Dan Morehead has blown through the 2003 Wal-Mart FLW Tour like a freight train, and FLWOutdoors.com visitors have taken notice. Morehead picked up an FLW Tour win this season as well as a third-place finish on his way to the top of the points standings, a feat that earned him the 2003 Land O’Lakes Angler of the Year title. Now he can add one more lure to his cap: the people’s choice as the man expected to take home the championship crown.
Only time will tell whether the FLW Outdoors electorate correctly predicted the winner of the FLW Tour Championship, but the ballots have been cast, more than 25 percent of which were for Morehead. The Paducah, Ky., native has won the inaugural FLWOutdoors.com virtual championship.
Morehead finished first in 2003 points standings to emerge as the 2003 Land O’Lakes Angler of the Year. Morehead’s career year on the FLW Tour began with a third-place effort at the season opener on Lake Okeechobee and peaked with a $200,000 win at the Wal-Mart Open on Beaver Lake in April. He finished outside the top 25 only twice and finished in the money at all six regular-season events. The win was Morehead’s second victory on the FLW Tour and is one of 18 top-10 finishes in three FLW Outdoors tournament trails. He has fished the FLW Tour since its inception in 1996 and has earned over $500,000 via the FLW Tour, the EverStart Series and the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League. He is making his fifth championship appearance.
Breakdown of the 12 virtual championship finalists
The polls are for entertainment only and have no bearing on the actual FLW Tour Championship competition.
1. Dan Morehead (25.94% of total votes)
2. Tommy Biffle (19.07%)
3. Rick Clunn (14.19%)
4. Kevin VanDam (11.97%)
5. David Dudley (9.09%)
6. Dion Hibdon (6.43%)
7. Aaron Martens (4.88%)
8. Wesley Strader (3.10%)
9. George Cochran (2%)
10. Kelly Jordon (1.55%)
11. Mickey Bruce (0.89%)
12. Rob Kilby (0.89%)