Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Kerrville Championship - Comanche Trace

Scott R Chilcutt, Kerrville, TX (February 25, 2017)   A favorite tour stop, early in the year, players from around the state and country traveled to The Club @ Comanche Trace for the Golf Channel AM Tour Kerrville Championship  

Kerrville, TX is nestled in the Texas Hill Country, just northwest of San Antonio along the Guadalupe River is home to the private The Club of Comanche Trace.  Weather often can be tough in late February, but this installment welcomed players to clear skies, breezy and cool.  Smooth bentgrass greens running moderately fast, challenged players to either get to the right side of the hole or make some phenomenal putts.  


The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $460, bringing the Texas Tour local events total to $1,750 in contributions to the Foundation.

RESULTS:


Championship Flight:  With four birdies on the day, Mark Miller of Spring Branch, TX, became a three-time winner at Comanche Trace.  With the victory, Miller extended his tour wins to 26, with two on the points season.  Three strokes back, San Antonio, TX, member Omar Ochoa, playing in his second event on tour, grabbed the runner-up finish.  Kevin Williams of Odessa, TX, back on tour after sitting out since 2012, rounded out the top three.


Palmer Flight:  First-time tour player, Paul Gorman of Schertz, TX, shot a +2 on his back nine with the help of a birdie on the par 5 - 13th, which proved to be just enough to pick up the championship.  Two strokes back, Fair Oaks Ranch, TX, member Chad Maytubby, picked up his best finish on tour landing the runner-up finish, with Charles Campbell of San Antonio, TX, a winner his last time out, taking the show place finish.


Senior Palmer Flight:  A Member since the 2010 season on the Golf Channel AM Tour, Chris Phillips of Richmond, TX, notched his belt in a new way on Saturday. With nine previous wins on tour, Phillips claimed his tenth win and first as a Senior Palmer after a promotion just before the 2016 Senior National Championship.  Two strokes back, Cedar Park, TX, resident Mike Harkins finished all alone in second with four players tied up in third, another two strokes back.  Mark Mueller, of Snyder, TX, with two birdies, Iraan, TX member, a winner his last time out, Doug Collins, Oklahoma Tour Member, Richard Cordis of Edmond, OK and San Angelo, TX, player Chuck Odom, with an eagle and two birdies on the round, all shared the third place honors.


Hogan Flight:  Jesse Guerra of San Antonio, TX, made the best of three birdies on his round to command a six-stroke advantage for his first win on tour.  Fellow San Antonio resident, Rene Realme, a winner his last time out at the Golf Club of Houston, finished in the runner-up spot with two birdies on his card.  Universal City, TX, player JD Schott, with a birdie 2 on the par 3 - 12th, rounded out the top three.


Senior Hogan Flight:  Starting the day on the tenth hole, Kyle Lewie of Waco, TX, looked to have things under control, making the turn with at +1 but opened the door for San Antonio, TX, player Paul Wuerdeman coming to the clubhouse,  forcing a sudden death playoff.  Back to the first hole, Wuerdeman would make par to grab his thirteenth win on tour and first of the season. Gary Grizzle and two-time winner of the points season, and Portland, TX, member Timothy VanLandingham split the third place finish.


Sarazen Flight:  Mark Tylenda, of Dallas, TX, birdied his final hole of the day to secure his fourth win of the season and second in as many attempts.  Starting his second year on tour, Tylenda has been gradually improving his handicap and finishes, clearing second-place finisher, Cody Prescott of Floresville, TX, by four strokes.  Leander, TX, resident, Joshua Douglas, rounded out the top three.


Senior Sarazen Flight:  Taking a break from the tour since last July, Steve Hamilton of Leander, TX, came back with his winning ways, recording his fifth win starting his third year on tour.  Live Oak, TX, member Richard Huyck carded his best finish on tour since the 2014 season, just one stroke back.  Kent Mccord, of Odessa, TX, and Clive, IA, traveler Mike Murray shared the third place finish.


Jones Flight:  With two players tied for the lead in the clubhouse, it looked like it would take a low back nine for Jay Mills of Austin, TX, to eliminate the need for a playoff. And did he go low! Mills recorded three consecutive birdies, en route to a +1, back nine to pick up the championship with a four-stroke lead.  Bobby Ashcraft of San Antonio, TX, and Austin, TX, player Christopher Cobb would settle for a share of the second place finish.


