Scott R Chilcutt, Edmond, OK (August 22, 2012) On September 27, 2011, I was summoned to a dark and seedy skid row bar on the outskirts of La Quinta, CA for an interview. This interview, just hours after completing 14 days of duties at the 2011 National Championships at PGA West, was a face to face with some of the prominent Hill Country Tour muscle. To be sure that he left the tour with no future retribution and to ensure the newbie in town wouldn't infringe on the racket that was blossoming, Pat Cambpell arranged the meet. (Note - script enhanced for dramatic effect, the meeting was at a Mimis Cafe in Racho Mirage with concerned long time tour members).
We will never know whether it was the sleep deprived spiel I presented or the Mimi's Chicken Pot Pie, but all the players seemed to leave with skeptical confidence. In all seriousness, it was a group of guys that were concerned that any group of Okies coming to the tour could ensure a forward movement or at least not go backwards. For the year, we'd probably give ourselves a B grade. Many things stayed the same, many things changed, but overall we tried to move things forward. On behalf of Sara Carlin, Dave Kirby, Jerrell Neely and myself we appreciate the opportunity to organize and manage a great deal of your free time this year.
Hill Country Tour Statistics:
- 298 Players from 16 different tours across the country competed in 13 local events with one rainout.
- 172 Hill Country members (in good standing as of today) averaged 6.5 rounds on the year.
- 65 Hill Country members played in 8 or more events during the points year.
- 33 players from the Hill Country will attend the National and Senior National Champsionships
Players Per Event | Number of Rounds |
2011 | 2012 | % YOY | 2011 | 2012 | Margin | % Increase |
59 | 80 | 36% | 651 | 1042 | 391 | 60% |
Player of the Year Award Winners:
Order of Merit points winners from each flight receive a customized Bridgestone Staff Bag.
Championship Flight: Chris Daniluck transplanted from Fairfax, VA during the spring of 2011 made his home in Boerne, TX while making his mark on the Hill Country Tour. Daniluck won six events on the year to go with five 2010 wins in Virginia to help solidify a resurgence of the Championship Flight in the Hill Country. Chris will compete at the National Championships in September.
Senior Championship Flight: Waco, TX first year member Kyle Lewie lives between the Hill Country and Dallas Tours, but stayed true to his Texas A&M roots of going southeast. Lewie participated in twelve events on tour to bring home the customized Bridgestone golf bag.
Palmer Flight: Dave "Travelin" Davlin of San Antonio, TX backed up his win at the 2011 Texas Masters at TPC San Antonio with his Tour Championship @ TPC San Antonio victory to seal the player of the year award. Davlin qualified for the National Championship with two runner up finishes at the May Grand Cypress Challenge and the July Texas Masters at Barton Creek and will compete against 136 other Palmer players in Ponte Vedra, FL at the Nationals.
Senior Palmer Flight: Playing out of Fair Oaks Ranch Golf & Country Club, San Antonio, TX resident Frank Davis bypassed the Tour Championship with other obligations and nearly lost out on the award. College Station, TX first year member Scott Williams would bogey his final hole, while the eventual winner birdied his to fall just 30 points short. Davis who won two events on the year to go with nine from previous years will sit out the Nationals this year.
Hogan Flight: Derrick Matthews from Killeen, TX started the year with a large group of pundits in the Sarazen Flight, but quickly made those sentiments useless when he played himself into the Hogan Flight with the April 1st handicap revision. Winning three times on the year, Matthews also qualified for the National Championships on two top three major event finishes on the year at the Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay and the Emerald Coast Amateur at Sandestin . Look for Derrick or James or ... at TPC Sawgrass in September.
Senior Hogan Flight: In his last hoorah with the Senior Hogan Flight Paul Wuerdeman from San Antonio, TX commanded a four stroke win at the Tour Championship for his fifth win on the season. Wuerdeman finished 118 points over Boerne, TX member Steve Trickel for final year end awards and will have to bypass the Nationals this year.
