Scott R Chilcutt, Blanco, TX (May 24, 2014) Just south of Blanco, TX inside the Rockin' J Ranch development, lies Vaaler Creek Golf Club, home to the 2014 kickoff of the Summer Series and this year's Battle at Blanco on the Golf Channel Am Tour Texas Hill Country Tour. The Summer Series, designed for late bloomers on the point season, is another opportunity for members to qualify for the September National Championship / Senior National Championship, in Scottsdale, AZ.
Morning clouds, mist alternating with drizzle kept the temperatures down over the previous years inaugural event at the track, helped softening and slowing the greens. What didn't change over the previous year was some devilish hole positions, challenging the field to get the approach shots to the correct level. Late tee times in the event, got some drenching rain during some of the holes, but blew through without any dangerous electricity and only minimal delays.
Coming off his best finish on tour, at the Spring Branch Classic, Gene Hanley of San Antonio, followed up with his second Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving in as many outings.
RESULTS:
Championship Flight: Boerne, TX player Chris Daniluck took a slim lead to the back nine over a pair of players, and was able to birdie three on the back nine to play one under par picking up his thirteenth win on tour and first since the February 2013 - Kerrville Championship @ Comanche Trace. One stroke back, Texas Harper of San Antonio, TX a first time winner at The Challenge @ River Place matched Daniluck's birdie count of four on the day, but just couldn't make up the two stroke deficit on the front. Spring Branch, TX resident, Mark Miller, a four time winner on the points season, played the sixth through twelfth holes in four under par to round out the top three.
Palmer Flight: First year player, Jeff Bankard and tour veteran, Dave Davlin, both of San Antonio, TX matched a single birdie on the front nine, Davlin on the par 4 - 6th and Bankard on the par 5 - 8th to take it to extra holes. After twenty one holes on the day, Bankard, knocking on the winners door since coming on tour with a runner up and two third place finishes picked up his first win. Davlin, added another runner up, his third of the year, to his win at the April San Antonio Masters. Another San Antonio, TX player Todd VanDerSchaegen righted the ship after a tough front nine to finish in the show position.
Hogan Flight: Coming off his first event on tour, in T8, Austin, TX newcomer, Ken Shapiro finished the back nine at +2 for his first win on tour. John Hilgers of Wimberly, TX, birdied the par 5 - 4th to finish three strokes back. Hilger's, only out of the top five with one sixth place finish at a Major, in fifteen events on the points season including three wins, four runner up spots and a trio of thirds, finished in the second place position. Michael Mathis, carded four birdies on the day for a T3 finish with fellow San Antonio resident, Steven Turner and Bob Tuttle of Kingsland, TX.
Sarazen Flight: Cedar Park, TX player Les Costales made the best of his birthday trip to Blanco with his first win on the season. Two strokes back after the front nine, Costales birdied the par 4 - 13th and cleared the field on par fours at just +3, finishing four strokes clear of a pair of players in the runner up finish. Scott Thompson of Helotes, TX had the lead going to the back with the help of a birdie on the par 5 - 8th, but was relegated to his third T-2 on the year to go with his January win at the HOU - Moody Gardens Kickoff Classic. Visiting, St. James, NY member, playing out of the Long Island Tour, Michael Dwyer shared the second place spot, his best finish since the October 2013 win at Willow Creek in Sinai, NY.
Senior Sarazen Flight: Charles Sagray of San Antonio, TX played the par three's in even par, including the top shelf hole position on the ninth that would make the difference for his second win on the season and fourth on tour. Four strokes back the trio of Live Oak, TX member Richard Huyck, with a birdie on the par 5 - 16th, Michael Brewer of Austin, TX and Oklahoma Tour member, Kirby Rogers of Muldrow, OK shared the runner up finish. Huyck, through the score card playoff took home the second place gift card, with Brewer collecting third, after going deep into the playoff priorities.
Jones Flight: Austin, TX player, Aaron Seafous took a six stroke lead to the back with birdies on three front nine holes, but ran into trouble on the back to finish out in the runner up spot. Xavier Bardy of San Antonio, TX, patient through some of the heaviest rains, picked up his eighth win on tour and fourth win of the season, including the March Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay. Austin, TX resident, Joe Tyson, a two time winner on the year and champion his last time out at the Spring Branch Classic at River Crossing rounded out the top three.
