Kerrville Championship - Comanche Trace

Scott R Chilcutt, Kerrville, TX (February 25, 2017)   A favorite tour stop, early in the year, players from around the state and country traveled to The Club @ Comanche Trace for the Golf Channel AM Tour Kerrville Championship.   

Kerrville, TX is nestled in the Texas Hill Country, just northwest of San Antonio along the Guadalupe River is home to the private The Club of Comanche Trace.  Weather often can be tough in late February, but this installment welcomed players to clear skies, breezy and cool.  Smooth bentgrass greens running moderately fast, challenged players to either get to the right side of the hole or make some phenomenal putts.  

The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $460, bringing the Texas Tour local events total to $1,750 in contributions to the Foundation.

RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  With four birdies on the day, Mark Miller of Spring Branch, TX, became a three-time winner at Comanche Trace.  With the victory, Miller extended his tour wins to 26, with two on the points season.  Three strokes back, San Antonio, TX, member Omar Ochoa, playing in his second event on tour, grabbed the runner-up finish.  Kevin Williams of Odessa, TX, back on tour after sitting out since 2012, rounded out the top three.

Palmer Flight:  First-time tour player, Paul Gorman of Schertz, TX, shot a +2 on his back nine with the help of a birdie on the par 5 - 13th, which proved to be just enough to pick up the championship.  Two strokes back, Fair Oaks Ranch, TX, member Chad Maytubby, picked up his best finish on tour landing the runner-up finish, with Charles Campbell of San Antonio, TX, a winner his last time out, taking the show place finish.

Senior Palmer Flight:  A Member since the 2010 season on the Golf Channel AM Tour, Chris Phillips of Richmond, TX, notched his belt in a new way on Saturday. With nine previous wins on tour, Phillips claimed his tenth win and first as a Senior Palmer after a promotion just before the 2016 Senior National Championship.  Two strokes back, Cedar Park, TX, resident Mike Harkins finished all alone in second with four players tied up in third, another two strokes back.  Mark Mueller, of Snyder, TX, with two birdies, Iraan, TX member, a winner his last time out, Doug Collins, Oklahoma Tour Member, Richard Cordis of Edmond, OK and San Angelo, TX, player Chuck Odom, with an eagle and two birdies on the round, all shared the third place honors.

Hogan Flight:  Jesse Guerra of San Antonio, TX, made the best of three birdies on his round to command a six-stroke advantage for his first win on tour.  Fellow San Antonio resident, Rene Realme, a winner his last time out at the Golf Club of Houston, finished in the runner-up spot with two birdies on his card.  Universal City, TX, player JD Schott, with a birdie 2 on the par 3 - 12th, rounded out the top three.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Starting the day on the tenth hole, Kyle Lewie of Waco, TX, looked to have things under control, making the turn with at +1 but opened the door for San Antonio, TX, player Paul Wuerdeman coming to the clubhouse,  forcing a sudden death playoff.  Back to the first hole, Wuerdeman would make par to grab his thirteenth win on tour and first of the season. Gary Grizzle and two-time winner of the points season, and Portland, TX, member Timothy VanLandingham split the third place finish.

Sarazen Flight:  Mark Tylenda, of Dallas, TX, birdied his final hole of the day to secure his fourth win of the season and second in as many attempts.  Starting his second year on tour, Tylenda has been gradually improving his handicap and finishes, clearing second-place finisher, Cody Prescott of Floresville, TX, by four strokes.  Leander, TX, resident, Joshua Douglas, rounded out the top three.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Taking a break from the tour since last July, Steve Hamilton of Leander, TX, came back with his winning ways, recording his fifth win starting his third year on tour.  Live Oak, TX, member Richard Huyck carded his best finish on tour since the 2014 season, just one stroke back.  Kent Mccord, of Odessa, TX, and Clive, IA, traveler Mike Murray shared the third place finish.

Jones Flight:  With two players tied for the lead in the clubhouse, it looked like it would take a low back nine for Jay Mills of Austin, TX, to eliminate the need for a playoff. And did he go low! Mills recorded three consecutive birdies, en route to a +1, back nine to pick up the championship with a four-stroke lead.  Bobby Ashcraft of San Antonio, TX, and Austin, TX, player Christopher Cobb would settle for a share of the second place finish.

Senior Jones Flight:  Lloyd C Reid, JR, made a mess of his ninth hole of the day, the par 5 - 18th but didn't let it get him off course.  With a +2 back nine with the help of consecutive birdies, Reid would go on to win the flight by six strokes, picking up his tenth win on tour.  Larry Harper of San Antonio, TX, carded his second runner-up finish of the year to go with a win, with Oak Ridge North, TX member Terry Collins rounding out the top three.

Snead Flight:  The Woodlands, TX, member Chris Blackwell, playing in his fourth tournament on tour, picked up his first win.  Blackwell with a birdie on the par 3 - 17th, finished five strokes clear of Dan OShea of Copperas Cove, TX.  Three strokes back of OShea, Mark Colwell of Selma, TX, finished alone in the third place spot. 





SKINS:

Giant SKINS:  ($200/each)   1 -- Mike Harkins, Cedar Park, TX; Chuck Odom, San Angelo, TX; Jay Mills, Austin, TX.

Championship / Palmer / Senior Palmer:  ($35/each)  2 -- Mark Miller, Spring Branch, TX; Mark Mueller, Snyder, TX. 1 -- Kevin Knudson, Big Spring, Texas; Mike Harkins, Cedar Park, TX; Terry Jackson, George West, TX; Chuck Odom, San Angelo, TX.

Hogan / Senior Hogan:  ($120/each)  1 -- Gary Grizzle, San Antonio, TX; Timothy VanLandingham, Portland, TX; Marshall Brackin, Norman, OK.

Sarazen:  ($130/each)  1 -- Mark Tylenda, Dallas, TX; Norm Gosselin, Odessa, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($40/each)  1 -- Steve Hamilton, Leander, TX; Kent Mccord, Odessa, TX; Ben Maytubby, Fair Oaks Ranch, TX; Terry Everts, Eastland, TX; Aaron Evitts, Dayton, Tx.; William Paxton, Boerne, TX.

Jones / Senior Jones / Snead:  ($90/each)  1 -- Marvin Hughes, Harker Height, TX; Dan OShea, Copperas Cove, TX; Jay Mills, Austin, TX; Terry Spencer, Georgetown, TX.


CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:


($140/each)  #3 -  Paul Wuerdeman - 8' 4"; #8 -  Larry Harper - 9' 8"; #12 - AJ Englerth - 6' 1/2"; #17 - Marvin Hughts - 1' 5"

Upcoming Texas Events:

Next up in Texas, The Hill Country Tour makes a special Friday trip to the Palmer Lakeside Course at Barton Creek for the Prelude to the Texas Open on March 10th.  Registration closes on Friday, March 3rd, with only a few spots are still available.   

Dallas Tour members, head back to Indian Creek after a year off due to flooding, for the Classic at the Creek on Saturday, March 18th.  Entries close on Friday, March 10th at 11:59PM EST.

Houston players get back on track at the Cypress Open at Cypress Lakes Golf Club on Saturday, March 4th, 2017 and entries have closed.  Next up, the Katy Classic @ The Golf Club of Cinco Ranch on Sunday, March, 19th with a registration deadline of Friday, March 10th. 

  

For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

Director - Texas Tours

Dallas  Tour - Hill Country Tour  - Houston Tour

GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour

405.513.1467

schilcutt@gcamtour.com