Prelude - Texas Open - Barton Creek Lakeside

Scott R Chilcutt, Spicewood, TX (March 18, 2016)  Barton Creek Palmer Lakeside, the most remote of the four Omni Hotels, Barton Creek Resort courses is situated 25 minutes west of the resort. The facility played host to the Prelude to the Texas Open Major Championship at Horseshoe Bay on The Golf Channel AM Tour on a special Friday event.  

Fabulous vistas overlooking Lake Travis, cloudy and misty early morning skies gave way to warm temperatures and light winds, that would greet the players to the Arnold Palmer design layout, as a warm up for over 60 of the 106 player field, to the weekends Major Championship.

John Heintz (Hogan 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. Heintz, went on to win the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving.   The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, grabbed $600, bringing the year to date total from the Texas Tours to $3,460 contributed to the Foundation.

RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  Plano, TX, member, Gant Bills, with a top five finish at the 2015 National Championship, became a four time winner on tour.  Bills, went out with two birdies on the front, followed with a birdie on the par 4 - 10th to finish +2, and a four stroke advantage.  David Jones of Silsbee, TX, equaled his best finish of his first year on tour in the runner up spot, carding consecutive birdies on the par 5 - 15th and par 4 - 16th.  Cedar Park, TX, player Mike Harkins, with the help of a birdie on the par 4 - 13th rounded out the top three in the flight.

Palmer Flight:  Keith Childress, of Diana, TX, made the best of his Thursday preview of the layout, firing four birdies on the day, to grab his third win on tour and first of the season.   One stroke back, equaling Childress with a double bogie on the par 4 - 18th, Coupland, TX, member, Chris Wadle, with three birdies on the round, picked up the runner up finish.  Danna Hoover of Burnet, TX, finished the day, two strokes out of the winners circle with a birdie on the par 5 - 15th.

Senior Palmer Flight:  Coming off the last thirty days with a win at the Cleveland / Srixon - Father / Son Challenge at Pebble Beach, then a top spot at the Southern California Open at Morongo, Tony Peppler of Dallas, TX, kept the ball rolling with his sixth win on tour.  Second time player, Micky Buller of  Boerne, TX, bested his first time out third place finish, with Minnesota traveler, Bruce Addleman of Prior Lake, MN, rounding out the top three.

Hogan Flight:  In the first of what would become four playoffs on the day, John Heintz, of San Antonio, TX, would best Leander, TX, member Bryan Wood by three strokes on the back side after starting on the 10th hole, to force extra holes.  On the first hole of the sudden death playoff, Heintz would prevail for his fourteenth win on tour and first since the 2013 Hill Country Championship at La Cantera.  Brian Cox of Killeen, TX, Sapulpa, OK, traveler, Tams Howard and Trophy Club, TX, player Zoey Daneshfar, would share the third place honors.

Senior Hogan Flight:  David Anthony, of Cypress, TX, became a three time winner on the year, punching his ticket to the Senior National Championship, for the second time,  after a runner up finish at the TPC Sawgrass Open in January.  For Anthony, it was his fourth win on tour, winning by four strokes over, Trophy Club, TX, traveler, Jalil Danshfar.  Rounding out the top three, Steve Wade of  Boerne, TX, with the help of a birdie on the par 4 - 5th carded his second third place finish on the season.

Sarazen Flight:  Rockwall, TX, member Michael Hill, commanded a six stroke victory for his third on tour.  In his first event on tour, Mark Risser of Dallas, TX, finished in the runner up spot, with Odessa, TX, player Joe Luman taking the show place finish.

Senior Sarazen Flight:   Houston Tour member, Chris Neelley, of Spring, TX, and Oklahoma Tour traveler, Stan Wilson of Jones, OK, couldn't use the eighteen holes to decide the winner.  Back to the #1 hole for the sudden death playoff, Wilson would prevail with a par on the first hole.   Michael Brewer of  Round Rock, TX, with two birdies on the round, Houston, TX, member Bruce LeGrand, with a couple of his own and Ernie DeBruler, from the Oklahoma Tour playing out of Augusta, KS, would share the third place finish.

Jones Flight:  Eric King, of Dripping Springs, TX, off the tour since 2013, became a five time winner his first time back. King, with a birdie on the par 3 - 14th, finished with a three stroke advantage over a fellow Dripping Springs, TX, member Brent Gibbs in his first time on tour.  Leander, TX, member Melissa Wood and, Garrett Tidman, from the Dallas Tour playing out of Little Elm, TX, shared the third place honors.

Senior Jones Flight:   The playoffs continue, with Randy Adcock of  Vidor, TX, and Red Bud, IL, traveler, Bill Braun taking it to extra holes.  Adcock, an eighteen time winner on tour and 2010 National Champion, was able to hold out of for the playoff win.   Terry Everts of Eastland, TX and Dallas, TX, player Lloyd Reid, JR, finished in the third place spot.

