Scott R Chilcutt, Kerrville, TX (February 15, 2014) The Club @ Comanche Trace, in Kerrville, TX starts off the calendar year once again, on the Hill Country Tour. Over seeded fairways along with fast and smooth bent grass greens play host to the mid February start date. With the warmest temperatures of the event's history, one thing didn't change, the winds. Calm until all the signage and scoring area was set up, the breezes met the players at the range and only let up after everything was torn down.
A tie for the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving between Carlos Cruz and Robi Jalnos was settled with a score card playoff with Cruz taking home the special award.
RESULTS:
Championship Flight: Mark Miller of Bulverde, TX birdied four holes in route to a four stroke win over a pair tied in the runner up spot. Miller notched his second win of the season and sixteenth on tour over Castroville, TX member Reagan Rothe and Chris Daniluck of Boerne, TX.
Senior Championship, first year member Mike Harkins of Cedar Park, TX took the low senior score and grabbed the trophy after a late Open Championship player withdrew from the event combining the Open and Championship divisions.
Senior Palmer Flight: San Antonio, TX resident Morgan Splichal picked up his first win on tour, but it took extra holes to seal the deal. Paul Wuerdeman also from San Antonio, matched Splichal on the front nine, looked to have the win in the bag through the fifteenth hole, but Splichal would par out on his final five holes to force the extra frames. On the first hole of the playoff the pair had troubles, but Morgan would out last the pair for the trophy. Gary Grizzle of Boerne, TX finished four strokes back in third place.
Hogan Flight: Derrick Matthews of Killeen, TX got back to the winner circle with the help of three birdies for his first win since the December 2012 Winter Classic - Hill Country. Matthews, a runner up at the 2012 Kerrville Championship, opted for a Houston Tour event in 2013, returned to Comanche Trace to record his fourth win on tour, four strokes ahead of Kevin Curfman of San Antonio, TX. Curfman, idle on tour since 2012. San Antonio member, John Heintz, with three birdies of his own rounded out the top three.
Senior Hogan Flight: Wimberly, TX member John Hilgers starting on the tenth tee, came to the clubhouse +1 on his final nine, carding two birdies for a seven stroke win, his third on tour. Larry Susen in the runner up spot, matched Hilgers on the back, with three birdies including his final hole the par 4 - 9th to hold off a pair tied in the third spot. Robi Jalnos and Steven Turner, both from San Antonio, shared the third place honors one stroke shy of second.
Sarazen Flight: Devin Brown of San Antonio, TX started the day hot, -1 after five holes but stumbled on the final holes of the front and back nines, but held on for his sixth win on tour and second in as many attempts. Playing along side Brown, San Antonio member C.D. Dunem finished out his round with a pair of pars, one stroke short of first and holding off a pair behind him. Visiting Houston Tour player Kristopher Bixby of Katy, TX and Helotes, TX player Scott Thompson split the third and fourth place points.
Senior Sarazen Flight: Austin, TX native, Michael Brewer birdied the par 3 - 3rd for his third win on tour and second in a row. Brewer a winner his last time out at the Winter Classic - Hill Country and the two day, Dallas Tour Championship @ The Tribute last August, paced the field with a seven stroke advantage over Gene Rampy of Bastrop. Donna Brady of Fair Oaks Ranch, TX and Live Oak, TX member Richard Huyck shared the third pace honors, two strokes back of Rampy.
Jones Flight: Carlos Cruz of San Antonio, TX picked up his fifth win on tour. Birdies on the par 5 - 4th and par 3 - 17th was more than enough for a five stroke victory over San Antonio resident Xavier Bardy. Bardy finished his round at +1 over his final six holes to stay ahead of Leander, TX member Melissa Wood solidly in final podium spot.
Snead Flight: For the second playoff of the day, it took three to break the tie. Somerville, TX member Myron Brown, Paul Harper of San Antonio, TX and Houston, TX player Cathay McGee headed back to the tenth hole to settle the score. In the end, McGee took the top spot for her fifth win on tour, including the 2012 Kerrville Championship at Comanche Trace, while Brown and Harper shared the runner up finish.
SKINS:
Giant Skins: 1 -- Ken Dyke, Keller, TX; Daniel Desilets, Kermit, TX; James McKee, Abilene, TX.
Championship / Palmer: 1 -- Kyle Lewie, Waco, TX; James White, San Angelo, TX; Ken Dyke, Keller, TX; Daniel Desilets, Kermit, TX; Al Smith, Midland, TX; Chris Daniluck, Boerne, TX.
Hogan / Senior Hogan: 2 -- Robi Jalnos, San Antonio, TX; Michael Mathis, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- James McKee, Abilene, TX; Steve Trickel, Boerne, TX; John Heintz, San Antonio, TX.
Sarazen: 2 -- C.D. Dunem, San Antonio, TX; Scott Thompson, Helotes, TX. 1 -- Joshua Douglas, Leander, TX.
Senior Sarazen: 2 -- Charles Sagray, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- Steve DiPaola, San Antonio, TX; Mike Murray, Clive, IA; Rod Thompson, Victoria, TX; Alfredo Garcia, San Antonio, TX; Homer Turbeville, Austin, TX; Donna Brady, Fair Oaks Ranch, TX; Gene Rampy, Bastrop, TX; Jim Nedry, Lago Vista, TX; Kevin Cox, Fair Oaks Ranch, TX.
Jones / Snead: 2 -- Carlos Cruz, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- Myron Brown, Somerville, TX; Ramon Colen, San Antonio, TX; Paul Harper, San Antonio, TX; Leonard Linkes, San Antonio, TX; Donald Bebout, Lakeway, TX; Tom Stockton, Euless, TX.
Next Up:
Back in action next for the Round Rock Open at Forest Creek on Saturday, March 1st, entry deadline is Friday February 21st. One week later the first Major of the calendar year in the region for the Texas Open @ Horeshoe Bay Major,
For More Information:
Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Hill Country / Oklahoma Tours
405.513.1467schilcutt@gcamtour.com
Scott R Chilcutt, Las Vegas, NV (February 2, 2014) The 11th Annual Duel in the Desert, the second largest event on the Golf Channel Am Tour with a field of 432 players (216 teams), was held at the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort. The three day team event, held on the 54 hole Pete Dye layout, was contested in ever changing weather with the high winds in common.
Hill Country Tour members, Ramon Colen and Charles Mielak teamed up to take the Flight 14 Championship, with Ron Finnerty and Mark Miller notching another runner up spot in Flight 3.
Flight 14: Colen/Mielak, carded low second place honors during the first day scramble format, followed up with another runner up on day two and closed with the low round prizes on the final day, modified alternate shot. Three day total 278 was just enough to edge out the nearest team by one stroke for their first win at the Duel.
Flight 3: The San Antonio area pair of Finnerty/Miller, carded a low round 74 during the second day, best ball format to finish in the runner up spot. In the three years since the Duel has moved from Mesquite, NV to Las Vegas, Finnerty and Miller have two runner up finishes to go with their win in 2012. Prior to that, Mark won in 2011 with the late Zac Day and Ron finished third in the 2010 event with Lorne Fisher.
Next Up:
The Hill Country Tour opens the 2014 calendar schedule at the Kerrville Championship @ Comanche Trace on Saturday February 15th. Deadline for entry is 11:59 PM EST on Friday, Feburary 7th. One week prior to the Texas Open @ Horeshoe Bay Major, we tee it back up for the Round Rock Open at Forest Creek on Saturday, March 1st.
For More Information:
Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Hill Country / Oklahoma Tours
405.513.1467
schilcutt@gcamtour.com
