Meet the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup contenders
Seventy-eight of nation’s top bass pros vie for $500,000 payday, place in history
With the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup slated for Aug. 5-8 on Lake Lanier in Atlanta, the clock continues to tick toward the start of one of the most prestigious and exciting bass-fishing championships in the nation. In an effort to provide bass-fishing fans with a little more perspective and background on the competition, FLWOutdoors.com is launching a five-part series/overview of each of the 78 qualifying pros – one of whom will walk away with the title of Forrest Wood Cup champion.
With a guaranteed first-place prize of $500,000 on the line (as well as another $100,000 if the winning pro is Ranger Cup qualified), there is clearly plenty at stake in Atlanta. So without further ado, let’s meet the contenders.
(Editor’s note: Forrest Wood Cup competitors will be featured in alphabetical order. This is the first in a five-part series.)
2010 Forrest Wood Cup contenders
Todd Auten – Lake Wylie, S.C. Auten finished the 2010 season ranked 28th in the FLW Tour Angler of the Year standings after taking a two-year hiatus from the Tour. Auten has one career victory, nine top-10 finishes and has qualified for the Forrest Wood Cup three times. His most successful season on Tour was 2003, when he finished 13th in the Angler of the Year race. He has won more than $650,000 during his career. Auten qualified for the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup through the FLW Tour.
Chris Baumgardner – Gastonia, N.C. Baumgardner is making his fourth-consecutive Forrest Wood Cup appearance this year. His highest finish at the championship event came in 2008 when he came in fourth at Lake Murray. Baumgardner posted one top-10 finish during the 2010 FLW Tour season, finishing fourth at the Fort Loudoun-Tellico lakes event. Baumgardner has career totals of two tournament victories, 17 top-10 finishes and more than $1 million in career winnings. Baumgardner has qualified for the Forrest Wood Cup a total of six times and gained a berth in the 2010 Cup via the FLW Tour.
Greg Bohannan – Rogers, Ark. Bohannan is appearing in his third-straight Forrest Wood Cup. He placed 23rd at the 2009 Forrest Wood Cup on Three Rivers in Pittsburgh, Pa. Bohannan’s highest finish on the FLW Tour in 2010 came at Lake Ouachita – a 23rd-place effort. Bohannan has amassed almost $400,000 in career winnings and has three wins and 11 top-10 finishes in the past five years. Bohannan qualified for this year’s Cup through the FLW Series. This will be Bohannan’s third Cup appearance.
Terry Bolton – Jonesboro, Ark. Bolton will be making his ninth career appearance at the Forrest Wood Cup in 2010. Bolton has recorded three top-10 finishes in championship competition including a third-place finish in 2008 on Lake Murray. In Cup competition, he finished in sixth place in 1999 and fifth in 1997. Bolton recorded one top-10 finish in 2010 FLW Tour competition, a 10th-place effort at Lake Ouachita. He has almost garnered $750,000 in career winnings with two victories and 40 top-10 finishes to his credit. Bolton qualified for the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup through the FLW Series.
Glenn Browne – Ocala, Fla. This year will mark Browne’s fifth trip to the Forrest Wood Cup. Browne also netted his first FLW Tour win at Fort Loudoun-Tellico lakes last April. He finished 37th in the FLW Tour Angler of the Year race in 2010 and has been in the top-50 each year on Tour except in 2009 and 2005. His highest showing at the Forrest Wood Cup came in 2004 on Logan Martin Lake when he finished 10th. Browne has won more than $645,000 during his career and has three victories and 20 top-10 finishes. Browne qualified for this year’s Cup via the FLW Series.
Jason Christie – Park Hill, Okla. In 2010, Christie finished in the top 20 of the FLW Tour Angler of the Year standings for the second time in his three-year professional career. 2010 also marks his second trip to the Forrest Wood Cup. Christie’s only top-10 finish in 2010 came at Fort Loudoun-Tellico lakes where he placed eighth. He has earned more than $300,000 in career winnings and has recorded seven victories (six at the BFL level) and 28 top-10 finishes (four at the Tour level). Christie qualified for this year’s Cup through the FLW Series.
Luke Clausen – Gainesville, Ga. Clausen finished the 2010 FLW Tour season ranked 15th in the points race and is making his sixth Forrest Wood Cup appearance. Clausen also is one of five anglers who have won both the Forrest Wood Cup and the Bassmaster Classic. In 2004, during his Forrest Wood Cup debut, Clausen improbably walked away with the title and now will be one of six anglers looking for his second Cup victory. The Chevy pro ended the 2010 season with two top-10 finishes, Lake Ouachita (eighth) and Lake Guntersville (seventh). Clausen has more than $1 million dollars in career winnings, two victories and 11 top-10 finishes. Clausen qualified for the 2010 Cup through the FLW Series.
