Texas Open Tune Up - Lighthouse Country Club

Scott R Chilcutt, Kingsland, TX (June 22, 2018)  The Hill Country Tour made its way back to Lighthouse Country Club, formerly Packsaddle Golf Course, for a Tune Up to the Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay weekend.  Hot temperatures, with plenty of breezes, got the players used to the weekend weather, but more importantly were able to work on the game for the upcoming Major Championship.

The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $570, with Texas Tour events total raised to $16,005 contributed to the Foundation in 2018.


RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  Starting the day, with four straight par's, Keith McKelvey of Granbury, TX, added a birdie at the par 4 - 8th to take a one-stroke advantage to the back, which proved to be just enough.  McKelvey, picked up his second win, in the last three attempts, and fourth of the season, three strokes clear of Cedar Hill, TX, member Chris Ransbottom, with a birdie of his own on the par 5 - 17th.  One stroke out of second, first-time player, Zach Winkler of Midland, TX, started his round, -2 after four holes, with two birdies, to round out the top three.

Palmer Flight:  Midland, TX, player Brannon Smith, carded two birdies on his round, in route to a four-stroke victory.  Smith, with two wins in as many attempts, including the Major Championship at Sonterra in March, has three wins on tour.  Ron Finnerty of San Antonio, TX, +1 - 37 on the back nine, finished in the runner-up spot, with Fort Worth, TX, player Kirk Boerner, claiming the third-place finish.

Senior Palmer Flight:  Nursing what was self-described as a broken elbow, Dan Frampton of Albuquerque, NM, didn't show signs of it affecting his play.  Frampton, carded his low round of the season, with the help of two birdies to pick up his third, Senior National Championship qualifying spot.  Two strokes back, Tolar, TX, member John Williamson, with a couple of birdies of his own, cleared a pair of players, just behind him by seven strokes.  Oklahoma Tour Traveler, Michael Foster of Catoosa, OK, and Portland, TX, resident Scott Harrelson, shared the third-place honors.

Hogan Flight:  Trailing by three strokes, making the turn, Houston, TX player John Harcrow, made the most of two birdies coming to the clubhouse to force extra holes, with Killeen, TX, player Randy Dorsey, with three birdies of his own on the day.  Back to the par 5 - 10th, it would only take one more frame for Dorsey to pick up his National Championship qualifying third win of the season and second in as many attempts.  Two strokes out of the playoff, Jim Puckett, of Leander, TX, with a birdie on the par 4 - 11th, rounded out the top three. 

Senior Hogan Flight:  Pacific Northwest Tour member, Jerry Browning of Everett, WA, made the trip down to the heat, using a sudden death playoff to his advantage for his second win in as many weekends.  Kingsland, TX, local Bob Tuttle, with a three-stroke lead going to the back nine, ran into trouble on the par 5 - 10th, where luck would have it they would start the playoff.  Browning with a par his first time around would take home the championship on the first hole, with a birdie.  One stroke back, Dale Fuhr of Missouri City, TX, fought his way back with three birdies on the final nine to take the showplace finish.

Sarazen Flight:  Cedar Park, TX, resident Chris Bryant, with a birdie on the par 3 - 7th, pick up his third win on tour and first of the season.  Four strokes back, Michael Hill, of Greenville, TX, shared the lead on his first nine after starting the day, on the par 5 - 10th, but slipped back to even the runner-up finish with San Antonio, TX, member CD Dunem.  

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Kirk Trussell, of Houma, LA, held on to a three strokes lead making the turn, with a pair of birdies,  after starting the day on the 10th hole. Hard-charging, Leander, TX, member Steve Hamilton.  took four strokes off his back nine to get within one of Trussell, who picked up his second win of the season, both coming in consecutive events.  One stroke back of Hamilton, Abilene, TX, player Mackie Crossan, and Llyod Reid, JR of Dallas, TX, shared the third place finish.

Jones Flight:  Abilene, TX, traveler, Kevin Crosson, grabbed his fourth win on tour, and third of the season, with four strokes to spare.  Charles Watson of nearby Llano, TX, with a birdie on the par 4 - 3rd, took home the runner-up honors, with San Antonio, TX, player Larry Harper, rounding out the top three.

Senior Snead Flight:  Dan O'Shea of Copperas Cove, TX, followed a twelve on the par 4 - 4th with a birdie on the par 4 - 5th, to get back on track to record his fifteenth win on tour and first of the season.  Stwo strokes back, Killeen, TX, member Jack Iglesias, took home the runner-up honors, with Jennifer Grothaus, of Abilene, TX, taking home the final podium spot.




SKINS:

Giant SKINS:  ($155/each)  1 -- Keith McKelvy, Granbury, TX; Stephen Labay, Austin, TX; Randy Dorsey, Killeen, TX; John Kaminski, Corpus Christi, TX.

Championship/Palmer:  ($44/each)  2 -- Stephen Labay, Austin, TX. 1 -- Zack Winkler, Midland, TX; Keith McKelvy, Granbury, TX; Brannon Smith, Midland, TX.