Sarazen Flight: "Lil" Johnny Heintz of San Antonio, TX finished out the year in a BIG way. Heintz who qualified for the Nationals with a T-3 and a road trip to Northern Missouri at Lake of the Ozarks Classic in late April. Johnny then jumped to the top spot in the points after the Challenge at the Springs event in late July and finished out the year without any questions. Heintz will compete this year in Florida for the National Championship crown.
Senior Sarazen Flight: Kingsland, TX standout, Bob Tuttle was a little more than skeptical about his ability to compete with the Senior Sarazen flight after his promtion in late June, but his game answered all the questions. After a fourth and second place finish, Tuttle went to the July Texas Masters at Barton Creek and won in a playoff to seal the deal. Tuttle will hit the Senior National Championship in stride, never outside of the top five in 2012.
Jones Flight: The best French player on the Am Tour, Xavier Bardy now residing in San Antonio, TX managed the handicap for only half of the season when the inevitable finally happened, PROMOTION. Seriously, Bardy will make the trip to the Nationals by qualifying four different ways: promotion, top in points, three wins and a T-3 at the March Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay.
Senior Jones Flight: Thomas West from Giddings, TX came to the Tour Championship, third in points, 65 shy of the top spot. After playing the last three (cart path only) holes in even par, West forced a hot and late playoff with second place points player Mike Jones from Midland, TX. After the extra hole battle, West finished with his first and biggest win on his career to solidify the points win. West will sit out the Senior National Championship in 2012.
Snead Flight: Dallas area transplant, Carlos Cruz now from San Antonio, TX has spent his last two years on the edge. Ten top threes in 2012 to go with eight top fives in 2011, it was just a matter of time. The 37 year old Cruz got his first win in a large way at the July Texas Masters at Barton Creek and looks forward to finishing on a solid note in Ponte Vedra.
Senior Snead Flight: Seven time tour winner Thomas Kerwin from Pflugerville, TX battled the heat along with the back nine cart path only holes at the Tour Championship @ TPC San Antonio to capture the Player of the Year award in the Senior Snead Flight. Look for a strong finish from Kerwin against the 70 players at TPC Sawgrass.
Next Up: After a fall break for the Senior National Championship and National Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, FL the tour will resume play in early October in the Hill Country. Look for details on the fall schedule soon.
For More Information:
Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Hill Country / Oklahoma Tours
405.513.1467
schilcutt@gcamtour.com
Scott R Chilcutt, San Antonio, TX (August 11, 2012) The AT&T Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio was the setting for the 2012 Hill Country Tour Championship. Overlooking the Texas Hill Country the private resort is normally only accessible to the club members and guests of the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa. The facility with two courses: The AT&T Oaks Course designed by Greg Norman with Sergio Garcia is the home of the Valero Texas Open on the PGA tour and boasts the record for the worst par-4 score in PGA history. The Pete Dye designed AT&T Canyons Course plays host to the AT&T Championship on the PGA Champions Tour.
After a scheduling conflict with the Golf Channel Am Tour and its Major events stop at the facility it seemed only fitting to round out the Hill Country Tour season on the Oaks Course. Miserably hot weather to go with cart paths only on the back nine made for a long test of golf and patience. Thick Bermuda rough complicated things even more and in the end 11 Tour Champions fought through all the elements to become 2012 Tour Championship winners.
RESULTS:
Championship Flight: Fairfax, VA native Chris Daniluck now from Boerne, TX paced the field for his sixth win on tour this year. Daniluck, with birdies on the sixth and seventeenth holes overcame a rocky (literally) finish on the par-5 eighteenth to take the championship by four strokes over four players locked in the second spot. The Houston Tour pair of Lynn Cormier and Travis Nichols along with Oklahoma Tour member Curt Howard from Sapulpa, OK matched up with Bulverde, TX member Mark Miller for the four way tie for second.
Palmer Flight: Dave Davlin from San Antonio, TX matched his first round score +6-78 at the 2011 Texas Masters at TPC San Antonio on the AT&T Oaks Course to win his eighth event on tour and first since the June 2011 Texas Masters. Three strokes back the trio of Jacob Morton from FT. Hood, TX along with Fort Worth, TX member Tony Eno and Houston Tour member Martin Nealey from The Woodlands, TX split the second through fourth place points.
