Kerrville Championship in the Hill Country of Texas

Scott R Chilcutt, Kerrville, TX (February 20, 2016)    Kerrville, TX is nestled in the Texas Hill Country, just northwest of San Antonio along the Guadalupe River.  Golf Channel AM Tour players from around the state and country traveled to The Club @ Comanche Trace for the Golf Channel AM Tour Kerrville Championship.  

Overcast and drizzle into the morning helped slow hard and fast fairways, off the over seeded schedule of past years, but the day turned to the best weather in the last 6 years.  Smooth bentgrass greens running around 11 on the stimpmeter, challenged players to either get to the right side of the hole, or make some phenomenal putts.

John Pickens (Jones Flight), was "Up for the Srixon Challenge", winning his prospective flight playing a Srixon ball and will get a dozen sent to him for the win. Pickens also went on to win for the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving, with a career low round. 

The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, grabbed $370, bringing the year to date total from the Texas Tours to $1,430 contributed to the Foundation.


RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  San Antonio, TX, player Genaro Davila, carded a couple of bogies on the day, but they were only minor blips on the radar.  Davila, added four birdies and two eagles, including a hole out from off the green on the par 5 - 7th to shoot -6 for his fifth win on tour in eight attempts and second on the season.  Seven strokes back, Ernesto Beyer, of San Antonio, TX, with four birdies on the day and Spring Branch, TX, player Jackson Wolfe carding a birdie on his first hole of the day, split the runner up finish.

Palmer Flight:  Senior Palmer Flight player, Doug Collins of Iraan, TX, became a six time winner on tour in a combined, Palmer / Senior Palmer flight.  Collins, with birdie on the par 4 - 5th added two more on the back at the par 5 - 13th and par 4 - 15th for the win.  Four strokes back,  San Antonio, TX member Oscar Gonzalez, with three birdies on the day, Crystal River, FL, member Wendall Sheffield, with three birdies of his own and Danna Hoover, off the tour since 2010, knotted up the second place finish.

Hogan Flight:  Brian Cox of Killeen, TX, was able to overcome a late charge from New Braunfels, TX, member Michael Campbell, to secure his seventh win on tour.  Cox, with birdies on the par 5 - 4th and par 5 - 11th, made par on the last hole to stay just ahead of a trio of players tied in the runner up finish.  Campbell, with birdie on his final hole of the day, jumped up into the runner up finish with San Antonio, TX, Rene Realme and Anchorage, AK, Hill Country Member, Micah Carroll after both took doubles on 18.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Wimberly, TX, member Little John Hilgers, made the turn with two consecutive birdies on the par 4 - 10th and par 4 - 11th to run away with his twelfth win on tour.  Cuyahoga Falls, OH traveler, Ed Ruper finished in the runner up spot on his own, just three strokes back, one stroke ahead of a pair locked in the show place finish.  With three birdies on his round, Terry Jackson of George West, TX, and Portland, TX resident, Tim VanLandingham, shared the third place finish.

Sarazen Flight:  In the only, extra hole playoff of the day, Carlos Benavides of Crystal City, TX, and Marion, TX, member John Schott, required extra holes to settle the score.  Back to the par 4 - 1st, Schott would overcome a tough start to the hole, to secure his second win on tour and first of the season.  Second time player Ryan Helm of San Antonio, TX, secured his best finish with the third place honors.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Austin, TX standout, Michael Brewer, stayed on a consistent track to pick up his second win on the season, two in a row, sixth on the tour and second at the Comanche Trace track.  Four strokes back, Hawaii Tour transplant, Mervyn Jobe, now from San Antonio, TX, carded the runner up finish with a birdie on the par 4 - 14th with David Day of McClendon-Chisholm, TX, with a birdie of his own on the round, rounding out the top three.

Jones Flight:  John Pickens of Montgomery, TX, shot the round of his career to pick up his second championship on tour.  Pickens, starting on the tenth hole, made birdies on the par 5 - 13th and par 4 - 15th to solidify a big lead making the turn.  Austin, TX, member Joseph Tyson stayed in the hunt, finishing only three strokes out of the win, with Terry Everts, of Eastland, TX, carding a birdie on the par 5 - 4th grabbing the third place finish.

Snead Flight:  First time player Paul Tyus of Shertz, TX, used a birdie on the par 5 - 4th, his thirteenth hole of the day, to command the win by five strokes over a pair of players tied up in second.  Jim Lamberth of The Woodlands, TX with a birdie on the round and Copperas Cove, TX, player Daniel O'Shea shared the second place finish.




SKINS:

Giant Skins:  ($160/each)  2 -- Wendall Sheffield, Crystal River, FL. 1 -- Genaro Davila, San Antonio, TX; Little John Hilgers, Wimberley, TX.

Championship:  ($45/each)  3 -- Genaro Davila, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- Mark Miller, Spring Branch, TX; Al Smith, San Angelo, TX.

Palmer:  ($22/each)  3 -- Doug Collins, Iraan, TX. 2 -- Oscar Gonzalez, San Antonio, TX; Wendall Sheffield, Crystal River, FL. 1 -- Fernando Davila, San Antonio, TX; Aaron Brougher, Spring, TX; Danna Hoover, Burnet, TX.

