Scott R Chilcutt, Austin, TX (August, 2, 2015) The Texas Masters at Barton Creek welcomed players to the final Major Championship weekend before the National Championship and Senior National Championship break. Texas Tour members, while a majority of the field, proved the local Austin, TX layout will be hard to come from out of state to take home the hardware. In the 12 flights, all champions are members of one of the
three Texas Tours and only three players out of 36 in the top three, were visiting tour members.
Players in the field, contributed to the 50/50 raffle, raising more than $1300 for thee Feherty's Troops First Foundation.
RESULTS:
Championship Flight: One stroke back after the Saturday round, Gant Bills of Plano, TX, made up some ground on the Fazio Foothills course, with another four birdies to go with five the day before, but only enough ground to force a three way playoff. Trophy Club, TX, player Andrew Braun, just outside of the final pairing made the biggest move, with four birdies of his own on the day. First round leader, Cory Montgomery of Oklahoma City, OK, looked to have things locked up with two birdies and a -1 on the front, ran into trouble making the turn, but finished the last three holes even to get into the playoff mix. On the first hole of the playoff, back to the par 4 - 10th, Bills would settle the Championship with a birdie to pick up his third win in his first season on tour. Braun and Montgomery, both Major Champions in the 2015 points season would share the runner up spot.
Senior Championship Flight: Recently promoted after his Senior Palmer Championship at the June Srixon Championship, Robert Lippert of Copperas Cove, TX, kept the ball rolling. Lippert, with five birdies on the weekend, picked up his sixth win on the season, including three Major Championships. Sugar Land, TX resident, Gordon Wagner carded an eagle at the par 5 - 15th on Sunday to make a run at the Championship, but fell short by the three strokes he started the day behind. It was Wagner's second runner up at a Major this season. Sean Fenton of Fort Worth, TX made his Senior National Championship bid more official, with two birdies on the weekend rounding out the top three.
Palmer Flight: Dave Davlin of San Antonio, TX, led the field wire to wire to back up his Championship at the 2014 Texas Masters at Barton Creek. It was Davlin's, seventeenth win on tour and fourth Major Championship. Lewisville, TX player Clay Johnston, came from eight strokes back after his first round on the Fazio layout to share the runner up honors with Tony Eno of Austin, TX.
Senior Palmer Flight: Dusty Rhodes of Deer Park, TX, manhandled the field from the very start. Starting the final round, four strokes ahead, Rhodes widened the gap on Sunday, picking up his first win on the season, seventh on tour and fourth Major Championship. Vidor, TX, resident, Robert Corbello jumped from a first round third place position into the runner up spot, with three birdies on the day, while Michael Fee of Mansfield, TX, made his own move, with two birdies on the Sunday round to round out the top three.
Hogan Flight: Converse, TX, player, Ronnie Davis started the final round on the Crenshaw Cliffside course, three strokes out of the lead, but used his knowledge of the greens to close out the championship by two strokes. For Davis, it was his third Major Championship on tour, all coming at the Texas Masters, where in 2011 he won at TPC San Antonio and 2009 when the event was contested only on the Crenshaw course at Barton Creek. Playing in his first year on tour, Clift Dempsey of Catersville, GA became only one of three players outside the state of Texas to finish in the top three. A winner earlier in the year at the Srixon Championship at La Cantera, Rene Realme of San Antonio, TX, shot the flight's low round of the weekend to finish out the top three.
Senior Hogan Flight: George Smith of Magnolia, TX, held a slim two stroke overnight lead, just ahead of Scott Harris of Fort Worth, TX. Making the final turn of the event, Smith moved ahead another stroke, but found trouble on two of his final eight holes to open the door for more holes. Back out to the #10 hole on the Fazio Course, Smith would kick back into gear for a par and his first win at a Major and fifth on tour. Harris would finish in the runner up spot, bettering his third place finish at the Arkansas Championship, with Wimberly, TX, player John Hilgers carding a flight low round for the third place finish.
Sarazen Flight: Boerne, TX, member, Rudy Cantu followed his Major win at the Srixon Championship @ La Cantera, for his second major in as many attempts and fourth win on tour this points season. Cantu, starting the final round on the tenth hole, overtook first round leader, Preston Miller of Fort Worth, TX, on the front nine and never looked back. College Station, TX, resident, Rick Smalley started the day, nine strokes out of the lead, making up ground to card the show place finish.
Senior Sarazen Flight: Five strokes back after the Saturday round on the Fazio layout, Richmond, TX, player Greg Faubion, recorded the low flight round of the weekend on the Crenshaw course with the help of a birdie on the par 3 - 17th to grab his first Major Championship, third win of the season and fourth on tour. Charles Sagray of San Antonio, TX, and Houston Tour member, Mark Kirby of Bridge City, TX, both with a pair of birdies on the weekend shared the runner up honors.
Jones Flight: Leader in the clubhouse after the Saturday round, Doyle Fleming of Haslet, TX looked to give up that lead after the par 5 - 16th, but followed with a birdie on the par 3 - 17th, which proved to be just enough for the Championship. It was the third win on the season and second Major Championship after winning early in the year at Horseshoe Bay. Spring, TX, member Joe Armstrong, finished just one stroke back, equaling his best finish on tour. Sitting near the bottom of the leader-board after round 1, James Price of Portland, TX bounced back to round out the top three on the Crenshaw layout.
Senior Jones Flight: Four strokes out of the overnight lead, Cathay McGee of Houston, TX, made up just enough of the deficit to go to extra holes with Cypress, TX member Lee Isham. On the first playoff hole, McGee would make par to pick up her second Major Championship after winning the 2014 Pinehurst Amateur. For Isham it solidified his Senior National Championship spot, with the pair of Marcy Glidden of Brookshire, TX and Wesley Chappel, FL, traveler, Micki Cuppett sharing the third place finish.
Snead Flight: William Speck of Corpus Christi, TX, made it three in a row and four out of the last five, including the Major, Srixon Championship @ La Cantera his last time out. Starting the day seven strokes back, Speck shot the low round of the flight on Sunday to finish two strokes ahead of Bobby Ashcraft of San Antonio, TX. San Angelo, TX first year player, Douglas Taylor grabbed the final podium spot.
Senior Snead Flight: Houston, TX, player Ray Bednar led from start to finish over the flight for his third win on the season and first Major Championship. Bednar ended the championship, six strokes clear of Boerne, TX member Tom Hill with Carl Eaton of Conroe, TX taking the third place finish.
Upcoming Texas Events:
Players scramble for National Championship qualification and Year End Flight Champion awards as the points season winds down.
The double points and double prize fund event at the Tour Championship where spots are filling up quickly for the Saturday, August 15th and Sunday August 16th, Houston Tour Championship @ Blackhorse. Registration deadline is Friday, August 7th, but is sure to sell out before then.
TPC San Antonio, The AT&T Oaks Course, closes the Hill Country season on Sunday, August 9th at the Hill Country Tour Championship. Entries are closed, but potential spots are available on the waiting list.
The Tribute Golf Links, closed since the floods in late May, should be in excellent conditions for the Dallas Tour Championship on August 22nd and 23rd.
For More Information:
Scott R Chilcutt
Director - Texas Tours
Dallas Tour - Hill Country Tour - Houston Tour
GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour
405.513.1467
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