Senior Palmer Flight: Heading into the final event Scott Williams from College Station, TX was shooting for the win to overtake Frank Davis for player of the year points while Davis took the weekend off. Enter Sean Fenton from Fort Worth. After Williams carded a Bogey five on the 18th, Fenton birdied the same for a two shot swing and Fenton's fourth win on the season. Williams finished with a two stroke cushion over third place finisher Gary Grizzle from San Antonio, TX.
Hogan Flight: After a previous best seventh place finish on tour, Brandon Schielack from La Grange, TX picked up his first win on tour by a single stroke over Killeen, TX player Derrick Matthews. With a birdie wedged between triple bogie's on the front nine, Schielack would finish the round with four pars to stay out front. One stroke back of Matthews, Dallas Tour member Myles Gallemore of Irving, TX rounded out the top three after leading the field to the 18th tee, but gave it back to the pair with a triple on the tough par-5 final hole.
Senior Hogan Flight: Paul Wuerdeman of San Antonio, TX and Boerne, TX player Steve Trickel swapped the lead in the final six holes where Wuerdeman would finish out two under par over the last four holes to win his fifth event on the year and third in his last three tries. Trickle, with his lone win at the May HOU - Wilderness recorded his sixth runner up finish on the season by one stroke over Maurice Mintken from Round Rock, TX.
Sarazen Flight: San Antonio, TX player John Heintz capped off his season with his third win on the year two strokes clear of Michael Esquivel from Austin, TX. After a tough front nine, Esquivel brought it back to within three strokes with a birdie on the 17th, but could only get one more back on the final hole. Devin Brown from San Antonio, TX finished in the third spot for the third time in a row.
Senior Sarazen Flight: Freed up at the last minute from a schedule conflict, Kevin Cox from Fair Oaks Ranch, TX made the best of his change in plans. Cox edged out a pair in the second spot for his third win on tour and first since the December 2010 Olympia Hills event. A winner at the recent Texas Masters at Barton Creek, Bob Tuttle from Kingsland, TX took the lead after a birdie on the seventeenth, but troubles on the last hole knotted him up with Houston Tour member Bruce Beakley for the runner up spot.
Jones Flight: Fresh off a trip to his homeland, Xavier Bardy a native of France now residing in San Antonio, TX captured his third win on the season and first since his promotion from the Snead Flight. Narrowing the gap to one stroke after a Bardy double on the seventeenth hole, Coy Dayton of Austin, TX matched the eighteenth to finish one stroke back for his best finish on the season. San Antonio, TX newcomer Mark Rivera rounded out the top three.
Senior Jones Flight: Thomas West from Giddings, TX went even par over the last three holes to force a playoff with Midland, TX member Mike Jones. Exhausted from the heat, the pair only took one hole to crown the champion when West won in sudden death. Lu Cormier from Missouri City, TX and San Antonio, TX member David Castillo shared the third place finish, three strokes back.
Snead Flight: Overcoming a disastrous eleven on the par-3 third hole, Ramon Colen of San Antonio, TX recorded his fourth win on tour and second of the season. Two strokes back, San Antonio player Mark Colwell picked up his second runner up finish on the year eight strokes ahead of three players tied for the third spot. Richard Schram of Bryan, TX, Midlothian, TX resident Joe Torrez and Carlos Cruz from San Antonio shared the third place honors.
Senior Snead Flight: In his last event before a transfer to the east coast, Copperas Cove, TX stalwart, Dan OShea commanded his twelfth win on tour and first of the year by eight strokes. With a birdie on the par-3 thirteenth, first year player Dwain Smith of Cedar Park, TX finished in the second spot with Thomas Kerwin of Pflugerville, TX finishing in the show position.
SKINS:
Championship /Palmer: 1 -- Lynn Cormier, Missouri City, TX; Lincoln Talbert, Boerne, TX; Chris Daniluck, Boerne, TX; Kyle Lewie, Waco, TX; Jacob Morton, Ft. Hood, TX.
