AOY UPDATE: Nelson, Villa in points deadlock after Day 2 on Potomac
MARBURY, Md. – T-H Marine Stop 5 at the Potomac River continues to look like it will bring some significant changes to the Angler of the Year race for the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals. Ron Nelson, who has had a stranglehold on the top spot in the standings since the second event of the season, appears to be in some jeopardy of relinquishing his lead, as he remains in an unofficial tie with event leader Martin Villa. Meanwhile, a new angler who started the tournament outside the Top 10 has moved to eighth in the unofficial standings.
There’s a lot on the line in the AOY competition this year. The top eight points-earners will receive an invitation to join the Bass Pro Tour next year, while the winner will also earn a berth in REDCREST 2024.
After each day of the tournament, we’re taking a look at how the action could impact the AOY chase and the push to qualify for the BPT. Here are the biggest movers from Day 2.
Villa takes event lead, but Nelson hangs tough
Even though he hails from nearby Charlottesville, Virginia, Villa said at Sunday’s weigh-in that the Potomac was one of the venues he feared most on this year’s circuit.
He showed during Day 2 that there was nothing to be afraid of, leaping into first place in the standings with his limit of 15 pounds, 7 ounces. That has him 1-5 clear of second-place Nick Hatfield.
Villa could be positioning himself not only to secure his first win on the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals but to climb atop the AOY standings if his success continues on Day 3. Were the event to end today, Villa would be in an unofficial points tie with Nelson for first place but would still trail Nelson in the tiebreaker (determined by weight). Nelson leads Villa by more than 25 pounds in cumulative weight for the season. The standings won’t officially update until the conclusion of the tournament on Monday.
That nonetheless gives Villa two potential avenues to secure a spot in REDCREST, as both the winner of Stop 5 and the Angler of the Year will gain entry into the championship field, where $300,000 will be on offer for first place.
Nelson, meanwhile, held serve Sunday, improving his standing from 50th place after Day 1 to 45th through two days. The fact that he qualified for the final day could prove pivotal, as there’s plenty of opportunity for him to move up further. He’s less than 2 pounds out of the Top 25.
Neal still stalking three-peat
Did anyone really think Michael Neal wouldn’t at least factor into the AOY race? After taking home the trophy each of the past two years on the Pro Circuit, Neal entered this event in fifth place in the standings. He’s positioned to climb after adding a 17-pound limit to his 15-11 Day 1 bag for a total of 32-11, which has him in third place.
Neal also now sits third in the unofficial AOY standings, just 16 points out of the lead. He’s shown the past two seasons that he’s at his best when the pressure is on late in the season, so an unprecedented three-peat isn’t out of the question.
Buck salvages spot in top eight
Perhaps the most surprising result from Saturday was Grae Buck’s tough outing. The Green Lane, Pennsylvania, native entered Stop 5 in fourth in the AOY race and had as much experience on the Potomac as just about anyone in the field – yet he sat in 141st place out of 150 anglers after weighing a Day 1 limit of 7-13.
Buck rebounded in a big way Sunday, sacking up 15-12. While that wasn’t enough to get him into the Top 50, it did salvage his chances at earning a BPT berth. Buck, who slid to 13th in the unofficial standings yesterday, now finds himself in sixth.
He’ll need to finish the season strong at the Upper Mississippi River. But if Buck does indeed earn a BPT invite, he’ll remember the Day 2 rally as a major reason why.
Another Robinson destined for the BPT?
Marshall Robinson has followed in the footsteps of his father, BPT angler Marty Robinson, by embarking on a pro fishing career of his own, taking on the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals at age 19.
He just might follow Pops all the way to the top tour.
The younger Robinson sacked up 17-7 on Day 2, which tied for the biggest bag of the day. That was enough to vault him from 111th place all the way to 28th at Stop 5.
Perhaps more importantly, it also lifted the younger Robinson to eighth in the unofficial points race. Robinson, who entered the tournament in 16th, will need another strong day to keep that position, as he holds a lead of just 4 points over Jim Moynagh. Moynagh, 11th, will also have a chance to improve his position on the final day.
Standings Update
If Stop 5 ended today, the Top 10 in the AOY standings would be as follows:
- Ron Nelson — 933 points
- Martin Villa — 933
- Michael Neal — 917
- Keith Carson — 906
- Matthew Stefan — 874
- Grae Buck — 828
- Joshua Weaver — 824
- Marshall Robinson — 808
- Jim Moynagh — 804
- Nick Hatfield — 795