Scott R Chilcutt, San Antonio, TX (July 6, 2018) The Hill Country Golf Club at the Hyatt Hill Country came back on the schedule for the Prelude - Hill Country Classic tune-up before the Major Championship at LaCantera.
Early morning waves of rain, created roadblocks on the starting holes, with creeks over the banks and alternative plans became necessary. With an already, one hour delay scheduled, we had to swap starting holes, just to keep that close. Sloppy, cart paths only, added to an already difficult, tree-lined course, then add two more storms, guaranteed a long day for the competitors from around the country.
The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $550, with Texas Tour events total raised to $17,170 contributed to the Foundation in 2018.
RESULTS:
Championship Flight: Playing in his second event on tour, San Antonio, TX, and Southwestern Univerity Senior, Sutherland Stith, picked up the Championship. With three birdies on the day, Stith outlasted Keith McKelvy of Granbury, TX, and Castroville, TX, player Reagan Rothe tied up in the runner-up spot. Starting the day on the par 4 - 10th, McKelvey, looked to be out of it, running into trouble on the par 4 -16th but charged back with three birdies after making the turn to bring it back to a share of the second-place finish, with Rothe, carding a birdie on the par 5 - 15th.
Palmer Flight: Al Campo of Deer Park, TX, and San Antonio, TX, player Matt Lovell, matched the first nine-hole scores, both with birdies on the par 5 - 15th. Lovell then added another birdie on the par 4 - 5th, which proved to be just enough to pick up his first win of the season and second on tour. One stroke back, Campo, took the runner-up spot, five strokes clear of third-place finisher, Jeff Bankard of Dallas, TX.
Hogan Flight: In the first combined Open/Senior Flight, that wasn't covered by an Open Player, Houston Senior Hogan Flight player Dale Fuhr, of Missouri City, TX, covered the young guys with the help of two birdies on the round. Fuhr, with a win at the Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay, his last time out, picked up his fourth win on tour all coming this season. Two strokes back, Houston, TX, player John Harcrow, finished in the runner-up spot, with Corpus Christi, TX, player Kevin Fontenot and Allan Collier, of Austin, TX, sharing the third-place honors.
Sarazen Flight: Montgomery, TX, player Joe Michetti, made the most of two birdies on his round to edge out, Joe Luman of Odessa, TX, with two birdies of his own, by one stroke. For Michetti, it was his second win of the season and eleventh on tour. One stroke back of second, San Marcos, TX, member Tommy Mobley, with a birdie on the par 3 - 3rd, rounded out the top three.
Senior Sarazen Flight: Mackie Crossan, of Abilene, TX, picked up his sixth win on tour and fourth of the points season. Crossan, with four birdies on his day, cleared second place finisher, Robert Hayter of Houston, TX, by three strokes. Hayter, with a birdie on the par 5 - 18th, secured his runner-up finish by four strokes over Leewood, WA, traveler, Mike Lee taking home the showplace finish.
Jones Flight: Abilene, TX, member Kevin Crosson, became a five-time winner on tour, with four of them coming this season. Six strokes back, Garrett Tidman of Little Elm, TX, secured his second runner-up finish on the season to go with a win, last fall by three strokes over Houston, TX, member Artis Stewart.
Senior Jones Flight: Playing in his second event on tour, Charles Ackerman of New Caney, TX, carded a birdie on the par 4 - 13th to pick up his first win. Seven strokes back, San Antonio, TX, resident Phil Lewis, with a birdie of his own on the par 3 - 8th, grabbed the second place spot, two strokes clear of fellow San Antonio, TX, member Steve DiPaolo. DiPaolo matched the birdie by Lewis on the par 3 - 8th and added another at the par 5 - 4th.
Snead Flight: Houston, TX, member Blake Barnes, a winner at his home course at Bay Oaks, in May, picked up his second win on the season. Four strokes back, Zane Latham of Valley View, TX, took home the second place honors, with Midland, TX, traveler Paul Ray using a birdie on the par 4 - 10th to round out the top three.
SKINS:
Giant SKINS: ($155/each) 1 -- Robert Lippert, Copperas Cove, TX; Anthony Encinias, Santee, CA; Blake Barnes, Houston, TX; Richard Schram, Bryan, TX.
Championship/Palmer: ($56/each) 1 -- Robert Lippert, Copperas Cove, TX; Keith McKelvy, Granbury, TX; Kevin Williams, Odessa, TX; Anthony Encinias, Santee, CA; Brian Frazier, Kingwood, TX.
Hogan: ($60/each) 1 -- Steve Holland, Bastrop, TX; Cody Cauley, San Angelo, TX; Jeff Green, Coldspring, TX; Kirby Rogers, Muldrow, OK.
Sarazen: ($26/each) 2 -- Steve Rutherford, Bentonville, AR; Joe Michetti, Montgomery, TX; Joe Luman, Odessa, TX. 1 -- Tommy Mobley, San Marcos, TX; Matt Larson, Spring, TX; Michael Betzale, Live Oak, TX.
Senior Sarazen: ($35/each) 2 -- Michael Hardegree, Wichita Falls TX; Mackie Crossan, Abilene, TX. 1 -- Greg Faubion, Richmond, TX; Andre Fitzpatrick, Weatherford, TX; Robert Hayter, Houston, TX; Bob Moreau, Rockwall, TX.
Jones/Senior Jones: ($31/each) 3 -- Rodolfo Pichardo, Bonao, DR. 1 -- Phil Lewis, San Antonio, TX; Charles Ackerman, New Caney, TX; Michael Grant, Huntsville, AL; Steve DiPaola, San Antonio, TX.
Snead: ($27/each) 2 -- Jack Iglesias, Killeen, TX. 1 -- Ron McGinty, Humble, TX; Annette Crossan, Abilene, TX; Zane Latham, Valley View, TX; Blake Barnes, Houston, TX; Paul Ray, Midland, TX; Richard Schram, Bryan, TX.
CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:
$152/each: #3 - Joe Michetti - 7' 3"; #8 - Matt Larson - 3' 5"; #14 - Chris Bryant - 5' 5"; #17 - Mark Kirby - 11' 7".
NEXT UP:
Dallas Tour - Don't miss the registration deadline to get on the waiting list for the DFW Open Championship @ The Tribute on Saturday, July 21st, SOLD OUT, waiting list spots available.
Hill Country Tour - Back in action at Falconhead Golf Club for the Championship at Falconhead leading up to the Texas Classic at Barton Creek, to be held on Friday, July 27th. Only a few spots remaining and will certainly sell out prior to the July 20th registration deadline.
Houston Tour - After a break for two majors in two weeks, the Houston Tour will tee it up at Pecan Grove Golf Club for the Richmond Championship on July 14th CLOSED, but a few spots still available. Making our way to Meadowbrook Farms Golf Club on Sunday, July 22nd for the Katy Open Championship. Entries close on Friday, July 13th.
Major Championships Open for Registration - (Majors that will be included in the 2018 Texas Tour Flight Champion year-end awards)
Texas Classic at Barton Creek - July 28th - 29th. SOLD OUT, waiting list spots available.
For More Information:
Scott R Chilcutt
Director - Texas Tours
Dallas Tour - Hill Country Tour - Houston Tour
GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour
405.513.1467
