For three days it was Buddy Gross vs. everyone else. Then he made it very interesting on Day 4.
A rookie on the FLW Tour, Gross had a 15-pound lead going into the final day of the tour event on Lake Pickwick. Basically, everything would have to go wrong for him to lose. Then, almost everything went wrong.
Gross’ magic stretch of eel grass suddenly stopped producing, as did a couple other offshore areas he’d located. A day after coming in more than an hour early due to a big bag, Gross checked-in with only two fish.
Fortunately for him, the day was tough for most everyone, and his massive lead was able to hold off his travel partner, Michael Neal, for the victory.
Of course, with Gross being a rookie he hasn’t qualified for our Majors Ranking. Neal certainly has, though. The offshore stud is now ranked in the top 50 (46th) and should only continue to rise with Kentucky Lake coming up in a few weeks.
Yet, the biggest news in the rankings this week is the new No. 1 – John Cox. After finishing runner-up as Angler of the Year last year, he’s again in the running this year and fresh off a 21st-place finish over the weekend. Meanwhile, Scott Martin’s 114th finish at Pickwick was his worst finish in a Major tournament since 2011. That slipped him to No. 2, with former No. 1 Andy Morgan nipping at his heels.