Senior Palmer: 2 -- Gary Grizzle, San Antonio, TX; Scott Williams, College Station, TX; Mark Ratliff, Bulverde, TX; Sean Fenton, Fort Worth, Texas. 1 -- Allan Collier, Sugar Land, TX; Danny Nicholls, Mansfield, TX.
Hogan / Senior Hogan: 2 -- Paul Wuerdeman, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- Brandon Schielack, La Grange, TX; Barrett Tharp, Georgetown, TX; Derrick Matthews, Killeen, TX.
Sarazen: 2 -- John Heintz, San Antonio, TX; Michael Esquivel, Austin, TX. 1 -- Devin Brown, San Antonio, TX; Scott Thompson, Helotes, TX.
Senior Sarazen: 2 -- Joe Abreo, Bulverde, TX; Gerald Cato, Bastrop, TX. 1 -- Charles Cox, Austin, TX; Richard Huyck, San Antonio, TX; Bruce Beakley, Houston, TX.
Jones / Senior Jones: 2 -- Xavier Bardy, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- David Castillo, San Antonio, TX.
Snead / Senior Snead: 2 -- Charles Mielak, San Antonio, TX; Ramon Colen, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- Thomas Payne, Houston, TX; Thomas Kerwin, Pflugerville, TX; Dwain Smith, Cedar Park, TX; Leonard Linkes, San Antonio, TX; Larry Rucker, Universal City, TX; Dan OShea, Copperas Cove, TX.
Next Up: After a fall break for the Senior National Championship and National Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, FL the tour will resume play in early October in the Hill Country. Look for details on the fall schedule soon.
For More Information:
Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Hill Country / Oklahoma Tours
405.513.1467
schilcutt@gcamtour.com
The Final Texas Major of The Year Crowns 11 Champions
Austin, TX (July 29, 2012) The last time a Golf Channel Am Tour event was contested at Barton Creek was the 2010 Texas Open Major at Barton Creek in late March of that year. Many referred to the event as the 40/40 Major. After beautiful 70 degree practice rounds on Friday, the 40 miles per hour NW Winds blew in to bring the temperatures into the 40's. The subsequent Texas Open Major was moved to Horseshoe Bay after the tour was afforded a two course format.
Jump ahead 28 months and the Tour finds its way back to the Barton Creek Resort and Spa after the previous July date for the Texas Masters at TPC San Antonio was moved some 80 miles north in the beautiful Texas Hill Country. For this years Texas Masters at Barton Creek the original 1986 Fazio Foothills design was added to the Crenshaw Cliffside layout where two distinct courses found the players working hard to make day one to day two adjustments and as suspected the late March cold and wind turned into July light breezes and hot temperatures. Burnie Rodgers from Haslet, TX aced the par three - 13th hole at the Crenshaw course for his first career hole in one on Sunday.
After setting a precedent for Texas generosity and support for the Troops at the earlier Texas Open, a record was set for the 180 player event with over $1,600 raised for David Feherty's Troops First Foundation.
RESULTS:
Championship Flight: Local Austin, TX newcomer to the tour, Charles Rougeau made it three for three. In four rounds on the tour Rougeau is +10 with two local wins to go with his Major victory. After a first day +4, Charles carded four birdies on day two to finish three strokes up over first round leader Terry Rice from Midland, TX. Rice went one over par, with a couple of birdies on the Crenshaw course, but ran into early trouble on the Fazio layout to finish +7, two strokes clear of Houston Tour member Travis Nichols.
Palmer Flight: Tino Flores from Houston, TX picked up his second win on tour by five strokes over San Antonio, TX resident Dave Davlin. Flores starting on the 10th at the Crenshaw Course birdied two holes going out to lead wire to wire. Davlin took a stroke off his day one total to edge out fellow San Antonio player Todd VanDerSchaegen punching his ticket to the National Championships rounding out the top three.
Senior Palmer Flight: Vinore, TN player Bill Foley went -2 on the back nine on his final day to take nine strokes off his first day to pick up the win two strokes ahead of first round leader Michael Walker from Cypress, TX. Walker was able to muster six birdies on the day to stay ahead of the consistent San Antonio player Frank Davis who finished in the show position.