Senior Palmer:  ($40/each)  3 -- Dan Frampton, Albuquerque, NM. 2 -- John Williamson, Tolar, TX.

Hogan:  ($20/each)  3 -- Les Costales, San Antonio, TX. 2 -- Randy Dorsey, Killeen, TX. 1 -- Jim Puckett, Leander, TX; Kevin Fontenot, Corpus Christi, TX; John Harcrow, Houston, TX; Tony Thibodeaux, Port Arthur, TX.

Senior Hogan:  ($64/each)  1 -- Bob Tuttle, Kingsland, TX; Allan Collier, Austin, TX; George Smith, Magnolia, TX; Dale Fuhr, Missouri City, TX; John Kaminski, Corpus Christi, TX.

Sarazen:  ($11/each)  3 -- C.D. Dunem, San Antonio, TX; Judy Harris, Abilene, TX. 2 -- Mike Adcock, River Oaks, TX; Kendall Hisey, Cedar Park, TX. 1 -- Michael Betzale, Live Oak, TX; Tommy Mobley, San Marcos, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($30/each)  2 -- Tom Stockton, Grand Prairie, TX; Kirk Trussell, Houma, LA. 1 -- Melvin Hill, Boerne, TX; Rodney Wren, Dallas, TX; David Day, Rockwall, TX; Steve Hamilton, Leander, TX.


Jones/Snead:  ($68/each)  2 -- Jack Iglesias, Killeen, TX. 1 -- Dan O'Shea, Copperas Cove, TX; Steve DiPaola, San Antonio, TX; Charles Watson, Llano, TX.


CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

$160/each:  #7 - Randy Dorsey - 9' 4 1/";  #12 - Dan O'Shea - 7' 2";  #16 - Ron Finnerty - 8' 5";  #18 - Brian Wimer - 5' 9".


NEXT UP:

Dallas Tour -   Don't miss the registration for the Championship @ TPC Craig Ranch on Monday, July 16th entries close on Friday, July 6th, with only a few spots remaining.

Hill Country Tour -  Waiting list spots still available with registration closing on June 29th for the Prelude - Hill Country Classic at Hyatt Hill Country Resort to be contested on Friday, July 6th.

Houston Tour -  After a break for two majors in two weeks, the Houston Tour will tee it up at Pecan Grove Golf Club for the Richmond Championship on July 14th.  Entries close on Friday, July 6th. 

Major Championships Open for Registration - (Majors that will be included in the 2018 Texas Tour Flight Champion year-end awards)

Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay - June 23-24th. SOLD OUT, waiting list spots available.

Hill Country Classic at La Cantera - July 7th and 8th.  SOLD OUT, waiting list spots available.

Texas Classic at Barton Creek - July 28th - 29th.  SOLD OUT, waiting list spots available.

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

A Few Firsts at Avery Ranch - Hill Country Tour

Scott R Chilcutt, Coppell, TX (June 3, 2018)  Avery Ranch Golf Club, officially in Austin proper, on the outskirts of Round Rock, hosted the Summer Classic - Round Rock on Sunday.  First time at the facility for this crew, it's a beautiful Hill Country, like course, and while play is allowed to the public, it has a private club atmosphere.  Favorable yardages, and great rolling greens allowed for some firsts in personal best low rounds.

The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home what would have been $390, but gave back 1/2 the pot to the Troops, bringing the daily total to $585, with Texas Tour events total rising to $13,625 contributed to the Foundation in 2018.


RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  Coming off a third-place finish at the Battle of Blanco, in his first event on tour, Jacob Davis of Cibolo, TX, made this round count.  Davis, with five birdies on his round, including three in as many holes on the back, finished the round, -2 for his first Championship.  One stroke back, first time San Antonio, TX, player Sutherland Stith, carded an eagle on the par 5 - 14th, added three more birdies to the round to finish -1 in the runner-up spot. John Kellum of San Antonio, TX, a four-time winner in 2017, and playing in his first event of the season rounded out the top three, with a pair of birdies.

Palmer Flight:  Playing alongside Stith in the pairing, San Antonio, TX, player Rene Realme, was obviously inspired with his partners under par round, enough so, that he beat the field by seven strokes.  Realme, with with a birdie on the par 5 - 4th finished the back nine even par, for his National Championship qualifying third win of the season.  Jorge Rodriguez of nearby Round Rock, TX, finished in the runner-up spot, all alone, two strokes clear of San Antonio, TX, member Gary Grizzle and Z-man Lovato of Austin, TX sharing the third-place finish.