Snead Flight: Larry Harper of San Antonio, TX and Lake Leon, TX player Stan Harper both parred the long over the water par 4 -18th to force a four way playoff with Rickie Franklin of Fischer, TX and San Antonio, TX resident, Gene Hanley. Back to the par 5 - 10th, Larry Harper, birdied the first sudden death playoff hole for his second win on tour.
SKINS:
Giant Skins: 1 -- Chris Daniluck, Boerne, TX; Michael Campbell, New Braunfels, TX; Donald Bebout, Lakeway, TX.
Championship / Palmer: 1 -- Chris Daniluck, Boerne, TX; Mike Harkins, Cedar Park, TX; Allan Collier, Sugar Land, TX.
Hogan: 2 -- Michael Mathis, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- John Hilgers, Wimberley, TX; Michael Campbell, New Braunfels, TX; Kenny Mire, Pflugerville, TX.
Sarazen: 2 -- Rudy Cantu, Boerne, TX. 1 -- Les Costales, Cedar Park, TX; Carlos Cruz, San Antonio, TX.
Senior Sarazen: 3 -- Tim Sexton, Austin, TX. 2 -- Richard Huyck, Live Oak, TX. 1 -- Charles Sagray, San Antonio, TX; Joe Abreo, Bulverde, TX; Homer Turbeville, Austin, TX.
Jones: 4 -- Aaron Seafous, Austin, TX. 1 -- Bill Speck, Corpus Christi, TX; Xavier Bardy, San Antonio, TX; Donald Bebout, Lakeway, TX.
Snead: 1 -- Larry Harper, San Antonio, TX; Stan Harper, Lake Leon, TX.
NEXT UP:
The Hill Country Tour makes it three in three weeks at The Legends of Golf Classic - Onion Creek on Sunday June, 8th. Entry deadline is this Friday, May 30th at 11:59 PM and the field is limited.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Hill Country / Oklahoma Tours
405.513.1467
schilcutt@gcamtour.com
Scott R Chilcutt, Spring Branch, TX (May 10, 2014) Located 20 minutes north of San Antonio, the River Crossing Club, site of the 2014 Spring Branch Classic, held up to conditions we've been looking for our last few outings.
During the spring of 2012, Thunderstorms washed us out, rescheduled for a fall date, the winds reeked havoc on the play. This go round, great course conditions coupled with light to moderate winds and warm temperatures left those recent memories of the event on the banks of the nearby Guadalupe River.
What didn't change was the course layout and difficulties. The #1 handicap hole, the par 4 - 6th played as it has in the past, the most difficult, +1.31, while the #18 handicap hole, the par 3 - 12th, played once again the easiest, at+0.39.
Gene Hanley, shot his best round on tour since the 2010 event at River Crossing to take home his first, Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving.
RESULTS:
Championship Flight: Nearby Spring Branch, TX resident Mark Miller may not be a current member at River Crossing, but his records just keep mounting at the club. Recording four birdies on the day, Miller played to one under par for his fourth win of the year and kept his consecutive record alive, winning every Golf Channel AM Tour event he has played on the course. Daniel Desilets of Kermit, TX played the back nine in two under par on two birdies to finish three strokes back, with San Antonio, TX member Texas Harper rounding out the top three.
Palmer Flight: Playing out of the Dallas Tour, Michael King of Fort Worth, TX got off high center on the back nine with three birdies to pick up his second win in as many attempts. Once again religated to the Palmer Flight without the minimum Senior Palmer players, Gary Grizzle of Boerne, TX recorded his lowest round on tour, with the help of four birdies to pick up the runner up finish, two strokes back. Fort Hood, TX member, Jacob Morton, back to the Palmer Flight after a stint in the Championship Flight, finished the day in the show position.
Hogan Flight: When Rene Realme of San Antonio, TX, last played River Crossing, it took him 19 holes for a playoff win in the Sarazen Flight. Now Realme is two for two at the club, picking up his seventh win on tour and second since the promotion to the Hogan Flight. Five strokes back, San Antonio, TX player John Heintz secured the sole second place finish with four players just one stroke back. Bedford, TX traveler, Darren Bufton, Brian Cox of Killeen, TX along with Tim Haverly and Jeremy Jessop of San Antonio, TX sharing the third place honors.
