Ladies of South Texas - Teravista Open Recap

Scott R Chilcutt, Round Rock, TX (March 25, 2012)  Teravista Golf Club meanders through the Teravista community located just west of I-35 on top of a hill with views of up to 35 miles to the west over the Hill Country.  Just across the street you'll find Texas State University, Round Rock Campus.  Round Rock, is the World Headquarters of Dell Computer and just down from Teravista you'll find a bustling Premium Outlet Mall.

While many south Texas ladies were shopping on this beautiful, calm and sunny Sunday, the ladies of the Golf Channel Am Tour were making their presence known with three wins out of eleven flights along with a second place finish.  Additionally, the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Labor Finders went home with Memphis, TN native and Austin, TX resident Aaron Seafous.

RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  First time Am Tour player Chad Sullivan from neighboring Georgetown, TX birdied five holes in route to a +2 - 74 and the win by two strokes over Houston Tour traveler Lynn Cormier from Missouri City, TX and Bradley Davis from Ft. Sam Houston.

Palmer Flight:  39 year old Houston Tour member and resident Travis Nichols shot a tournament low, one under par 71 on five birdies to command his first win on tour.  Five strokes back, Craig Hart from Killeen, TX and Cuero, TX player Derek Loebbecke finished tied for the second spot.

Senior Palmer Flight: Frank Davis from San Antonio, TX shot an eight over par 80 to take home his second trophy of the year.  Mark Greene from Austin and Deer Park, TX member Dusty Rhodes finished tied for the second spot after Greene was penalized for playing from the wrong teeing ground.  Greene and his pairing were apparent victims of the confusing BLACK/BLUE modified yardages.

Hogan Flight:  Round Rock, TX local Jorge Rodriguez made the best of the home field advantage for his first win since the 2011 May Day Challenge.  Just one stroke back, the trio of Brack Blackwood, Grandbury, TX, Killeen, TX rookie Demetrio Young and another first time player from Round Rock, TX Jim Morgan shared the second place honors.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Larry Wilburn from Austin, TX picked up his first win on tour with a +6 - 78 two strokes ahead of another trio tied for second.  Traveling partners from the Houston tour,  Kevin Nelson and Bob Miller knotted it up with Bastrop, TX member Gene Rampy for the second place honors.

Sarazen Flight:  Four year tour member Derrick Matthews from Killeen, TX snatched his first win on tour, but not without extra holes.  After a double bogey on the 12th hole, Matthews bounced back to birdie the 13th and play the last six holes in one under par to force a playoff with William Dunem from New Braunfels, TX.  Matthews made par on the first hole for the championship with Dunem in the second spot and San Antonio, TX resident Rene Realme finished third.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Out of action for over a year, welcome back Mike Allman from New Braunfels directly to the winner circle.  Allman birdied the par 5 tenth hole to shoot a +7 - 79 with a two stroke advantage over San Felipe, TX, Houston Tour member Jim Craig and Gregg Smith from Austin, TX.  Craig made a three on the tricky par 4 eighteenth hole to tie up the 2nd spot with Smith.

Jones Flight: Helotes, TX first year member Scott Thompson made it two for four by a single stroke over Brazilian native Jardel De Andrade from Round Rock, TX.  Monte Loose from Morgans Point Resort, TX and Killeen, TX player Josue Duprey tied it up for the third spot.

Senior Jones Flight:  The first in the last three flights of women domination, Lu Cormier from Missouri City, TX played smart golf with a layup on the 18th hole to avert any water problems.  Cormier captured her first win of the year by one stroke over John Merritt from Kerrville, TX.  Haslet, TX traveler Burnie Rodgers rounded out the top three two strokes back.

Snead Flight:  Aaron Seafous from Austin, TX used local course knowledge to command her first career win on tour by eight strokes.  The San Antonio, TX pair of Charles Mielak and Carlos Cruz tied up the second place spot.

