Co-angler Hendricks wins consecutive Wal-Mart FLW Tour titles, $40,000
ROGERS, Ark. – Yamaha pro Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., is the top qualifier heading into the $1 million Wal-Mart Open’s final round after landing five bass weighing 10 pounds, 15 ounces Friday, but all eyes are on Kellogg’s pro Clark Wendlandt of Cedar Park, Texas, who is still in the hunt for a third Wal-Mart Open win.
If he pulls off a win, it would be Wendlandt’s third in the last four years and a new Wal-Mart FLW Tour record. Wendlandt conquered the Wal-Mart Open in 1999 and again in 2001. In 2000, he finished 10th. His earnings from Beaver Lake over that three-year span total $380,000. A win this year would put another $210,000 in his pocket and boost his career Wal-Mart FLW Tour earnings to nearly $910,000 – another tour record. Wendlandt also holds the record for most semifinal round advances with 16.
The two-time Land O’Lakes Angler of the Year will have to overcome stiff competition from Rojas and other tour veterans to put another Wal-Mart Open notch in his belt Saturday.
Rojas advanced to Friday’s semifinal round in 11th place after landing eight bass weighing 17 pounds, 2 ounces in the two-day opening round. Wendlandt was the No. 1 qualifier going into the semifinal round with a two-day total of nine bass weighing 20 pounds, and while Rojas jumped into the lead, he slid to second Friday with five bass weighing 9 pounds, 14 ounces.
Contrary to his usually soft-spoken nature, Wendlandt is exuding confidence going into the finals. “This lake has been great to me. I like the people here, and I’m comfortable,” he said. “I’m catching fish sight-fishing, and that has been working pretty well for me. If it rains, I have a couple of other patterns working, too. I like my chances, and I’m looking forward to it. I’ve won here before doing the exact same thing.”
Rounding out the top five finalists are Jeffrey Thomas of Broadway, N.C. (five bass, 8 pounds, 4 ounces); Rob Harty of Sachse, Texas (five bass, 8 pounds, 3 ounces); and Mark Pack of Mineola, Texas, (four bass, 7 pounds, 15 ounces).
Castrol pro Darrel Robertson of Jay, Okla., earned the Energizer Power to Keep Going and Going award Friday for advancing to the finals in eighth place after finishing 24th on opening day. Wendlandt landed the Shop-Vac High Performance award for the heaviest total catch during the first three days of competition with 14 bass weighing 29 pounds, 14 ounces.
Co-angler Bobby Hendricks of Bullard, Texas, won $40,000 cash plus a $500 Castrol bonus Friday with two bass weighing 4 pounds, 1 ounce. The win comes just one month after Hendricks won the Wal-Mart FLW Tour stop on Arkansas’ Lake Ouachita, making him the tour’s first back to back tournament winner. His winnings for the two events total more than $55,000.
William Drown of Roseland, Fla. (three bass, 3 pounds, 15 ounces, $20,000); Donald Toss of Newport News, Va. (two bass, 3 pounds, 11 ounces, $10,000); Vandy Cameron of Rogers, Ark. (two bass, 3 pounds, 9 ounces, $9,000); and Frank Divis Sr. of Fayetteville, Ark., (two bass, 2 pounds, 6 ounces, $8,000) rounded out the top five co-anglers.
Overall, 92 bass weighing 144 pounds, 6 ounces were caught Friday including seven five-bass limits.
The original field of 350 anglers included 175 pros and 175 co-anglers representing 30 states and Japan. The top 20 pros and co-anglers started Friday’s semifinal round from zero. The top 10 pros start from zero again Saturday, fishing for the heaviest one-day, five-bass weight.
Saturday’s final takeoff from Prairie Creek Marina in Rogers starts at 6:05 a.m. The final weigh-in at the Wal-Mart located at 2110 West Walnut in Rogers starts at 2 p.m. A Family Fun Zone in the Wal-Mart parking lot opens at 11 a.m. Some of the nation’s top anglers will be in the Fun Zone signing autographs and giving fishing advice. There are also children’s games to entertain the family. The weigh-in and a portion of the Fun Zone are housed inside a tent that can be heated or cooled in case of inclement weather. Admission is free.