Virtual Championship 2006: Bracket 6
Opening round – Bracket 6: Bennett vs. Hibdon
Virtual Championship 2006
Opening round – Bracket 6: Bennett vs. Hibdon
Another exciting season of tour-level pro bass fishing drew to a close in record-smashing fashion last week on Lake Champlain, leaving only the Wal-Mart FLW Tour Championship on the horizon before 2006 is etched forever in the history books. FLWOutdoors.com will once again host its own “virtual championship” – a featured daily poll where readers can make their own picks and weigh in on who they think will be crowned champion during the Aug. 2-5 year-ending event on Logan Martin Lake in Birmingham, Ala.
In the days leading up to the championship, FLWOutdoors.com will ask readers to vote on who they think will advance in each of the daily bracket challenges (polls are located on the right-hand side of the FLW Outdoors and FLW Tour home pages). After each day’s votes are tabulated, the virtual championship bracket will be immediately updated to reflect the readers’ choices.
Will fishing fans correctly forecast the winner of this year’s championship? Vote each day to support your favorite qualified angler and to learn more about the 48 pros who will actually compete on Logan Martin Lake for a top prize of $500,000.
Today’s featured bracket matchup: Michael Bennett (No. 6) vs. Dion Hibdon (No. 43)
Michael Bennett – No. 6 seed: One would think that being a 22-year-old on the toughest bass tour in the world would be a daunting task. Not so for Roseville, Calif., pro Michael Bennett. In just his second season competing on the FLW Tour, Bennett has already racked up over $97,000 in earnings, including a second-place finish on Wheeler Lake in 2005. This season steadiness was the ticket for Bennett, as he cashed a check in all but one of the six qualifying tour stops. In fact, in four of the six qualifying events, Bennett walked away with a $10,000 check. His 928 points were sixth best among a field of the best bass anglers in the world. At this year’s championship Bennett has the chance to become the youngest winner in FLW Tour Championship history.
Dion Hibdon – No. 43 seed: After five qualifying tournaments, veteran pro Dion Hibdon was languishing in 75th place in the 2006 FLW Tour points race. He knew that in order to qualify for the 2006 FLW Tour Championship, he would need an amazing performance on legendary Lake Champlain. While Lake Champlain is notorious for having some of the best smallmouth fishing in the country, Hibdon, who has earned over $650,000 in his career, chose to target big largemouths in the grass. The Stover, Mo., pro made the hour-long run south each day to the shallow Ticonderoga, N.Y., area of the lake. The plan worked brilliantly as Hibdon bagged over 40 pounds during the opening round and finished with a fourth-place check for $25,000, and more importantly the championship berth he coveted. Hibdon who won the 2000 FLW Tour Championship on the Red River, now has the unique opportunity to become the first angler in history to win the championship twice in his career.
Virtual Championship 2006 (click the link for complete details and poll results)
Wal-Mart FLW Tour Championship 2006 (click the link for more information)
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