Perfect Conditions for the Spring Branch Classic

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