Senior Hogan Flight: With trouble on the par 5 - 3rd, Larry Susen of Austin, TX bounced back with a birdie on the par 5 - 8th to finish one stroke back on the front nine. Playing his final three holes in -1 with the help of two birdies, Susen became a two time winner on tour solidifying a single stroke advantage. Steve Trickel of Boerne, TX took four strokes off on the back nine and Georgetown, TX resident, Darrell Wilson took two off his front nine score to split the second place honors.
Sarazen Flight: C.D. Dunem took a three stroke lead to the 17th tee but struggled on his final two holes to open the door for fellow San Antonio, TX member Devin Brown. Brown birdied the par 4 - 18th for his third win of the year and eighth on tour. Dunem's runner up finish made it his third second place finish of the year to go with two wins on the points season. Tied up in the third place finish, Carlos Cruz recently promoted to the Sarazen Flight, made a charge on the back nine with three birdies and a +1 to share the honors with Helotes, TX player Scott Thompson.
Senior Sarazen Flight: After shooting a 99 and placing sixth at the last River Crossing event, John Scott of Houston, TX has gone on to win the 2013 Senior Jones National Championship, received his automatic promotion and then went on to win the 2014 - Puerto Rico Amateur in the Senior Sarazen Flight. On Saturday, Scott took off twenty two strokes from his first try at the course, with an eagle on the par 5 - 17th for his lowest round on tour and second Hill Country win. Five strokes back, Jerry Gallemore of Fort Stockton, TX birdied his final hole to tie up the second place finish with the The Sooner State Showdown Major Champion, Jim Nedry of Lago Vista, TX.
Jones Flight: Joe Tyson of Austin, TX became a two time winner on tour with his second of the points season. Tyson, birdied the par 4 - 9th to help with a three stroke advantage over Xavier Bardy of San Antonio, TX after Bardy took a nine on the par 5 - 14th hole. Corpus Christi, TX member Bill Speck finished in the third place position, his best finish since his win at the 2013 Hill Country Tour Championship @ La Cantera.
Snead Flight: Round Rock, TX resident, Dwain Smith became a six time winner on tour with his first Am Tour outing at River Crossing. Three strokes back, Gene Hanley of San Antonio, TX birdied the par 5 - 4th hole for his best finish on tour and the Tournament Champion Trophy. Rounding out the top three, Houston Tour member, Rickie Franklin of Fischer, TX finished with a birdie on the par 5 - 17th.
SKINS:
Giant Skins: 1 -- Texas Harper, San Antonio, TX; Dave Davlin, San Antonio, TX; Carlos Cruz, San Antonio, TX; Rick Van Dalen, The Hills, TX.
Championship / Palmer: 2 -- Mark Miller, Spring Branch, TX. 1 -- Daniel Desilets, Kermit, TX; Texas Harper, San Antonio, TX; Jacob Morton, Ft. Hood, TX; Dave Davlin, San Antonio, TX; Gary Grizzle, Boerne, TX; Todd VanDerSchaegen, San Antonio, TX.
Hogan / Senior Hogan: 2 -- Larry Susen, Austin, TX. 1 -- Micah Carroll, San Antonio, TX; Steve Trickel, Boerne, TX.
Sarazen / Senior Sarazen: 3 -- Carlos Cruz, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- Scott Thompson, Helotes, TX; John Scott, Houston, TX; Richard Huyck, Live Oak, TX; Rick Van Dalen, The Hills, TX.
Jones / Snead: 2 -- Xavier Bardy, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- William Walker, Seguin, TX; Mark Rivera, San Antonio, TX; Joe Tyson, Austin, TX; Gene Hanley, San Antonio, TX; Rickie Franklin, Fischer, TX.
NEXT UP:
The Hill Country Tour gets the Summer Series Points underway when they visit Vaaler Creek Golf Club for the Battle at Blanco on Saturday May, 24th. The registration deadline is this Friday, May 16th at 11:59 PM and the field is limited.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Hill Country / Oklahoma Tours
405.513.1467
schilcutt@gcamtour.com