Senior Jones Flight:  Lloyd C Reid, JR, made a mess of his ninth hole of the day, the par 5 - 18th but didn't let it get him off course.  With a +2 back nine with the help of consecutive birdies, Reid would go on to win the flight by six strokes, picking up his tenth win on tour.  Larry Harper of San Antonio, TX, carded his second runner-up finish of the year to go with a win, with Oak Ridge North, TX member Terry Collins rounding out the top three.


Snead Flight:  The Woodlands, TX, member Chris Blackwell, playing in his fourth tournament on tour, picked up his first win.  Blackwell with a birdie on the par 3 - 17th, finished five strokes clear of Dan OShea of Copperas Cove, TX.  Three strokes back of OShea, Mark Colwell of Selma, TX, finished alone in the third place spot. 





SKINS:

Giant SKINS:  ($200/each)   1 -- Mike Harkins, Cedar Park, TX; Chuck Odom, San Angelo, TX; Jay Mills, Austin, TX.

Championship / Palmer / Senior Palmer:  ($35/each)  2 -- Mark Miller, Spring Branch, TX; Mark Mueller, Snyder, TX. 1 -- Kevin Knudson, Big Spring, Texas; Mike Harkins, Cedar Park, TX; Terry Jackson, George West, TX; Chuck Odom, San Angelo, TX.

Hogan / Senior Hogan:  ($120/each)  1 -- Gary Grizzle, San Antonio, TX; Timothy VanLandingham, Portland, TX; Marshall Brackin, Norman, OK.

Sarazen:  ($130/each)  1 -- Mark Tylenda, Dallas, TX; Norm Gosselin, Odessa, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($40/each)  1 -- Steve Hamilton, Leander, TX; Kent Mccord, Odessa, TX; Ben Maytubby, Fair Oaks Ranch, TX; Terry Everts, Eastland, TX; Aaron Evitts, Dayton, Tx.; William Paxton, Boerne, TX.

Jones / Senior Jones / Snead:  ($90/each)  1 -- Marvin Hughes, Harker Height, TX; Dan OShea, Copperas Cove, TX; Jay Mills, Austin, TX; Terry Spencer, Georgetown, TX.


CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:


($140/each)  #3 -  Paul Wuerdeman - 8' 4"; #8 -  Larry Harper - 9' 8"; #12 - AJ Englerth - 6' 1/2"; #17 - Marvin Hughts - 1' 5"

Upcoming Texas Events:


Next up in Texas, The Hill Country Tour makes a special Friday trip to the Palmer Lakeside Course at Barton Creek for the Prelude to the Texas Open on March 10th.  Registration closes on Friday, March 3rd, with only a few spots are still available.   

Dallas Tour members, head back to Indian Creek after a year off due to flooding, for the Classic at the Creek on Saturday, March 18th.  Entries close on Friday, March 10th at 11:59PM EST.

Houston players get back on track at the Cypress Open at Cypress Lakes Golf Club on Saturday, March 4th, 2017 and entries have closed.  Next up, the Katy Classic @ The Golf Club of Cinco Ranch on Sunday, March, 19th with a registration deadline of Friday, March 10th. 

  


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

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Golf Club of Texas Continues the Hill Country Tour Year

Scott R Chilcutt, San Antonio, TX (February 12, 2017)  The Golf Club of Texas, on the West Side of San Antonio, hosted the continuation to the 2017 calendar year on the Hill Country Tour.

Light winds, clear and warm skies, was a stark contrast to the foggy event on the coast just a few weeks ago.  

The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $230, bringing the Texas Tour local events total to $1,290 in contributions to the Foundation.


RESULTS:



Palmer Flight:  San Antonio, TX member and first-year player, Charles Campbell bookended his round with birdies at #1 and #18, and added another at # 9 en route to his first win on tour.  One stroke back, Derrick Matthews of Killeen, TX, matched the three birdies in the round with the final hole par 5 - 18th securing him the runner-up spot.  One stroke back of Matthews the pair of Chad Maytubby of Fair Oaks Ranch, TX and Austin, TX, member Dawson Zablonski split the third place honors.


