flash floods. It was an area that he had saved for the
final day, and it took a while for his bite to develop, but he connected with
fish that had moved downstream and caught more than 25 keepers en route to an
8.19-pound limit that left him nervous.
But, one by one, his competitors faltered, and when
the last two anglers who had the best shot to defeat him reported in with no
fish; Pirch had won the 2014 WON Bass Nitro Bots / Mercury U.S. Open with a
total weight of 31.26 pounds. The victory earned him a brand new Nitro Z8 /
Mercury prize package valued at $37,000 and $50,000 cash.
"It was a tournament where I had to do a lot
of different things to produce the right bites; I had to change with the
conditions," he said. "I really wasn't sure how it was going to turn
out today, but I'm blessed and honored to have won this event."
Todd Woods of San Dimas, Calif. held steady for
most of the week and produced a total weight of 28.70 pounds to finish in
second place. Third place finisher Gabe Bolivar; from Ramona, Calif. actually
sat on the Costa Hot Seat as the current leader for nearly half of today's
weigh-in with 28.49 before being eclipsed by Woods. Dixon, California's Brett
Leber slipped one more place, but his steady showing over the three days earned
him fourth place with 26.54. Finally, the top five was rounded out by two-time
U.S. Open winner John Murray, who posted nearly a 10-pound stringer to move up
from 25th place with a total weight of 25.80 pounds.
The AAA winner was Alex Centner of Gilbert Ariz.
who teamed with pro partner Bobby Lanham from Cave Creek, Ariz. to produce the
largest stringer of the event; a massive 16.06-limit that also included the big
fish of the day. The performance was enough to catapult him from 39th place to
victory. Centner will receive more than $10,000 and a St. Croix Rods prize
package valued at more than $1,000
By virtue of being the highest finishing pro without
a sunglass sponsorship; second place finisher Woods will receive the Costa
sponsorship package which includes a full wrap, jerseys, 10 pairs of Costa
Sunglasses and paid entry fees into the 2015 California Open at Clear Lake as
well as the 2015 WON Bass U.S. Open. The package is valued at $10,000.
The WON Bass Nitro Boats / Mercury U.S. Open was
hosted at Callville Bay Marina on the shores of Lake Mead, and the action was
brought live via the Costa See What's Out There Live event coverage at www.wonbass.com.
The WON Bass Nitro Boats / Mercury Marine U.S. Open Live Webcast was
presented by Costa Sunglasses, the event was also brought to you by Nitro
Boats, Mercury Outboards, Costa Sunglasses, Bass Pro Shops, Bridgford Foods, Daiwa,
Seaguar, Plano Molding, Cousins Tackle, YoZuri, Pro Mar, Eagle Claw TroKar,
Lowrance, St.Croix Rods, Frabill, Okuma, Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits, Reactor,
Zip Baits, Big Hammer, Fishing for Adoption, Global Fish Mounts, A&M
Graphics, Savage Gear and Storm
2014 U.S. Open Final Standings - Pro Division
Place
|
Name
|
Hometown
|
Big Fish
|
Total
|
||
1
|
Clifford Pirch
|
Payson AZ
|
6.49
|
31.26
|
||
2
|
Todd Woods
|
San Dimas CA
|
2.86
|
28.7
|
||
3
|
Gabe Bolivar
|
Ramona CA
|
2.52
|
28.46
|
||
4
|
Brett Allen Leber
|
Dixon CA
|
4.03
|
26.54
|
||
5
|
John Murray
|
Phoenix AZ
|
3.72
|
25.8
|
||
6
|
Tony Lain
|
Menifee CA
|
2.22
|
25.33
|
||
7
|
Scott Davis
|
Preston ID
|
25.25
|
|||
8
|
Joe Uribe, Jr.
|
Surprise AZ
|
2.7
|
24.67
|
||
9
|
Pete Marino
|
Moreno Valley CA
|
2.44
|
24.66
|
||
10
|
Luke Clausen
|
24.59
|
||||
11
|
Randy Blaukat
|
Joplin MO
|
3
|
24.54
|
||
12
|
Chris Bozarth
|
Henderson NV
|
2.82
|
24.13
|
||
13
|
Wade Strelic
|
El Cajon CA
|
2
|
23.84
|
||
14
|
Bill O'Shinn
|
Bakersfield CA
|
3.47
|
23.76
|
||
15
|
Scott Canterbury
|
2.83
|
23.72
|
|||
16
|
Johnny Johnson
|
Lakeside AZ