Senior Snead Flight:  Marcy Glidden of Brookshire, TX and Houston Tour member played the back nine in four over par to command her first win on tour.  Six strokes back four players tied for the second spot with Cathay McGee and Timothy Thayer from the Houston Tour and Hill Country members, Thomas Kerwin from Pflugerville, TX and Copperas Cove, TX player Dan OShea.


SKINS:

Championship: 3 -- Lynn Cormier, Missouri City, TX.  1 -- Bradley Davis, Ft. Sam Houston, TX.

Palmer/Senior Palmer: 3 -- Travis Nichols, Houston, TX. 2 -- Bryan Wood, Leander, TX. 1 -- Craig Hart, Killeen, TX; Derek Loebbecke, Cuero, TX; Mark Ratliff, Bulverde, TX; Robert Sykes, Levelland, TX, ; Dusty Rhodes, Deer Park, TX; Sean Fenton, Fort Worth, TX.

Hogan/Senior Hogan: 1 -- Jorge Rodriguez, Round Rock, TX; Brian Cox, Killeen, TX; BeeJay Johnson, Austin, TX; Maurice Mintken, Round Rock, TX; Kevin Nelson, Cypress, TX, Longwood GC; Gene Rampy, Bastrop, TX; Bill Clark, Helotes, TX; Edward Villasana, Del Valle, TX.

Sarazen/Senior Sarazen:  1 -- Daniel Mcgrath, Austin ,Tx; John Heintz, San Antonio, TX; Rene Realme, San Antonio, TX, ; William Dunem, New Braunfels, TX; Mike Allman, New Braunfels, TX; Jim Craig, San Felipe, TX.

Jones/Senior Jones: 2 -- John Merritt, Kerrville, TX.  1 -- Scott Thompson, Helotes, TX; Jardel De Andrade, Round Rock, ; Monte Loose, Morgans Point Resort, TX; Lu Cormier, Missouri City, TX; Burnie Rodgers, Haslet, TX.

Snead/Senior Snead:  1 -- Charles Mielak, San Antonio, TX, ; Thomas Kerwin, Pflugerville, TX; Dan OShea, Copperas Cove, TX.

Next Up - Dallas Tour is at The Golf Club at Frisco Lakes for the Frisco Lakes Challenge on April 7th.  Hill Country is back in action after The Nelson open (registration closed) for The Legends of Golf Classic at Onion Creek Golf Club on April 1th.   Oklahoma Tour visits the Cherokee Hills Golf Club for the Hard Rock Open on April 28th.

For more information:

Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Fort Worth - Hill Country - Oklahoma
Golf Channel Amateur Tour
405.513.1467 - 972.201.9478
schilcutt@gcamtour.com
www.gcamtour.com

Hill Country - Blackwood brings Home the Win Texas Open

Scott R Chilcutt, Horseshoe Bay, TX (March 4, 2012)  Horseshoe Bay Resort, situated just west of Historic Marble Falls, TX  in the highland lakes region of the Texas Hill Country, hosted the 2012 Texas Open Major Championship for the second year.

Apple Rock and Ram Rock, two of the three Robert Trent Jones, Sr. courses on the property overlooking Lake LBJ, would not disappoint the traveling competitors in search of prizes and National Championship qualification.  Just like 2011, beautiful skies and warm south winds were on hand for the practice rounds on Friday only to change direction from the north on opening day, cooling off the players and changing strategies.  As quickly as the winds and temperatures changed for Saturday, light SW breezes and sunshine welcomed the final round.


Championship Flight:  Starting the round on Sunday two strokes behind overnight leader, Al Smith from Cabot, AR, defending Texas Open Champion Marshall Morgan knew he needed a strong start.  Morgan from Odessa, TX would need to make up ground on Smith, but also stay ahead of Jeff Boyer  from Oklahoma City starting the day just one stroke back.  Coming off the 14th green, Morgan looked to have it locked up going +1 against Al's +5 but the remaining four holes would set the stage for the first playoff of the afternoon when they both finished with 155 two day totals.  On the first playoff hole, the 58 year old Morgan successfully defended his title with the long hitting Smith picking up his best Major Championship finish while Boyer picked up the final National Championship qualification finishing third.

