Scott R Chilcutt, Austin, TX (June 16, 2012) Just off the shores of Lake Travis in the heart of the Hill Country in northeast Austin lies the Hills of Lakeway. Along with The World of Tennis Sports Complex The Hills Country Club is made up of four golf courses and players from around the state took on Flintrock Falls a Nicklaus-designed facility.
Small, hidden, firm and undulating greens, tight landing areas along with many blind shots required crisp ball striking and course management. Total tournament stats revealed a tough three holes on the front nine (1,3,9) that would only yield three birdies on the day with the average strokes to par at 1.77 on the par four 9th. Overall players averaged 21.32 over on the par 72 layout. Lane McKinney from League City, TX would pick up the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Labor Finders.
RESULTS:
Championship Flight: Commanding his first win as a tour player at the May 5th Championship @ Falconhead, Austin, TX resident Charles Rougeau made it two for two by four strokes over Houston tour traveler Nathan Ashley. Hills Country Club player, Rougeau was cruising along at one over par through the first 13 holes with a quad on the par four 14th, but finished with a five over 77. Ashley stayed two strokes clear of Ken Dyke from Keller, TX and Boerne, TX member Chris Daniluck tied in the third spot.
Palmer Flight: Randy Sellers from Lewisville, TX birdied the final two holes to edge out Deer Park, TX player Dusty Rhodes by a stroke. Sellers recorded his second win on tour and first since the 2011 Coyote Ridge Challenge. Two strokes back of Rhodes, Scott Williams from College Station, TX finished third with a couple of birdies to start the back nine.
Hogan Flight: Yet to finish out of the top three this year, San Antonio member Michael Mathis went par, birdie the final two holes to pick up his first win in his two year career on tour. One stroke back Dallas Tour player Shawn Whitaker from Lewisville, TX birdied the 18th as well but a bogey on 17 was enough to keep him out of a playoff. Houston Tour director Jeff Zemencsik playing in his first event since winning at the 2011 The Legends of Golf Classic was three strokes back to round out the top three.
Senior Hogan Flight: Houston Tour player C. Craig Farris from League City, TX snatched his first win on tour five strokes clear of Paul Wuerdeman from San Antonio. Wuerdeman, a winner in his first time on tour at the Mr. Nelson Open @ Riverhill in April had his best finish in the last three events by a pair of strokes over Edward Villasana from Del Valle, TX.
Sarazen Flight: It took birdies on the 16th and 18th holes to get Devin Brown from San Antonio into a playoff after Canadian native Glenn Hodgson now residing in Austin parred the final three. On the first hole of the playoff, Hodgson was away after the approach shot and Brown won in putt off. Les Costales from nearby Cedar Park, TX and Rockwall, TX player from the Dallas Tour, Joseph Roy knotted up the third spot.
Senior Sarazen Flight: Plenty of seconds. The second Houston Tour player and second from League City, TX to take home a trophy, Lane McKinney shot a career low seven over par 79 for back to back wins on the Hill Country Tour. McKinney a winner his last time out at the Championship @ Falconhead finished four strokes ahead of Giddings, TX player Michael Hirsch. In his second runner up finish on the year Hirsch had a four stroke cushion over Haslet, TX member Burnie Rodgers finishing third for the second time in his last three outings.
Jones Flight: Greg Preissinger from Grandbury, TX picked up win number two on the year by a single stroke over Giddings, TX player Thomas West. One stroke back of West was the pair of Neil Macdonald from Huntsville, TX and David Castillo of San Antonio. With the win, Preissinger jumped into third place on the Dallas Tour points and is leading the Summer Series.
Snead Flight: 74 year old Jim Schmitz from Boerne, TX grabbed his first win on tour with a par on the final hole by a single stroke. Heading to the tee on 18, Tom Hill also from Boerne, TX has a commanding lead but made a triple bogey to finish tied with tour newcomer Dwain Smith from Cedar Park, TX for the second place spot.
SKINS:
Championship /Palmer: 2 -- Dennis Petras, Austin, TX; Randy Sellers, Lewisville, TX. 1 -- Ken Dyke, Keller, TX; Charles Rougeau, Austin, TX; Scott Williams, College Station, TX.
Hogan / Senior Hogan: 1 -- Brian Cox, Killeen, TX; Ronnie Davis, Converse, TX; Scott Zaskoda, Austin, TX; Maurice Mintken, Round Rock, TX; Edward Villasana, Del Valle, TX.
Sarazen: 6 -- Devin Brown, San Antonio. 2 -- Joe Luman, Odessa, TX; Les Costales, Cedar Park, TX. 1 -- Joseph Roy, Rockwall, TX.
Senior Sarazen: 2 -- Michael Hirsch, Giddings, TX; Burnie Rodgers, Haslet, TX; Lane McKinney, League City, TX. 1 -- Gerald Cato, Bastrop, TX; Billy Gilmore, Corpus Christi, TX; Gregg Smith, Austin, TX.
Jones: 2 -- Aaron Seafous, Austin, TX. 1 -- David Castillo, San Antonio, TX; Bob Tuttle, Kingsland, TX; Coy Dayton, Austin, TX; Greg Preissinger, Granbury, TX.
Snead: 2 -- Ramon Colen, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- Jim Schmitz, Boerne, TX; Dan OShea, Copperas Cove, TX; Dwain Smith, Cedar Park, TX; Gene Hanley, San Antonio, TX; Thomas Payne, Houston, TX.
Next Up: The local tour takes a break for the Major Championship at the Red River Shootout on June 23rd / 24th. Back in action for the Challenge at Twin Creeks on Monday, July 2nd.
For More Information:
Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Hill Country / Oklahoma Tours
405.513.1467
schilcutt@gcamtour.com