Hogan:  ($50/each)  2 -- Michael Campbell, New Braunfels, TX. 1 -- Rene Realme, San Antonio, TX; Micah Carroll, Anchorage, AK.

Senior Hogan:  ($30/each)  2 -- Little John Hilgers, Wimberley, TX. 1 -- Kirby Rogers, Muldrow, OK; Paul Wuerdeman, San Antonio, TX; Terry Jackson, George West, TX; Steve Wade, Boerne, TX; Jerrod Hoyle, Brenham, TX.

Sarazen / Senior Sarazen:  ($35/each)  3 -- Xavier Bardy, San Antonio, TX. 2 -- Ryan Helm, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- John Schott, Marion, TX; David Day, McClendon-Chisholm, TX; Mervyn Jobe, San Antonio, TX; Charles Sagray, San Antonio, TX.

Jones / Snead:  ($35/each)  2 -- Mark Colwell, Selma, TX; Steve DiPaola, San Antonio, TX; Terry Everts, Eastland, TX; Larry Harper, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- John Pickens, Montgomery, TX.

CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

($140/each)  #3 - David Sipe - 4';  #8 - Sean Fenton - 8' 5";  #12 - James McKee  - 6' 9";  #17 - Kevin Turner - 3'.

Upcoming Texas Events:

Hill Country Players travel back to the 2nd best valued courses in the country, rated by Golf Advisor, Delaware Springs, in Burnet, TX for the Classic at the Springs on Sunday, March 6th. Entry deadline, is Friday, February 26th at 11:59 PM EST.

Dallas Tour players open the 2016 calendar year in North Richland Hills, TX at the Iron Horse Open on Sunday February 28th, 2016. 

The Houston Tour continues the season on March 5th for the Sealy Open at River Ridge with the event sold out before closing.  Spots are still available on the waiting list.

For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

Director - Texas Tours

Dallas  Tour - Hill Country Tour  - Houston Tour

GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour

405.513.1467

schilcutt@gcamtour.com

www.gcamtour.com

On The Gulf - Port Aransas Open

Scott R Chilcutt, Port Aransas, TX (January 30, 2016)  Players from around Texas, and beyond gathered on the Gulf Coast for the Port Aransas Open to open the 2016 calendar on the Houston and Hill Country Tours.  Palmilla Beach Golf Club, a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, designed by Arnold Palmer, takes advantage of the rugged wind-swept coastline consistent with links golf, located in Port Aransas.  Port Aransas, the only town established on Mustang Island, one of the longest barrier islands on the Texas Coast is a beach, resort and fishing town. 

Partly cloudy, and warm with breezy winds would make the comfort level on the upper side, but what comfort the weather brought, the course took away. The course, while playing relatively short for the par 71 layout, didn't give up a single eagle. Players garnered 56 birdies for 94 players entered, but OTHERS, won the war.  218 over double bogey, added to another 317 doubles would tell the tale of the tricky layout.

Bruce Beakley (Senior Palmer Flight), was "Up for the Srixon Challenge", winning his prospective flight playing a Srixon ball and will get a dozen sent to him for the win. Beakley also went on to win a scorecard playoff over Nacho Orozco for the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving.  

$290 was raised for the Feherty's Troops First Foundation by the players participating in the 50/50 Raffle

RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  Playing in his first season the the tour and second event, Ernesto Beyer of San Antonio, TX, made his way to the top of the leader board.  Beyer, one back of a couple of players making the turn, turned it on the back nine, with two birdies, one under par to pick up his first win by a stroke.  Spring Branch, TX, member, Mark Miller, made birdie on the par 5 - 10th, but couldn't get anything going to catch up to Beyer and finished one stroke back for the runner up spot.  Hayden Adair, of College Station, TX, rounded out the top three.

Palmer Flight:  Derrick Matthews of Killeen, TX, rebounded from a tough front nine to card, +2 on the back for his eleventh win on tour and first of the season. Houston Tour member, Roger Maskek of Sugar Land, TX, picked up a couple of strokes on the back nine to finish in the runner up spot with Brooke Schlemeyer finishing out the podium finish, equaling her best on tour.

Senior Palmer Flight:  Houston, TX, player Bruce Beakley, went six over par on his first three holes.  Not waiting on things to change, he made the change, a swing change to go one under par over his next fifteen holes.  But three birdies on the back nine would not seal the deal.  Doug Collins of Iraan, TX, had his own troubles on the front nine, but played the back in even par to force a playoff with Beakley.  Back to the par 5 - 10th for sudden death, Beakley prevailed with a par to win his ninth on tour and first of the season.  Bryan, TX, first time player Ricky Napper finished just one stroke out of the win with two birdies on the day.