Hogan Flight: With a double bogey on his 36th hole, Jeff Blackwood from Midland, TX opened the playoff door for Round Rock, TX resident Jorge Rodriguez. On the second hole of the playoff, Rodriquez would win with a birdie, his fourth Major Championship win and first as a Hogan Player with his three previous trophies coming in the Jones Flight. Jeff, the fourth Blackwood family member to qualify for this years National Championship earlier in the year with a T3 finish at the Red River Shootout at WinStar Resort bested his son, Daegan Blackwood, by three strokes for his third runner up finish in as many tries.
Senior Hogan Flight: Bruce Callich from Checotah, OK won his second event and first Major on his career with a low flight round 79 on the final day. Steve Barnett from The Woodlands, TX took a six stroke lead into the final round, but let the Crenshaw course get the best of him finishing in the second spot, one stroke back. Randy Hodges from Montgomery, TX took two strokes off his day one finish to knot up the third and final National Championship qualification spot with Edmond, OK member Bud Surber.
Sarazen Flight: Houston Tour member, Matt Purgahn Orange, TX picked up his third win on the season, wire to wire by nine strokes over James Sheppeard from Tomball, TX. Ahead by three strokes after his first round, Purgahn widened the spread on a one birdie round, 81 at the Fazio course. Nancy Geihl of Grand Prairie, TX added a birdie her final hole of the event to tie up the third and final National Championship invitations with Devin Brown from San Antonio, TX and Odessa, TX member Joe Luman.
Senior Sarazen Flight: After his recent Major Championship win at the Red River Shootout at WinStar Resort and ultimate promotion from the Jones Flight, Bob Tuttle from Kingsland, TX shot a final round 79 to force a playoff with Mansfield, TX player John Cox. In the sudden death Tuttle would outlast Cox for his second Major Championship in a row. Ken Benjamin of Grand Prairie, TX bounced back from heat complications at the WinStar event to punch his ticket to the Nationals, three strokes back.
Jones Flight: Greg Preissinger from Granbury, TX went even par over his last four holes to catch Keith Bruce from Gordonville, TX for his fourth win on his first season on tour. One stroke back of Preissinger after the first round, Bruce carded a couple of birdies on his front nine to stay even with Greg on the day just one stroke back. Imran Siddiqi from Edmond, OK finished just two strokes back for his second third place Major Championship finish on the year.
Senior Jones Flight: Sealy, TX player, Mark Boles grabbed his first win on tour, by three strokes over fellow Houston Tour member Randy Adcock of Vidor, TX. Adcock took twelve strokes off his day one total to vault into the 2nd place spot just three strokes back of Boles and three strokes ahead of third place traveler Michael Szemeredy from Tampa, FL.
Snead Flight: Knocking on the Major Championship winning door, with three previous podium finishes on the season, Carlos Cruz from San Antonio, TX took the lead into the final day and made it stick. Cruz finished seven strokes ahead of The Woodlands, TX resident Patrick Richardson. Richardson solidified his National Championship spot by a stroke over the highly traveled David Small of St. Peters, MO. The event marked Small's 30th event and 7th Major Championship on the season.
Senior Snead Flight: 65 year old Tony Ott from West Palm Beach, FL kept his game steady for a ten stroke advantage over Alan Brumley from Humble, TX. Brumley, coming off of two recent local wins on the season stayed ahead of the charging McKinney, TX player Larry Tolson. Tolson a Dallas Tour points leader punched his ticket to the Senior National Championship with his best Major finish of the year.
For More Information:
Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Hill Country / Oklahoma Tours
405.513.1467
schilcutt@gcamtour.com
Scott R Chilcutt, San Antonio, TX (July 21, 2012) Known to be the 2nd stop on the old stagecoach trail out of San Antonio, Canyon Springs Golf Club was developed on the Classen Homestead where the Classen family claimed the 54,000 acre property following the Homestead Act in the 1850's. Situated north of the 281 and 1604 loop intersection bordering the Stone Oak area modern day home sites overlooking the Hill Country have taken over any semblance of that day gone by. But the golf course facilities welcome you back to that world from the rustic wood signs, the longhorn pens to the dry stacked rock buildings giving you the feeling you're on that 1850's homestead.