|
23.45
|
|||
17
|
Bobby Lanham
|
Cave Creek AZ
|
5.1
|
23.33
|
||
18
|
Chris Studinger
|
San Marcos CA
|
2.29
|
23.24
|
||
19
|
Bill Brown
|
Grand Junction CO
|
3.16
|
23.06
|
||
20
|
Jesse Slaton
|
Klamath Falls OR
|
22.7
|
|||
21
|
Brent James
|
St George UT
|
3.7
|
22.45
|
||
22
|
Jay Yelas
|
Carvallis OR
|
2.92
|
22.42
|
||
23
|
Jimmy Reese
|
Ukiah CA
|
2
|
22.32
|
||
24
|
Chris Kinley
|
Lake Havasue City AZ
|
3.79
|
22.29
|
||
25
|
Robert Lee
|
Altaville CA
|
22.17
|
|||
26
|
Donnie Scroggins
|
Kingman AZ
|
3.12
|
22
|
||
27
|
Paul Hodges
|
Glendale AZ
|
21.89
|
|||
28
|
Kevin Stewart
|
Elk Grove CA
|
21.8
|
|||
29
|
Jim Jared
|
Dolan Springs AZ
|
3.49
|
21.65
|
||
30
|
Todd Herman
|
Gilbert AZ
|
2.24
|
21.24
|
||
31
|
Jim Moynagh
|
Carver MN
|
2.26
|
21.2
|
||
32
|
Zack Holwerda
|
Phoenix AZ
|
4.47
|
21.02
|
||
33
|
Joseph Raftery
|
Las Vegas NV
|
2.52
|
20.92
|
||
34
|
John Mackey
|
Boulder City NV
|
20.84
|
|||
35
|
Jon Griffith
|
Mesa AZ
|
20.81
|
|||
36
|
Gary Dobyns
|
Live Oak CA
|
20.76
|
|||
37
|
Zachary Elrite
|
San Jose CA
|
3.33
|
20.55
|
||
38
|
Cody Compton
|
Palisade CO
|
3.8
|
20.5
|
||
39
|
Philip Roesener
|
Parowan UT
|
4.16
|
20.22
|
||
40
|
Brent Becker
|
Henderson NV
|
19.9
|
|||
41
|
Tommy Jonovich
|
Phoenix AZ
|
19.87
|
|||
42
|
Douglas Minor
|
Riverside CA
|
19.86
|
|||
43
|
Tom Leedom
|
Escondido CA
|
19.84
|
|||
44
|
Keith Beever
|
Mission Viejo CA
|
19.78
|
|||
45
|
Douglas Jones
|
North Las vegas NV
|
2.12
|
19.72
|
||
46
|
Shawn Lee
|
Arroyo Grande CA
|
2.93
|
19.71
|
||
47
|
Scott Helleson
|
Whittier CA
|
2.28
|
19.5
|
||
48
|
Garrett Howard
|
Riverside CA
|
2.66
|
19.45
|
||
49
|
Cody Spetz
|
Menifee CA
|
2.47
|
19.42
|
||
50
|
Keith Espe
|
Phoenix AZ
|
3.33
|
19.27
|
||
51
|
Klayton Belden
|
El Cajon CA
|
19.22
|
|||
52
|
Neil Flores
|
Menifee CA
|
2.3
|
19.13
|
||
53
|
Rusty Salewske
|
Alpine CA
|
19.03
|
|||
54
|
Andy Manahl
|
Mesa AZ
|
2.76
|
19.02
|
||
55
|
Adam East
|
San Diego CA
|
19
|
|||
56
|
Ken Whalen
|
Lompoc CA
|
18.95
|
|||
57
|
Mike Brillhart
|
Waddell AZ
|
2.54
|
18.87
|
||
58
|
George Kramer
|
Lake Elsinore CA
|
2.49
|
18.82
|
||
59
|
Travis Richards
|
Henderson NV
|
2.44
|
18.61
|
||
60
|
Gary Pinholster
|
Lake Havasu City AZ
|
4.84
|
18.39
|
||
61
|
Guy Savidan
|
Yorba Linda CA
|
18.35
|
|||
62
|
Andrew Napoleon
|
Mesa AZ
|
18.31
|
|||
62
|
John Weisfuss
|
Oxnard CA
|
1.92
|
18.31
|
||
64
|
Kyle Grover
|
Trabuco Canyon CA
|
2.18
|
18.22
|
||
65
|
Cody Meyer
|
Grass Valley CA
|
18.2
|
|||
66
|
Marco Valdez
|
Richland WA
|
18.12
|
|||
67
|
John Morrow
|
Brea CA
|
3.25
|
18.09
|
||
68
|
Jiggs Benn
|
Myrtle Creek OR
|
17.77
|
|||
69
|
Mike Rennie
|
Pioche NV
|
1.91
|
17.73
|
||
70
|
Steven Bowlin
|
Coolidge AZ
|
17.53
|
|||
71
|
Jay Guterding
|
Redding CA
|
17.46
|
|||
71
|
William "Billy" Skinner
|
Carlsbad CA
|
17.46
|
|||
73
|
Marco Fenelli
|
San Diego CA
|
2.26
|
17.16
|
||
74
|
Kody "Bucky" Leigh
|
Yuma AZ
|
17.07
|
|||
75
|
Jeff Rutt
|
Winchester CA
|
17.01
|
|||
76
|
Mike Folkestad
|
Villa Park CA
|
16.98
|
|||
77
|
Don Iovino
|
Burbank CA
|
3.82
|
16.94
|
||
78
|
Mike Caruso
|
Peoria AZ
|
16.92
|
|||
79
|
Shaun Bailey
|
Lake Havasu City AZ
|
16.78
|
|||
80
|
Ed Arledge
|
Valley Center CA
|
16.73
|
|||
81
|
Kevin Caruso
|
Glendale AZ
|
16.72
|
|||
82
|
Danny Moraga
|
Hesperia CA
|
1.99
|
16.69
|
||
83
|
Peter Manfrina
|
Lompoc CA
|
2.62
|
16.67
|
||
84
|
Daniel Price II
|
San Diego CA
|
16.64
|
|||
85
|
Dick Watson
|
Alta Loma CA
|
3.37
|
16.5
|
||
86
|
Rusty Brown
|
Tustin CA
|
16.45
|
|||
87
|
Don Gage
|
Grizzly Flats CA
|
16.41
|
|||
88
|
Roy Hawk
|
Lake Havasu City AZ
|
16.35
|
|||
89
|
Josh Bertrand
|
Gilbert AZ
|
16.3
|
|||
90
|
Gunnar Stanton
|
Boulder City NV
|
16.26
|
|||
91
|
Justin Patti
|
Phoenix AZ
|
16.18
|
|||
92
|
||||||
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