Senior Palmer Flight:  Doug Collins of Iraan, TX, became an eight-time winner on tour on Sunday.  Going out, Collins went +1 with the help of a birdie on the par 5 - 5th to build a comfortable lead making the turn. Finishing two strokes back, Snyder, TX, first-time player Mark Mueller, matched Collins birdie on the 5th to grab the runner-up spot.  Terry Jackson of George West, TX, rounded out the top three.


Hogan Flight:  Competing in his second event of the weekend, Kirk Boerner of Fort Worth, TX, picked up his first win in eight attempts on the points season and second on tour.  One stroke back, the trio of Bill Nay of Plano, TX, also making the double weekend, San Antonio, TX, player John Heintz and Chris Switzer of Nolanville, TX, split the runner-up finish.


Senior Hogan Flight:  Garry Grizzle of San Antonio, TX picked up his third win on tour with two of them coming this points season.  Playing the front nine in +1 with a birdie on the par 5 - 8th Grizzle finished three strokes ahead of a pair knotted in the runner-up spot. Larry Susen of Austin, TX, and Portland, TX, player Timothy VanLandingham, with three birdies on the round shared the second place finish.


Sarazen Flight:  Killeen, TX, member AJ Englerth, made it two in as many attempts, with the help of three birdies on the day, two of them in consecutive order before making the turn. Four strokes back, Xavier Bardy of San Antonio, TX, with two birdies of his own on the round, with Austin, TX, member Aaron Seafous rounding out the top three.


Senior Sarazen Flight:  On hiatus from the tour since 2014, Gene Rampy of Bastrop, TX, came back and came back in a big way.  Rampy cleared the field by seven strokes en route to his third win on tour.  Bulverde, TX, player Joe Abreo, Joe Tyson from Austin, TX, and Eastland, TX, member Terry Everts, split the second place finish.


Jones Flight:  Larry Atchley of Kyle, TX,  shocked everyone, including himself with a record low round +4 - 76 for his sixth win on tour and second of the points season.  Atchley, with a +4 on the front, kicked it into gear, playing his back nine in even par with a birdie on the par 5 - 8th.  Three strokes back, Jame Price, a winner on Saturday in Houston, carded a couple of birdies for the runner-up finish, with the first-time player, Tim Miller of Shavano Park, TX, taking the show place finish.


Senior Jones Flight:  San Antonio, TX, player Larry Harper picked up his seventh win on tour.  One stroke back, Brookshire, TX, traveler Marcy Glidden, with a birdie on the par 5 - 18th, followed up her runner up finish on Saturday at the Golf Club of Houston with another second place finish.  Alfred Killinger, of Orlando, FL, rounded out the top three.


Snead Flight:  Charles Watson of Llano, TX, birdied his final hole of the day to put an exclamation mark on his second win of the season and fourth on tour.  Hoping to make it a double on the weekend after winning on Saturday and three for three on the season, Mico, TX, member Charles Mielak, had to settle for the runner-up finish.  Dan OShea of Copperas Cove, TX, recorded his third, third place finish of the points season.



SKINS:


Giant SKINS:  ($100/each)  2 -- Aaron Seafous, Austin, TX. 1 -- Bobby Ashcraft, San Antonio, TX; George Peddy, San Antonio, TX.

Palmer / Senior Palmer:  ($70/each)  2 -- Derrick Matthews, Killeen, TX.

Hogan / Senior Hogand:  ($55/each)  1 -- Bill Nay, Plano, TX; Bob Starkman, San Antonio, TX; Larry Susen, Austin, TX; Timothy VanLandingham, Portland, TX.

Sarazen / Senior Sarazen:  ($65/each)  2 -- Aaron Seafous, Austin, TX. 1 -- Angel Morales Jacquez, San Antonio, TX; Joseph Tyson, Austin, TX; Rich Stoker, Chilton, WI.

Jones / Senior Jones:  ($52/each)  2 -- Michael Powers, Austin, TX. 1 -- Bobby Ashcraft, San Antonio, TX; James Price, Portland, TX; Kevin Crosson, Abilene, TX.