Thick and plush native areas and roughs present the welcome precipitation over the Hill Country this summer and scores reflected the narrow layout. Leonard Linkes grabbed his second Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Labor Finders by two strokes over a career low round carded by Brian Cox of Killeen, TX.
RESULTS:
Championship Flight: Boerne, TX resident Chris Daniluck breezed to his fifth win on the season over Arkansas Tour member recently relocated to West Texas, Al Smith. Daniluk birdied the par three second hole to go out in one under par then added an eagle on the fifteenth to win by five strokes. Smith carded two birdies to stay three strokes clear of Ken Dyke from Keller, TX.
Palmer Flight: Knotted up in the club house with five over par 77's Scott Williams from College Station, TX and San Antonio, TX member Gary Grizzle would head back to the 18th tee box to make it official. Both players would bogey the hole the first time around but found the green in regulation on the second try. Williams stiffed his approach shot and won out with a birdie for his third win on tour punching his ticket to the National Championship. Five birdies on the day got Grizzle in the playoff and held off Frank Davis from San Antonio, TX who carded four birdies to round out the top three.
Hogan Flight: Seeking a move to the Sarazen Flight, Brian Cox nixed those notions with a two over par 74 for a career low round. Cox recorded two birdies on the day to pick up his second win on the season by six strokes over fellow Killeen, TX player Derrick Matthews. Tim Haverly of San Antonio, TX finished in the show position four strokes back.
Senior Hogan Flight: Paul Wuerdeman of San Antonio, TX was the second of the day to qualify for this National Championships with his third win on the season. Wuerdeman playing on familiar ground finished two strokes clear of Boerne, TX resident Steve Trickel. Trickle, with an eagle on the par five tenth hole added a birdie to stay two strokes ahead of third place finisher Gene Rampy of Bastrop, TX.
Sarazen Flight: Gerald Cato of Bastrop, TX grabbed his second win on the season by a single stroke over recently promoted Bob Tuttle from Kingsland, TX. Tuttle recorded three birdies on the day to stay out front of last weeks winner, San Antonio, TX player Devin Brown.
Jones Flight: Helotes, TX player Scott Thompson took advantage of birdies on the first and last holes to pick up his fourth win on the season by three strokes over Damian Shipley of Corpus Christi, TX. Shipley, a winner his last time out, finished two strokes clear of Killeen, TX member Josue Duprey rounding out the third spot.
Snead Flight: First time tour winner, Dwain Smith from Cedar Park, TX birdied the par five fifteenth hole to finish two strokes ahead of 71 year old Leonard Linkes of San Antonio, TX. One stroke back Pflugerville, TX member Thomas Kerwin recorded his third show position of the year.
SKINS:
Championship /Palmer: 3 -- Dave Davlin, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- Chris Daniluck, Boerne, TX; Willie Roach, Fort Worth, TX; Robert Sykes, Levelland, TX; Gary Grizzle, San Antonio, TX.
Hogan / Senior Hogan: 2 -- Gene Rampy, Bastrop, TX; Darrell Wilson, Georgetown, TX; Steve Trickel, Boerne, TX. 1 -- Jorge Rodriguez, Round Rock, TX.
Sarazen: 2 -- William Dunem, New Braunfels, TX; John Heintz, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- Gregg Smith, Austin, TX.
Jones: 3 -- Scott Thompson, Helotes, TX. 2 -- Damian Shipley, Corpus Christi, TX. 1 -- John Merritt, Kerrville, TX; David Castillo, San Antonio, TX; Mark Rivera, San Antonio, TX; Kevin Roberts, Granbury, TX.
Snead: 1 -- Ramon Colen, San Antonio, TX; Larry Rucker, Universal City, TX; Carlos Cruz, San Antonio, TX; Gene Hanley, San Antonio, TX.
Next UP: 53 Hill Country Tour members take on the Texas Master at Barton Creek on July 28th and 29th. The season final and Tour Championship is set for TPC San Antonio on August 11th. Register early as it looks to be a sellout.
For More Information:
Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Hill Country / Oklahoma Tours
405.513.1467
schilcutt@gcamtour.com