Snead Flight:  Off to the last playoff of the day, Charles Burger, making the trip from Mentor, OH, would take Selma, TX, member Mark Colwell to extra holes.  In the end, Colwell, would pick up his thirteenth win on tour and first on the season.  Montgomery, TX, first year player, Michael Pierce,  carded his second consecutive third place finish.




SKINS:

Giant SKINS:  ($355/each)   1 -- Scott Harris, Fort Worth, TX; Larry Viktorin, Wharton, TX.

Championship / Palmer:  ($35/each)  2 -- Keith Childress, Diana, TX; Russell Rice, Fort Worth, TX. 1 -- Mike Harkins, Cedar Park, TX; Gant Bills, Plano, TX; Chris Wadle, Coupland , TX.

Senior Palmer:  ($28/each)  2 -- Bruce Addleman, Prior Lake, MN; Tony Peppler, Dallas, TX; Eric Bates, Austin, TX. 1 -- Tony Ham, Mesa, AZ.

Hogan:  ($40/each)  2 -- Jason Shuffield, Frisco, TX. 1 -- John Heintz, San Antonio, TX; Tams Howard, Sapulpa, OK.

Senior Hogan:  ($120/each)  1 -- David Anthony, Cypress, TX; Scott Harris, Fort Worth, TX.

Sarazen:  ($100/each)  1 -- Mark Risser, Dallas, TX; Michael Hill, Rockwall, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($40/each)  2 -- Bruce LeGrand, Houston, TX; Doyle Wofford, Montgomery, TX. 1 -- Larry Viktorin, Wharton, TX; Stan Wilson, Jones, OK.

Jones / Senior Jones:  ($60/each)  2 -- Garrett Tidman, Little Elm, TX. 1 -- David Sipe, Houston, TX; Lynn Morse, Bethel, CT; Joseph Tyson, Austin, TX.

Snead:  ($22/each)  4 -- Mark Colwell, Selma, TX. 1 -- Michael Pierce, Montgomery, TX; Manuel Gonzalez, Round Rock, TX; Charles Watson, Llano TX; Charles Burger, Mentor, OH.

CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

($180/each)  #3 - Scott Harris - 1' 10";  #8 - Stan Wilson - 4' 7";  #14 - Chris Wadle  - 3' 5";  #11 - Joe Luman - 3'.

Upcoming Texas Events:

The Dallas Tour, visits the exclusive Pete Dye golf course at Stonebridge Ranch for The Dye Classic at Stonebridge on Monday, March 28th.  Then a quick turn around for the Frisco Lakes Challenge on Saturday, April 9th at The Golf Club of Frisco.  The event is already sold out, but waiting list spots are available.

  

April 10th, the Hill Country Tour returns after a 4 year layoff to Silverhorn Golf Club in San Antonio, for the Sunday April 10th Spring Challenge at Silver Horn.  

The Houston Tour gets back into action at the Galveston Island Championship, on Sunday, April 3rd, with the entry deadline of Friday, March 25th at 11:59 PM EST. 

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

Classic At The Springs - Hill Country Tour

Scott R Chilcutt, Burnet, TX (March 6, 2016)  Delaware Springs Golf Course, highly touted and nationally ranked #2 in the country of best value courses through the Golf Advisor web site played host to the Classic at the Springs on the Hill Country, Golf Channel AM Tour.   

Burnet, a small community just north of Marble Falls, the home to the upcoming Texas Open Major, along State Highway 281, is easily accessible to most in the Hill Country, but also drew players from the Dallas Tour, the Houston Tour, snow birds in the south from ST. Louis, Minnesota and even a couple that made the trip from the Atlanta area.  Cloudy skies and drizzle met the players in early play, but gave way to bits of sunlight and light winds.

Chris Wadle (Palmer Flight) picked up the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving.  

The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, grabbed $300, bringing the year to date total from the Texas Tours to $2,610, contributed to the Foundation.

RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  Starting on the tenth hole for the day, San Antonio, TX, first year player, Ernesto Beyer, built a big lead making the turn with two birdies on his opening nine.  Beyer added another on the back, to shoot +2 - 74 for his second win on tour with a nine stroke cushion.  Rusty Lippert, of Copperas Cove, TX, carded the runner up finish by three strokes over first time tour player, Derek Lowe of Temple, TX, with a birdie on the par 5 - 14th.

Palmer Flight:  Coming off a win on Saturday in the Houston area, Chris Wadle, of Coupland, TX, made it three wins in his last three attempts, with the help of three birdies in a five hole stretch coming to the clubhouse.  Bulverde, TX, first time participant, Tony Corey, finished one stroke clear of pairing partner, Mickey Buller of Boerne, TX, with two birdies on the day, rounding out the top three.

