Hill Country Tour Opens 2014 Points Season

Scott R Chilcutt, Austin, TX (November 17, 2014)  Falconhead Golf Club, just northwest of downtown Austin, played host to The Championship at Falconhead, the 2014 point season opener on the The Hill Country Tour.

Sharing the Sunday schedule with the Circuit of The Americas, US Grand Prix on the Formula 1 schedule made an early morning shotgun start more palatable, hoping to get everyone home before the some 300,000 race fans took to the streets.  The caviar and champagne fans of F1 made it a challenge for the traveling players seeking hotel rooms, where normal $100 night rooms soared to over $1,300 steering most of the Dallas Tour members making the trip to Marble Falls and Burnet.

Fast greens, in the best shape we've seen them in years, with the typical native areas, playing as the course is marked made it imperative to hit them straight and to get it close on the green.  Patrick Richardson, traveling from The Woodlands, TX edged out Boerne, TX member Gary Grizzle by a single stroke for the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving.


RESULTS: 

Championship Flight:  Bulverde, TX member Mark Miller doubled his first hole out of the gate, ended his front nine with a birdie, added two more at 15 and 18 for a one stroke advantage and his sixteenth win on tour, the first since the 2011 Texas Shootout at Redstone GC.   Jacob Morton of Fort Hood, TX went out in one under par with birdies on 5, 7 and 9, but couldn't keep the lead coming back to Miller on his back nine.   Andrew Braun of Trophy Club, TX,  San Angelo, TX member James White and Tony Peppler of Dallas, TX shared the third place honors, three strokes back of Morton.

Palmer Flight:  Senior Palmer Flight regular, Robert Lippert of Copperas, Cove, TX picked up his third win on tour over the combined flight, one stroke ahead of one half of the rest of the field.  Another Senior player, Gary Grizzle of Boerne, TX picked up the second place gift card in a scorecard playoff with Dave Davlin and Ron Finnerty of San Antonio along with Killeen, TX member Stephen Armstrong just back from deployment all sharing the runner up finish.

Hogan Flight:  Michael Campbell of New Braunfels, TX and Wimberly, TX member John Hilgers needed three extra holes to decide the contest where on the third playoff hole, Campbell picked up his second win on tour.  Houston Tour member Gus Aldana finished just one stroke out of the playoff to round out the top three.

Sarazen Flight:  Just one week depearted from a T2 finish at the first Major on the Am Tour schedule, the The Fall Classic at Tunica, Converse, TX player Ronnie Davis parred his final two holes to force a sudden death playoff with C.D. Dunem of San Antonio, TX.  Back out to the tenth hole for the pair, Dunem, coming off a par the first time around finished off the playoff for his second win on tour and first since the 2012 Pensacola Open. Scott Thompson of Helotes, TX finished out the day one stroke back of the pair for the third place finish.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Nearby Austin, TX resident Homer Turbeville went out in plus one after five holes, with a birdie on the par 5 - 14th for a two stroke victory, his fourth on tour.   Gene Rampy of Bastrop, TX finished one stroke clear of a pair tied up behind him.  Tom West of Giddings,TX and Dallas Tour member Rick Allaire shared the third place honors.  

Jones Flight:  Houston Tour traveler, Patrick Richardson from The Woodlands, TX commanded a five stroke victory, his ninth on tour.  Knotted up in the second place spot, Aaron Seafous and Joe Tyson both of Austin, TX shared the runner up finish.

Snead Flight:   Doyle Fleming of Haslet, TX visiting from the Dallas Tour, carded two birdies on the day for his eleventh win on tour.  One stroke back, Myron Brown of Somerville, TX finished in the runner up spot after starting the day on the seventh hole with Cathay McGee of Houston, TX finishing in the show position.




SKINS:

Giant Skins:  2 -- Mark Miller, Bulverde, TX. 1 -- Jacob Morton, Ft. Hood, TX; Dwain Smith, Round Rock, TX; Derrick Matthews, Killeen, TX.

Championship / Palmer:  2 -- Mark Miller, Bulverde, TX. 1 -- Jacob Morton, Ft. Hood, TX; Gary Grizzle, Boerne, TX; Matthew Alvers, Pflugerville, TX; Craig Hart, Killeen, TX.

Hogan:  2 -- Steve Trickel, Boerne, TX. 1 -- John Hilgers, Johnson City, Texas; Michael Campbell, New Braunfels, TX; Derrick Matthews, Killeen, TX; John Heintz, San Antonio, TX.

Sarazen:  2 -- Joshua Douglas, Leander, TX; Daniel Mcgrath, Austin, TX. 1 -- Ronnie Davis, Converse, TX; Les Costales, Cedar Park, TX; C.D. Dunem, San Antonio, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  3 -- Tom West, Giddings, TX. 2 -- Gene Rampy, Bastrop, TX. 1 -- Richard Huyck, San Antonio, TX; Homer Turbeville, Austin, TX; Rick Allaire, Dallas, TX; Burnie Rodgers, Haslet, TX.

Jones:  2 -- Aaron Seafous, Austin, TX; Joe Tyson, Austin, TX. 1 -- Xavier Bardy, San Antonio, TX; Mike Jones, Midland, TX; Douglas Pritchett, Ft Worth, TX.

Snead:  3 -- Doyle Fleming, Haslet, TX. 1 -- Thomas Kerwin, Pflugerville, TX; Myron Brown, Somerville, TX; Larry Atchley, Kyle, TX; Mark Colwell, Selma,TX; Paul Harper, San Antonio, TX.

NEXT UP:

Hill Country Tour sets up for the Winter Classic - Hill Country at the Hill Country Hyatt on Saturday December 7th. Registration deadline is Friday, November 28th.


FOR MORE INFORMATION:

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