San Antonio Open at La Cantera

Golf Channel AM Tour Staff, San Antonio, TX  (June 29, 2014)   Second of three Golf Channel AM Tour Majors in the Hill Country Region of Texas in 2014 landed at the LaCantera Resort for the San Antonio Open.

Great weather conditions greeted players vying for National and Senior National Championship invitations as well as trophies to go with the healthy prize fund where 180 players challenged the Resort and Palmer Courses at the resort.    

Over $1,300 was raised by the players for Feherty's Troops First Foundation through the 50/50 raffle.


RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  Just one stroke back after day one,  Sean Fenton of Fort Worth, TX went out in even par and carded three birdies on the day.  But the last birdie at the par 4 - 18th, a chip in off the green, would prove to be the deciding shot.  Fenton, a Senior Championship player, picked up his second Major Championship of the points season and first in a combined flight with Open players.  Wylie, TX member Dallas Webster, came from three back of the lead after the first round, matching his day one score to pickup the runner up finish.  First year player, Corey Freeland of Houston, TX, made birdie at the par 5 - 5th, his first of the event to share the third place finish and National Championship qualification with first round leader Mark Miller from Spring Branch, TX, previously qualified with his major win at the Bayou Classic at Lake Charles.

Palmer Flight:   Cedrick Smith of Houston, TX, playing only a few events on tour until the 2014 season, brought a one stroke lead from the Palmer course to his final round. Adding those competitive rounds on the season seemed to help curtail any overnight jitters. Starting on the tenth hole, Smith would make birdie on the par 4 - 15th to go out in +2, just enough to secure his first Major Championship and third tour win on the season.  Two strokes back, fellow Houston Tour member, Tino Flores secured his National Championship qualification with his runner up finish.  Dave Davlin of San Antonio, TX shot the low round in the flight on Sunday with the help of a birdie on his first hole, the par 5 - 10th to add a third place finish to his runner up spot at the May Florida Masters Major.

Senior Palmer Flight:  Copperas Cove, TX player, Robert Lippert shot a weekend low round +2 - 74 on the Resort Course during his first 18 holes and took with him a five stroke margin to the final day on a couple of birdies.  Lippert added birdies on the par 5 -3rd and par 4 -11th on Sunday to widen the gap for an eight stroke victory, his third win on the season and first Major Championship.  Tied for the third spot after the Saturday round, Vidor, TX lefty, Robert Corbello, birdied two holes on his final day to jump one spot into the runner up finish.  Mark Taylor of Lewisville, TX birdied his first hole on Sunday, the par 4 - 1st, but couldn't keep the momentum and finished in third place for the final Senior National Championship invitation.

Hogan Flight:   In the largest flight of the weekend, with 29 players playing the 36 hole event, Aaron Brougher of Spring, TX came from three strokes off the lead to pick up his third win on the season adding another Major Championship to his March 2014 Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay victory.  Sugar Land, TX player, Roger Masek made a huge move on Sunday, jumping from a T-7 Saturday finish to grab the runner up honors with the help of three birdies and the low flight round of the day.  First round leader Cory Welch of Fort Worth, TX and Granbury, TX resident,  Brack Blackwood completed the event just two strokes out of the win and split the third place honors and final National Championship qualifications.

Senior Hogan Flight:  First year tour member, Ernie Dyer of Orange, TX overcame an eight stroke deficit on the Palmer Course to shoot a +6, with a birdie on the par 4 - 2nd to bring home his first Major Championship and second win on tour.  Three time season winner and first round leader,  John Hilgers of Wimberly, TX finished two strokes back for the runner up finish.  Magnolia, TX player, George Smith, playing the final pairing and one stroke off the lead after the Saturday round, rounded out the top three to secure his Senior National Championship spot.

Sarazen Flight:  Three birdies on his first day on the Resort Course, had many heads turning after Joshua Douglas of Leander, TX finished seven strokes ahead of the field.  The overnight lead didn't seem to affect Douglas, heading to the Palmer Course layout as he matched the low round of the day on Sunday and widened the margin to ten strokes for his first Major Championship win.  Local, Helotes, TX member Scott Thompson,  playing out of La Cantera, matched his best Major finishes at the 2012 Western Open  and 2012  Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay with the runner up.  Ross Gonzales of Cypress, TX rounded out the top three, jumping up one spot on the final round.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Cincinnati Tour traveler, Larry Fletcher of Alexandria, KY moved from one stroke back after his round at the Palmer Course to lead the field of twenty one players in the flight to pick up the win. Fletcher, carded his third victory on tour and first Major Championship by one stroke over a pair of Texas players knotted in the runner up spot.  Greg Faubion of Richmond, TX took nine strokes off day one for his best finish at a Major Championship securing a share of the second place honors with fellow Houston Tour member, Mark Maddox Atascocita, TX.  It was Maddox's second T-2 in as many attempts, placing in the runner up spot his last time out at the Bayou Classic at Lake Charles.

Jones Flight:  Aaron Seafous of Austin, TX took it to her male counterparts to record her first win at a Major Championship in six years on the tour. Seafous carded the low flight rounds on both days, starting the Sunday round with a five stroke advantage widening the margin to seven strokes for her second win on the season and fifth on tour.  In fifth place after his round at the Palmer Course on Saturday,  Coy Dayton of Buda, TX vaulted his way into a tie for the second place finish with Deer Park, TX member Blake Barnes a previous Major Champion at the 2014 Sooner State Showdown.

Senior Jones Flight:   First year Tour visitor, Louis Ralph of Olive Branch, MS became only the second player not from Texas to take home the Championship Trophy.  Ralph, sleeping on a five stroke margin after his Saturday started the round at the Resort Course a little shaky, but managed to keep things going, with the help of two birdies on the par 3 -4th and par 4 - 13th.   It was Ralph's fourth win on tour and second Major Championship.  California transplant, Donald Bebout now residing in Lakeway, TX finished two strokes back for his Senior National Championship invitation.  Two strokes back in third place, David Sipe of Atascocita, TX, a three time winner on the season with the Major Championship at the March Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay rounded out the top three.

Snead Flight:   Doyle Fleming of Haslet, TX continued his winning ways with his third Major Championship and eighth win on the season.  Fleming, four strokes back after his round at the Palmer Course made up the difference to win by five strokes over Houston Tour member, Javier Quintero.   Mark Colwell of Selma, TX, the winner at the 2014 Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay split the third place honors with Arizona Tour member, Jim Collins of Las Cruces, NM.