Hogan Flight:  Starting the day on the par 5 - 10th, College Station, TX, player Rick Smalley, held a two-stroke advantage over the field making the turn.  Small, +1 coming to the clubhouse, gave back that advantage plus more, on his final two holes, to let John Brannan of New Braunfels, snead into a playoff.  Back to the par 5 - 10th, it would be Brannan, picking up the Championship on the first sudden-death hole, at his first event on tour.  Three strokes back, Cody Cauley of San Angelo, TX, with a birdie on the par 4 - 16th rounded out the top three.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Competing in his second event of the weekend, after winning on Saturday in Coppell, TX, Houston Tour Player, Jeff Green of Coldspring, TX, made it two in a row.  Green, making the most out of three birdies on his round, recorded his sixth win of the season, four strokes clear of Boerne, TX, member Steve Wade.  Wade, with a birdie on the par 4 - 4th, stayed one stroke clear of third-place finisher, George Smith of Houston, TX, with three birdies on his round.

Sarazen Flight:  Odessa, TX, player Norm Gosselin, in a dead heat with Christopher Cobb, making the turn, matched his front nine scores coming to the clubhouse, for his fourth win on tour and first since 2016. Chris Bryant of Cedar Park, TX, snuck into the runner-up finish with the help of a birdie on the par 3 - 11th, two strokes clear of Cobb, with a birdie of his own on the par 3 - 6th.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Another of the double weekend players to make the field at Avery Ranch, DFW Tour player Rodney Wren, of Dallas, TX, followed a great back nine on Saturday, to pick up his second win on tour, both coming this points season.  Wren, with two consecutive birdies on the 14th and 15th holes, finished with a personal best score, two strokes clear of Giddings, TX, player Michael Hirsch.  Hirsch, made the most of two birdies on the day, to edge out Steve Hamilton, of Leander, TX, by a stroke.

Jones Flight:   It took every bit of a personal best on tour, +7 - 79 for Abilene, TX, member Kevin Crosson to pick up his third win on tour and second of the points season.  Crosson with two birdies on his front nine after starting on the par 5 - 10th, edged out DFW Tour player, Doyle Fleming of Haslet, TX, by one stroke.  Four strokes back, San Antonio, TX, player Phil Lewis, a winner his last time out, rounded out the top three.



Snead Flight:  Playing in his first year on tour, Pete Acosta of Alamo, TX, picked up his second win, with the help of a birdie on the par 4 - 12th hole.  Three strokes back, San Antonio, TX, member Bill Russell, secured the second place finish by two strokes over Dan O'Shea of Copperas Cove, TX, taking the final podium spot.

SKINS:

Giant SKINS:  ($220/each)  1 -- Marshall Durrett, Austin, TX; Terry Spencer, Georgetown, TX.

Championship/Palmer:  ($35/each)  3 -- Jacob Davis, Cibolo, TX. 1 -- Robert Lippert, Copperas Cove, TX.

Hogan/Senior Hogan:  ($76/each)  1 -- Randy Dorsey, Killeen, TX; Michael Campbell, New Braunfels, TX; Marshall Durrett, Austin, TX; George Smith, Magnolia, TX; Jacinto Zambrano, Kerrville, TX.

Sarazen:  ($40/each)  1 -- C.D. Dunem, San Antonio, TX; Michael Betzale, Live Oak, TX; Tommy Mobley, San Marcos, TX; Chris Bryant, Cedar Park, TX; Christopher Cobb, Austin, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($50/each)  1 -- Thomas Wellman, Lago Vista, TX; Michael Hirsch, Giddings, TX; Mackie Crossan, Abilene, TX; Joseph Tyson, Austin, TX.

Jones/Snead:  ($48/each)  3 -- Kevin Crosson, Abilene, TX.  1 -- Evan Kirkpatrick, Georgetown, TX; Terry Spencer, Georgetown, TX; Jennifer Grothaus, Abilene, TX; Annette Crossan, Abilene, TX; Dan O'Shea, Copperas Cove, TX.

CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

$120/each:  #6 -  Chris Cobb - 23";  #8 - N/A;  #11 - Michael Hirsch - 4' 11";  #13 - Mike Betzale - 4' 6 1/4".



NEXT UP:

Dallas Tour -  June 16th the DFW Tour makes a stop at Bear Creek for the DFW International Open, waiting list spots are available.   Don't miss the registration for the Desoto Championship on July 1st at Thorntree Golf Club, entries close on Friday, June 22nd, but will surely sell out prior to that time.

Hill Country Tour -   Lighthouse Country Club, in Kingsland, TX, will open up the Texas Open weekend at Horseshoe Bay on Friday, June 22nd.  Spots still available with registration closing on Friday, June 15th.  


Houston Tour - Next up, The Woodlands Open, the home of the Insperity Invitational on the Champions Tour, on Monday, June, 11th. SOLD OUT and CLOSED. After a break for two majors in two weeks, the Houston Tour will tee it up at Pecan Grove Golf Club for the Richmond Championship on July 14th.  Entries close on Friday, July 6th. 

Major Championships Open for Registration - (Majors that will be included in the 2018 Texas Tour Flight Champion year-end awards)

Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay - June 23-24th. SOLD OUT, waiting list spots available.

Hill Country Classic at La Cantera - July 7th and 8th.  SOLD OUT, waiting list spots available.

Texas Classic at Barton Creek - July 28th - 29th.  Spots available.

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