Hogan Flight:  Terry Jackson of George West, TX, worked it just into his hands for his second win on the season.  Some big strokes on a few holes looked to derail his second Championship, but a birdie on the par 3 - 11th made it happen.  One stroke back, Michael Campbell of New Braunfels, TX, birdied the par 5 - 9th and par 5 - 18th to secure a second place spot with San Antonio, TX, player John Heintz.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Houston, TX, member Arthur Flores, made a statement with his play on Saturday.  Struggling out the gate, Flores played his final thirteen holes in even par with a birdie on the par 3 -17th for his sixth win on tour and first of the season.  Local player, Tim VanLandingham of Portland, TX, struggled with the rest on the front nine, made three birdies on the back at the par 3 - 13th, par 4 - 15th and the par 5 -18th to secure the runner up finish, two strokes back.  Cypress, TX, member, David Anthony, a winner in Florida at the Friday before the TPC Sawgrass Open and a runner up Senior National Championship qualification spot at the Major, rounded out the top three.

Sarazen Flight:  Nacho Orozco of San Antonio, TX, worked the field to a four stroke win with the help of a birdie on the par 4 - 15th. First year player, Gary Hatter of Dripping Springs, TX, followed up a T2 at Sonterra with a second place finish in his own just one stroke ahead of the pair of Katy, TX, member Kristopher Bixby and George Horton, of Houston, TX knotted in the show place finish.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Traveling Dallas Tour member, Tim Brown of Richland Hills, TX, swept the field for his third win on tour with a birdie on the par 3 - 12th for a four stroke advantage. Larry Murphy, of Cypress, TX, took nine strokes off his back nine score for the runner up finish, with Spring, TX, player Gary Gum rounding out the top three.

Jones Flight:  Jeff Gregory of Montgomery, TX, picked up his third win on tour, taking advantage of a birdie on the par 4 - 14th, clearing the field by six strokes. Second time player Carlos Gloria of San Antonio, TX grabbed the runner up finish with, Austin, TX, member Joseph Tyson clearing the top three spot.

Snead Flight:  Houston Tour Member, Jim Lamberth of The Woodlands, TX, commanded his fifth win on tour, playing 10-18 in +6.  Harker Heights, TX, member Marvin Hughes and Mark Colwell from Selma, TX, split the runner up honors.


SKINS:

Giant SKINS: - ($530/each)  1 -- Derrick Matthews, Killeen, TX.

Championship / Palmer:  ($36/each) 1 -- Derrick Matthews, Killeen, TX; Jeff Zemencsik, Magnolia, TX; Oscar Gonzalez, San Antonio, TX; Roger Masek, Sugar Land, TX; Ernesto Beyer, San Antonio, TX.

Senior Palmer:  ($35/each) 3 -- Bruce Beakley, Houston, TX. 1 -- Larry Susen, Austin, TX.

Hogan:  ($25/each)  3 -- Terry Jackson, George West, TX. 1 -- Mike Karlin, Houston, TX; A.J. Englerth, Killeen, TX; John Heintz, San Antonio, TX; Michael Campbell, New Braunfels, TX; Joseph Roy, Rockwall, TX.

Senior Hogan:  ($30/each)  3 -- Tim VanLandingham, Portland, TX. 1 -- Steve Hamilton, Leander, TX; Jeff Shaffer, Spring, TX.

Sarazen:  ($50/each)  2 -- Kristopher Bixby, Katy, TX. 1 -- Nacho Orozco, San Antonio, TX; George Horton, Houston, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($33/each)  2 -- Richard Huyck, Live Oak, TX. 1 -- Mervyn Jobe, San Antonio, TX; Tim Brown, Richland Hills, TX; David Day, McClendon-Chisholm, TX; Greg Faubion, Richmond, TX.

Jones:  ($34/each)  2 -- Joseph Tyson, Austin, TX. 1 -- Carlos Gloria, San Antonio, TX; Jay Mills, Austin, TX; Mark Boles, Sealy, TX; Heath Rood, Porter, TX; Jeff Wadsworth, El Campo, TX.

Snead:  ($25/each)  2 -- Miguel Chapa, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- Marvin Hughes, Harker Height, TX; Charles Watson, Llano, TX; Gene Hanley, San Antonio, TX; Mark Colwell, Selma, TX; Dan OShea, Copperas Cove, TX.

CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

($120/each)  #2 - Terry Bowling - 12' 10";  #6 - Mark Boles - 7' 6 1/2"";  #11 - Terry Jackson  - 5' 1/4";  #13 - Marvin Hughes - 13' 3"".

Upcoming Texas Events:

The Houston Tour starts at the home of the Shell Houston Open for the Golf Club of Houston - Redstone Classic on Saturday, February 13th.  While the event has been sold out for some time waiting list spots are still available.  Registration closes on Friday, February 5th.

Hill Country Players will take on the Kerrville Championship at Comanche Trace on Saturday, February 20th, with an entry deadline of Friday, February 12th.

The Dallas Tour opens the 2016 calendar year in North Richland Hills, TX at the Iron Horse Open on Sunday February 28th, 2016 with an entry deadline of Friday, February 19th.

For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

Director - Texas Tours

Dallas  Tour - Hill Country Tour  - Houston Tour

GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour

405.513.1467

schilcutt@gcamtour.com

www.gcamtour.com