Round Rock Open - Forest Creek

Scott R Chilcutt, Round Rock, TX (March 1, 2013)  Tuning up for the first major of  the spring in the areas at Horseshoe Bay, 72 players hit the links for the Round Rock Open.  The season opening event in the Austin area, typically held up the hill at Teravista Golf Club, was moved off that hill in an attempt to reduce the spring winds. 

Forest Creek Golf Club, just around the corner from the Dell Diamond, home of the Round Rock Express, off the tour since 2009 proved worthy of a spot on the schedule.  Despite the tight fairways, where out of bounds comes into play on all 18 holes, course staff cooperation of the limited field with threesomes and split tees guaranteed an excellent pace of play.

Cathay McGee shot a career low round to command the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving.




RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  Al Smith of Midland, TX got off to a slow start, but played the final twelve holes in one over par with the help of two birdies to take his seventh win on tour and first of the year.  One stroke back, nineteen year old San Antonio, TX player Texas Harper, with three birdies of his own, was one stroke back after the front nine and couldn't make it up on the back.  Kyle Lewie of Waco, TX rounded out the top three.

Palmer Flight:  After coming off of two runner up finishes in his last two outings and four of his first six events,  Nash Armstrong of Killeen, TX broke through for his first win on tour.  Armstrong played the front nine in +3, birdied the par 5 - 12th en route to a three stroke win over a pair of players in second.  Back after taking the 2013 season off,  Scott Williams of College Station, TX tied up first time player Kody Cundy of San Antonio, TX for the runner up finish.

Hogan Flight:  Local Round Rock, TX player Jorge Rodriguez broke the winning drought for his ninth win on tour and first since the 2012 Texas Masters at Barton Creek.  Starting on the back nine, Rodriguez, played his front nine in +3, with birdies on the par 5 - 12th, added one on the par 4 -2nd to hold off Houston Tour member Jeff Burke by a stroke.  Burke, with consecutive birdies on the par 5 - 16th and par 3 - 17th  held enough of a front nine lead to fend off a pair of players one stroke back.  Derrick Matthews of Killeen, TX and San Antonio, TX player Kevin Curfman shared the third place honors.

Senior Hogan Flight:    Portland, TX first year member, Tim VanLandingham picked up his first win on tour, in his second attempt. Tim, birdied the par 3 -14th to finish his first nine in +6 holding a three stroke advantage that would hold up on the back over John Hilgers of Wimberly, TX.  James McKee from Abilene, TX and  Salado, TX member Jerry Smith  split the show position finish four strokes back of Hilgers.

Sarazen Flight:    Washington, DC traveler Rick Houchins has been taking advantage of the business trips to Houston over the winter, picking up his second win in as many attempts.  Houchins, a winner at the December Cinco Ranch Holiday Classic, played the front nine clean before struggling on the back, but outlasted a pair tied in the second place finish.  Houston Tour member,  Greg Smith of Cypress, TX carded three birdies on the day to tie up Helotes, TX player Scott Thompson, with two birdies of his own, splitting the runner up finish.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Charles Sagray of San Antonio, TX overcame a double on the first hole, playing the final seventeen in +5 for a three stroke win,  his third on tour.  Winner in his last two outings, Austin, TX player Michael Brewer picked up birdies on the par 4 - 2nd and par 4 - 11th before running into trouble on the par 4 - 15th for the runner up finish. Jerry Gallemore of Fort Stockton, TX, back after limited play in 2013 rounded out the top three.

Jones Flight:  San Antonio, TX player Xavier Bardy birdied his ninth hole of the day to take a one stroke lead over Aaron Seafous of Austin, TX.  Both players matched each other on the back nine, for Bardy's fifth win on tour.  Seafous, with two birdies on the day including the par 5 - 4th recorded her third runner up finish in the 2014 points season.  Taking a break over the winter with a new addition to the family, Mark Rivera of San Antonio, TX, the 2013 Jones Flight points champion, finished third.

Snead Flight:  After outlasting two players for a playoff win at the Kerrville Championship, Cathay McGee of Houston, TX made it two for two.  McGee, with a +11 - 83 nearly lapped the field, with the nearest competitor, Paul Harper of San Antonio, fifteen strokes back.  First year member,  D Nair of Austin, TX and Selma, TX player Mark Colwell split the third place honors. 




SKINS:

Giant Skins:  1 -- Paul Wuerdeman, San Antonio, TX; Jorge Rodriguez, Round Rock, TX; Xavier Bardy, San Antonio, TX.

Championship / Palmer:  2 -- Al Smith, Midland, TX; Paul Wuerdeman, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- Texas Harper, San Antonio, TX; Rodolfo Gonzalez, San Pedro Garza Garcia, TX; Gary Grizzle, Boerne, TX.

Hogan / Senior Hogan:  2 -- Jeff Burke, Alexandria, VA; Jorge Rodriguez, Round Rock, TX. 1 -- Gary Lee, Tyler, TX; Demetrio Young, Killeen, TX; James McKee, Abilene, TX; Jerry Smith, Salado, TX.

Sarazen / Senior Sarazen:  1 -- Les Costales, Cedar Park, TX; Scott Thompson, Helotes, TX; Richard Huyck, Live Oak, TX; Joe Abreo, Bulverde, TX; Gene Rampy, Bastrop, TX.

Jones:  2 -- Aaron Seafous, Austin, TX; Mark Rivera, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- Xavier Bardy, San Antonio, TX; John Merritt, Kerrville, TX; Artis Stewart, Houston, TX.

Snead:  2 -- Larry Atchley, Kyle, TX; D Nair, Austin Tx; John Thomas, Victoria, TX. 1 -- Leonard Linkes, San Antonio, TX; Mark Colwell, Selma, TX; Peter Trotter, Cedar Hill, TX.




NEXT UP:
Two Majors of the calendar year in the region take place on Saturday and Sunday, March 8th and 9th at the Texas Open @ Horeshoe Bay Major and then to Lake Charles, LA for the Bayou Classic at Lake Charles on April 5th and 6th.  The Hill Country gets back in action for a special event on Monday, April 14th for the San Antonio Masters at The Dominion Country Club. 

For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Hill Country / Oklahoma Tours
405.513.1467
schilcutt@gcamtour.com