Hogan Flight:  Eagle Pass, TX first year member, German Zavala, made the best of two birdies on his back nine, to pick up his first win on tour.  Two strokes back, the pair of Dallas Tour players, Joseph Roy, of Rockwall, TX, and Southlake, TX, resident Scott Striegel, with a birdie on the par 5 - 1st, split the runner up honors.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Houston Tour invader, Kevin Turner of LaPorte, TX, recorded his fifth win on tour and second in the Hill Country. Obviously traveling well, of the five championships, Turner had won four on tours outside of Houston.  Two strokes back, Bob Tuttle, of Kingsland, TX, stuffed an eagle two on the par 4 - 17th in his first event of the season wrapping up the runner up finish.  Austin, TX, member Larry Susen, finished four strokes out of the win, with the help of a birdie on the par 4 - 9th for the show place finish.

Sarazen Flight:  With a pair of runner up finishes his first two times out, Gary Hatter of Dripping Springs, TX, got to the winners circle for the first time with a five stroke advantage, using a birdie on the par 5 - 14th to seal the deal.  Crystal City, TX, member Carlos Benavides, followed up his runner up finish his last time out in Kerrville, using a birdie on the par 5 - 1st to stay one stroke clear of a pair in the third place spot.  Xavier Bardy of San Antonio, TX, with a birdie on the day and Katy, TX, player Adam Bray, with two birdies in two holes finishing his round, shared the third place finish.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Atlanta Tour member, Jeffeory White of Dalton, GA, made his trip to the Hill Country count.  With the help of a birdie on the par 5 - 8th, White, picked up his fourth win on tour.  Two strokes back, the trio of Burnie Rodgers of Haslet, TX, Hendricks, MN, traveler, Steven Holland and Rodney Wren of Dallas, TX, helped to lock out the Hill Country members from any podium finishes in the flight.

Jones Flight:  Carlos Gloria, of San Antonio, TX, picked up his first win on tour with a four stroke cushion.  Midland, TX, player Mike Jones and Joseph Tyson of Austin, TX, split the runner up finish.

Snead Flight:  Schertz, TX, player Paul Tyus, made it two for two in his first year on tour, likely to gain a promotion to the Jones Flight.  Tyus, with birdie on the par 4 - 17th, held on to a one stroke lead over Christopher Cobb, of Austin, TX.  Copperas Cove, TX, player Dan O'Shea, rounded out the top three.






SKINS:

Giant SKINS:  ($100/each)  1 -- Sean Fenton, Fort Worth, TX; Ernesto Beyer, San Antonio, TX; Chris Wadle, Coupland , TX; Kirk Boerner, Fort Worth, TX; Ronald Polillo, O'Fallon, IL.

Championship / Palmer:  ($30/each)  2 -- Ernesto Beyer, San Antonio, TX; Mickey Buller, Boerne, TX. 1 -- Sean Fenton, Fort Worth, TX; Gary Grizzle, San Antonio, TX; Scott Myers, Copperas Cove, TX; Derrick Matthews, Killeen, TX; Chris Wadle, Coupland , TX.

Hogan / Senior Hogan:  ($70/each)  1 -- Kirk Boerner, Fort Worth, TX; Jim Puckett, Leander,TX; German Zavala, Eagle Pass, TX; Allan Collier, Dripping Springs, TX; Darrell Wilson, Georgetown, TX; Kent Mccord, Odessa, TX.

Sarazen / Senior Sarazen:  ($53/each)  1 -- Xavier Bardy, San Antonio, TX; Douglas Galloway, Austin, TX; Ronald Polillo, O'Fallon, IL; Richard Huyck, Live Oak, TX; Jeffeory White, Dalton, GA; Rodney Wren, Dallas, TX.

Jones / Snead:  ($50/each)  2 -- Bobby Ashcraft, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- Carlos Gloria, San Antonio, TX; Larry Harper, San Antonio, TX; Gene Hanley, San Antonio, TX; Dan OShea, Copperas Cove, TX.

CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

($120/each)  #5 - Scott Thompson - 12' 1";  #7 - Larry Harper - 12' 1";  #13 - Bobby Ashcraft  - 2' 8";  #16 - Ernesto Beyer - 4' 8".

Upcoming Texas Events:

Texas Tour Players take a break from local tour action after the Spring Classic on the River, at Coppell, TX on the Dallas Tour (Sold out) for the Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay on Saturday, March 19th and Sunday March 20th.

The Dallas Tour, visits the exclusive Pete Dye golf course at Stonebridge Ranch for The Dye Classic at Stonebridge on Monday, March 28th.  Registrations close on Friday, March 18th. 

April 10th, the Hill Country Tour returns after a 4 year layoff to Silverhorn Golf Glub in San Antonio, for the Sunday April 10th Spring Challenge at Silver Horn.  

The Houston Tour gets back into action at the Galveston Island Championship, on Sunday, April 3rd, with the entry deadline of Friday, March 25th at 11:59 PM EST. 

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