Snead:  ($12/each)  4 -- Charles Mielak, Mico, TX; Charles Watson, Llano, TX. 1 -- Greg Blevins, George West, TX; Dan OShea, Copperas Cove, TX.

CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:


($100/each)  #3 - John Heintz - 14' 5";  #6  - Kevin Crosson - 7' 2";   #12 - AJ Englerth - 4' 7";  #16 - Joshua Tankersly - 8'.



Upcoming Texas Events:

Next up in Texas, The Hill Country Tour heads back to Comanche Trace Golf Club for the Kerrville Championship on Saturday, February 25th.  Register before the deadline on Friday, February 17th to ensure a spot in the event.

The DFW Tour will start the year at the DFW Winter Challenge on Sunday, February 26th at The Golf Club at Fossil Creek in Forth Worth.  The event is sold out but waiting list spots still remain.  Registration closes on Friday, February 17th. 

Houston players get back on track at the Cypress Open at Cypress Lakes Golf Club on Saturday, March 4th, 2017.  Entry deadline is Friday, February 24th.
   



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

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Texas Brings Home 3 Titles - 2 from the Hill Country


Scott R Chilcutt, Texas Tours (February 7, 2017)  Paiute Golf Club Resort Las Vegas played host to the fourteenth 2017 Duel in the Desert, presented by the Golf Channel AM Tour.  

432 players from around the US and Canada made up 216 teams, across 14 flights for the 54 hole team championship.  Arguably the best temperatures in recent history, the desert winds picked up on the final day to test the skill of the teams during the scramble format.  In addition to daily prizes, the top three overall teams in each flight qualified for the 2017 National Championships in September.

2017 Texas Tour Member National Championship Qualifiers:


FLIGHT 1:  Team Desilets/Morgan: Daniel Desilets, Kermit, TX, Hill Country Tour, and Marshall Morgan, Odessa, TX, DFW Tour. After taking the 18 hole lead, the pair let the best ball and scramble format along with more importantly the wind get the best of them.  Stamping their ticket the 2017 Senior National Championship Team Desilets finished third 6 strokes out fo the win.



FLIGHT 2:  TEAM Finnerty/Miller: Ron Finnerty, San Antonio, TX, Hill Country Tour, and Mark Miller, Spring Branch, TX, Hill Country Tour.  A tough round one, left them with plenty of work to do and work they did.  With a low round on day 2 during the best ball format the pair followed up with a strong finish to record their second win at the event and first since 2012 with a two-stroke advantage.  

FLIGHT 3:  TEAM Smith/Smith: Al Smith, San Angelo, TX, Hill Country Tour, and Jeffrey Smith, Boerne, TX, Hill Country Tour.  Al and Jeffrey's paths last crossed thirty years back, when Al took part in the partner Smith's wedding.  Both part of the college golf team, the two recently decided to make the Duel in the Desert a reunion of sorts.  


FLIGHT 8:  TEAM Johns/Purgahn:  Matt Purgahn, Orange, TX, Houston Tour, and Shane Johns, Orange, TX.  With an eight-stroke lead after day one, just about the only thing the pair didn't accomplish was the flight low round all three days, relinquishing that honour on day 3.  Don't count them out of a three-peat in 2018. 



FLIGHT 14:  TEAM Colen/Taylor: Ramon Colen, San Antonio, TX, Hill Country Tour, and Noah Taylor, Evansville, IN, St Louis Tour.  Ramon Colen a Champion in 2014, picked up a new partner this round and they hit it off quickly.  Four strokes out of the lead after 36 holes, the pair carded a flight low round on the final day to come within one stroke settling for the runner-up finish.   




Upcoming Texas Events:

Houston and the Hill Country will continue the 2017 year with a doubleheader on the second weekend of February.  Houston with the Golf Club of Houston - Redstone Classic, on Saturday, February 11th (sold out but waiting list spots are available) with the Briggs Ranch Classic at the Golf Club of Texas in San Antonio on Sunday, February 12th.  Entry deadline for both events is Friday, February 3rd at midnight.
   
The DFW Tour will start the year at the DFW Winter Challenge on Sunday, February 26th at The Golf Club at Fossil Creek in Forth Worth.  Registration closes on Friday, February 17th. 


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