Second Austin - Nicklaus Open Treats Hill Country

Scott R Chilcutt, Lakeway, TX (June 8, 2013)  Lakeway, TX a resort area on the south shore of Lake Travis, 25 miles west of downtown Austin began as a retirement and second-home community. Flintrock Falls Golf Club is one of four courses at The Hills at Lakeway complex, designed by Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus II.  Playing the course with native areas as lateral hazards helped. but tight fairways, blind shots and confusing sight lines proved once again a challenge for the second annual Austin - Nicklaus Open.

Burnie Rodgers took home the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving in a score card playoff over Bill Matthews.





RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  Richard Perez of San Antonio, TX bounced back from a +7 front nine to shoot even par on the back on two birdies for his second win on tour.  Chris Daniluck of Boerne, TX on break from the tour with the birth of his son, Cameron, birdied the par 4 -14th to get even with Andre van der Post of Port Elizabeth, now residing in Buda, TX to share the second place honors.

Palmer Flight:  Having never seen the course, Jacob Morton of Ft. Hood, TX maneuvered around the layout in even par on the front on two birdies recording his third win on the year and fifth on tour.  One stroke back, San Antonio, TX member Dave Davlin took the runner up finish to stay within 65 points of Morton in the Order of Merit Championship standings.  Tony Eno of Fort Worth, TX birdied the par 5 -18th to slip into the third place spot.

Hogan Flight:  Michael Mathis has won twice on the Am Tour and both wins have come at the Flintrock Falls course.  Mathis, back in San Antonio and back to the tour after a recent deployment carded five birdies on the day to stay one stroke clear of Magnolia, TX resident and Houston Tour Director Jeff Zemencsik.  Zemencsik went out in +3 and parred his last five holes to maintain a five stroke cushion over a pair of players knotted up in the show position.  Derrick Matthews of Killeen, TX birdied the par 3 - 2nd and par 4 -4th to share the third place honors with Leander, TX member Bryan Wood after Wood struggled on the final hole of the day.

Senior Hogan Flight:   Houston Tour member, Bill Mathews and his +1 finish equaled his best score on tour for the first time since 2009.  Matthews, another player to have never seen the course had three birdies on the day for his 17th win on tour, 5th of the year on 86 total events. Terry Dennis of Schertz, TX tied his best finish on his first year on tour in the second spot with recently promoted, Austin, TX resident Homer Turbeville rounding out the top three.

Sarazen Flight:  Ronnie Davis of Converse, TX birdied five holes on the day for his twelfth win on tour and first since his 2011 Major Championship at the Texas Masters at TPC San Antonio.  Five strokes back, first time player Robert Walker of Corpus Christi, TX birdied the par 5 - 16th to record the second place finish, one stroke ahead of Daniel Mcgrath of Austin, TX with his best finish on the year.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Haslet, TX resident and Dallas Tour member Burnie Rodgers brought his easy swing driver to the short and tight layout for his tenth win on tour and first since a self promotion to the Senior Sarazen group.   Houston Tour member Lane McKinney of League City, TX, the winner at the 2012 Austin - Nicklaus Open, started the day with a birdie on the par 4 -1st, but went +9 on the back to split the second place finish with Bastrop, TX player Gene Rampy. Rampy two back going out made up ground on the back nine with six pars.

Jones Flight:  Tom West of Giddings, TX proved once again he doesn't have a problem competing with the younger players.  West, a three time winner on the year, two of those coming when the Jones flight was combined, birdied the par 3 - 6th and par 4 -11th to secure a six stroke cushion over Cedar Park, TX player Joshua Barron.  One stroke back of Barron, David Castillo of San Antonio, TX birdied the par 4 -7th to equal his best finish on the year.

Snead Flight:  Cedar Park, TX member Dwain Smith and Myron Brown of Sommerville, TX  finished regulation play even.  With the course unavailable for a playoff due to darkness, the scorecard playoff went to Smith for his fourth win on tour and second of the year.  Barry Stone, from Del Valle, TX rounded out the top three.


     

SKINS:

Giant:  1 -- Dave Davlin, San Antonio, TX; Michael Mathis, San Antonio, TX; Lane McKinney, League City, TX.

Championship / Palmer:  2 -- Mark Greene, Austin, TX. 1 -- Jacob Morton, Ft. Hood, TX; Dave Davlin, San Antonio, TX; Chris Daniluck, Boerne, TX.

Hogan:  3 -- Michael Mathis, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- Derrick Matthews, Killeen, TX; Demetrio Young, Killeen, TX.

Senior Hogan:  3 -- Bill Mathews, Houston, TX. 1 -- Edward Villasana, Del Valle, TX; Darrell Wilson, Georgetown, TX.

Sarazen:  2 -- Ronnie Davis, Converse, TX. 1 -- John Heintz, San Antonio, TX; Daniel Mcgrath, Austin, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  2 -- Joe Abreo, Bulverde, TX. 1 -- Alfredo Garcia, San Antonio, TX; Gerald Cato, Bastrop, TX; Lane McKinney, League City, TX; Burnie Rodgers, Haslet, TX.

Jones / Snead:  3 -- Tom West, Giddings, TX. 2 -- Mark Loughead, Austin, TX. 1 -- Coy Dayton, Buda, TX; John Scott, Houston, TX; David Castillo, San Antonio, TX; Myron Brown, Somerville, TX; Dwain Smith, Cedar Park, TX.


NEXT UP:

Hill Country Tour returns to "Birthplace of the Senior PGA Tour" at the historic Onion Creek Golf Club for the Legends of Golf Classic on June 23rd.  Registration closes on Friday June, 14th at 11:59PM EST.  

The Dallas Tour members will tee it up next for the Monday July 8th at the Championship at TPC Craig Ranch. The Oklahoma Tour will resume play on July 13th at the Grand Lake Showdown at Patricia Island.

Scott R Chilcutt

Tour Director
Dallas / Fort Worth Tour - Hill Country Tour - Oklahoma Tour
GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour
405.513.1467 - 972.302.9478
schilcutt@gcamtour.com