George Cochran – Hot Springs, Ark. Cochran is making his ninth Forrest Wood Cup appearance. He has two top-10 finishes in Cup competition, including a victory in 2005 on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Ark. He is also one of only five anglers to have won the Forrest Wood Cup and the Bassmaster Classic. “Gentleman George” has more than $1 million in career winnings and has posted two victories and seven top-10 finishes throughout his career. Cochran qualified for this year’s Cup via the FLW Tour.
Keith Combs – Del Rio, Texas Combs is making his second Forrest Wood Cup appearance in his three-year career. His 2010 Tour season was highlighted with two top-10 finishes, including a 10th-place effort at Lake Norman and a fifth-place showing at Lake Guntersville. Combs has improved each year on Tour finishing 73rd in 2008, 30th in 2009 and 13th in 2010 in the Angler of the Year race. Combs has already earned more than $335,000 and has 20 top-10 finishes, but has yet to secure a victory. Combs qualified for this year’s Cup through the FLW Series.
Jason Cordiale – Orinda, Calif. Cordiale finished fourth in the FLW Series National Guard Western Division Angler of the Year race in 2009 and has now qualified for his second Forrest Wood Cup. His previous appearance at the Cup was in 2005 as a co-angler, where he finished in 26th place at Lake Hamilton. Cordiale’s highest finish on the Tour was at Table Rock Lake in March where he finished 46th and his highest finish in FLW Series competition was 37th at Lake Shasta in January. Cordiale qualified for this year’s Cup through the FLW Series.
Rick Correa – Sherwood, Ore. Correa is appearing in his first Forrest Wood Cup. Correa arguably turned in the best performance of his career in 2009, registering an 11th-place finish on the Columbia River, a 31st-place finish on the Cal Delta and a 22nd-place effort on Clear Lake which helped him finish 16th overall in the FLW Series Western Division Angler of the Year standings. Correa qualified for this year’s Cup through the FLW Series.
Brandon Coulter – Knoxville, Tenn. Coulter is making his second Forrest Wood Cup appearance in his four years as a pro. His 2010 FLW Tour season was highlighted by a fifth-place finish on his hometown waters of Fort Loudoun-Tellico lakes. That result helped propel Coulter to his best-ever finish in the FLW Tour Angler of the Year race (21st). Coulter has won more than $140,000 and has posted four top-10 finishes during his career. Coulter qualified for the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup via the FLW Tour.
Ott Defoe – Knoxville, Tenn. Defoe has been fishing professionally for four years and has qualified for the Forrest Wood Cup four times. Defoe has one victory and 16 top-10 finishes during his career. His highest finish during the 2010 Tour season came at Fort Loudoun-Tellico lakes where he placed 28th. Defoe has never finished outside the top 40 in the Angler of the Year standings in his four years fishing the FLW Tour and has earned nearly $400,000 in winnings through FLW Outdoors events. Defoe qualified for the Cup through the American Fishing Series.
John Devere – Berea, Ky. Devere is making his fourth Forrest Wood Cup appearance in 2010. In 2007, Devere finished seventh in Cup competition on Lake Ouachita. Devere has fished 11 of his 15 tournament seasons in the BFL and has racked up more than $265,000 in career winnings with one victory and 17 top-10 finishes. His highest finish during the 2010 FLW Tour season came at Lake Norman (27th). Devere qualified for the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup via the FLW Tour.
David Dudley – Lynchburg, Va. Dudley cashed two checks in FLW Tour events this year, including a third-place finish at Lake Ouachita. Dudley currently sits first overall on the list of all-time FLW Outdoors’ money leaders with $2.47 million. The Castrol pro also boasts five wins and is making his 12th Forrest Wood Cup appearance. Among Dudley’s most impressive accomplishments were winning the 2003 Forrest Wood Cup on the James River and taking home the FLW Tour Angler of the Year title in 2008. He also is the youngest angler ever to surpass both the $1 million- and $2 million-mark in career earnings. Dudley qualified for the 2010 Cup via the FLW Tour.
Related links:
Meet the Forrest Wood Cup contenders II
Meet the Forrest Wood Cup contenders III