Scott R Chilcutt, San Antonio, TX (April 9, 2017) Back to Silverhorn Golf Club of Texas for the Spring Challenge on the Hill Country Tour, players from around the state enjoyed great, but tough conditions. Course conditions in excellent shape, but tight fairways and landing areas reeked havoc on those that couldn't keep it down the middle.
The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $330, bringing the Texas Tour local events total to $6,300 in contributions to the Foundation in 2017.
RESULTS:
Championship Flight: Spring Branch, TX, member Mark Miller, played his first eleven holes at -2 on four birdies and then just put it on cruise control. Luckily, that was enough, as second place finisher, Rusty Lippert of Copperas Cove, TX, made a run at him on the back nine, but fell two strokes short. For Miller, it was his third win of the season and 27th on tour. San Antonio, TX, player Ron Finnerty rounded out the top three, four strokes back of Lippert.
Palmer Flight: Rod Baumgartner, of Round Rock, TX birdied his last two holes of the day to jump into the winner's circle for the first time, in his first year on tour. One stroke shy, Cedar Park, TX, resident Mike Harkins, look to have his third win of the season through 15 but fell short when he went +1 over the last three. Paul Gorman of Schertz, TX, with an eagle on the par 5 - 18th, and Justin Gorby, of Pflugerville, TX, who birdied the final hole, split the third place honors.
Hogan Flight: For the second event in a row, Senior Hogan players took all the top spots in the combined flight. Cedar Park, TX, player Servando Perez, with a birdie on the par 5 - 6th, picked up his second win on tour, in his first season. Paul Wuerdeman, of San Antonio, TX, finished three strokes back for the runner-up spot with the help of an eagle 3 on the par 5 - 6th. Allan Collier of Dripping Springs, TX, and Kingsland, TX, player Bob Tuttle, shared the third place finish, two strokes back of second.
Sarazen Flight: Scott Striegel of South Lake, TX, equaled his front nine 43 on the back to force a playoff with Donald Bebout of Lakeway, TX, after Bebout tripled the final hole of the day. Back to the 17th Strigel would prevail in the sudden death for his third win of the season. San Antonio, TX, first-year player Ricardo Cardenas, recorded his best finish on tour with the help of a birdie on the par 3 - 13th.
Jones Flight: San Antonio, TX, resident Bobby Ashcraft, used a birdie on the par 5 - 6th to his advantage to stay even with Tim Miller of Shavano Park, TX, on the front nine. Headed to the back, Ashcraft would hang on to pick up his second win of the season and eleventh on tour, Miller, after a rough start to the back nine, would end of sharing the runner-up honors with a pair of Austin, TX, members, Michael Powers and Andres Santos.
Snead Flight: Dan OShea of Copperas Cove, TX, became a winner again on tour after a long drought. With a birdie on the par 5 - 6th, OShea picked up his thirteenth win and first since the 2012 season. Two strokes back, with a birdie of his own on the par 4 - 14th, George West, TX, member Greg Blevins carded his best finish on tour, in his first season, with Ramon Colen of San Antonio, TX, rounding out the top three.
SKINS:
Giant SKINS: ($80/each) 2 -- Mark Miller, Spring Branch, TX. 1 -- Paul Gorman, Schertz, TX; Paul Wuerdeman, San Antonio, TX; Jay Mills, Austin, TX.
Championship / Palmer: ($35/each) 3 -- Mark Miller, Spring Branch, TX. 1 -- Rusty Lippert, Copperas Cove, TX; Terry Jackson, George West, TX; Paul Gorman, Schertz, TX; Rod Baumgartner, Round Rock, TX.
Hogan: ($30/each) 2 -- Servando Perez, Cedar Park, TX; Paul Wuerdeman, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- Scott Thompson, Helotes, TX; Bob Tuttle, Kingsland, TX.
Sarazen: ($50/each) 3 -- Xavier Bardy, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- Ben Maytubby, Fair Oaks Ranch, TX; Ricardo Cardenas, San Antonio, TX; Jay Mills, Austin, TX.
Jones / Snead: ($60/each) 1 -- Tim Miller, Shavano Park, TX; Dan OShea, Copperas Cove, TX; Ramon Colen, San Antonio, TX; Greg Blevins, George West, TX.
CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:
$105/each
#5 - Rod Baumgartner - 11' 8"; #7 - Donadl Bebout - 13' 2/3"; #13 - Cody Prescott - 8' 10"; #16 - Rene Realme - 9' 5 1/2".
Upcoming Texas Events:
Houston Tour gets back to action on Saturday, April 22nd at High Meadow Ranch for the Masters @ Magnolia. Registrations close on Friday, April 14th.
Back in the DFW area, members will visit Hidden Creek for the first time at the Battle at Burleson on Sunday, April 23rd with an entry deadline of on Friday, April 14th.
A few spots are still available for the Prelude - San Antonio Open at Canyon Springs on Friday, April 28th. Registration closes Friday, April 21st but will surely sell out before then.
For More Information:
Scott R Chilcutt
Director - Texas Tours
Dallas Tour - Hill Country Tour - Houston Tour
GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour
405.513.1467