Palmer Flight: Consistency would prove to be the key to the championship for Keller, TX player Guy Nickels.   Nickels, the 2010 Texas Masters at TPC San Antonio Champion has now won his last four outings with the Am Tour.  Starting the final round 8 strokes back of overnight leader Ivan Zweig from Dallas, Guy followed up his first day 81 with an 82 on the arguably tougher Ram Rock course to snatch the championship by three strokes over Zweig.  Ivan would hole out from the fairway on the 10th hole for an eagle two but couldn't control any momentum.  2012 Duel in the Desert Flight Champion, Ron Finnerty from Laredo, TX would start and finish the final round in the third spot punching his ticket for the second time this year to the Nationals.

Senior Palmer Flight:  It was traveling Phoenix, AZ player Richard Hunt's tournament to lose after firing an eight over par 79 Saturday at the tough and windblown Ram Rock course.  In the final pairing, Sean Fenton from Fort Worth along with Garland, TX player Kem Albritton were six strokes back to start the day and both mounted a charge. but in the end couldn't make up the deficit.  Albritton and Fenton finished tied for the second spot two strokes back. Hunt, the 2010 WESTERN OPEN  champion made it his second Major championship and thirteenth win on the tour.

Hogan Flight:  Brack Blackwood from Grandbury, TX completed the first half of the events "father / son" tandem championship.  Blackwood, the overnight leader, got into trouble in the middle of his round but finished the last five holes in one over par to grab the championship by 6 strokes over Roger Masek of Sugerland, TX.  Masek took seven strokes off his first round finish ahead of consistent scores from Auburn, WA player Barry Lauderbaugh.  Lauderbaugh's best finish in a major championship punched his ticket to the National Championships by two strokes over fourth spot.
Senior Hogan Flight:  Out of State travelers take the top two spots in the Senior Hogan Flight with William Wirtz from Maryland Heights, MO claiming the trophy and his best finish in a Major.  Two strokes back, overnight leader Gary Spears from Brighton, CO, had enough of a lead going into the final round to stay ahead of Maurice Mintken from Round Rock, TX and Cypress, TX player Bob Miller bettering his score from Saturday to tie for the final National Championship qualification spots.  

Sarazen  Flight:  Oklahoma Tour player Jeffrey Banner from Lawton went wire to wire for his second win on tour.  Starting on the eleventh hole at Ram Rock, Banner played steady through the early going but would run into big trouble towards the late portion of his round.  Playing along side Banner in the final pairing Derrick Matthews from Kileen, TX bounced back after a first hole disaster to put pressure on Banner, but just fell short taking the second spot over Westfield, IN traveler Jon Wendt by three strokes.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Battling back and forth the entire round, overnight leader Jamie Sansom from Frisco, TX looked to have it locked up coming to the final hole over Mark Kirby of Bridge City, TX.  A two shot swing on the last would put the pair in a playoff where Kirby maintained the momentum and captured the championship.  San Felipe, TX member Jim Craig took twelve strokes of his first day total with three birdies and landed the final National Championship qualification by a couple of strokes over the fourth spot.

Jones Flight:  Katy, TX ace Richard Kelley captured his first win on tour by a whopping 16 strokes over two players knotted in the second spot.  Scott Thompson from Helotes, TX playing in his third event on tour birdied the par four ninth hole to tie up the second spot with Keller, TX player Nick Easen.

Senior Jones Flight:  Randy Adcock from Vidor, TX knows how to win the Texas Open making it a three-peat.  Adcock the 2010 National Champion won the first major at the 2010 Texas Open MAJOR at Barton Creek  and successfully defended his championship last year at Horsehoe Bay.  Ron Hardy took thirteen strokes off his day one total with birdies on the third and seventh holes to finish in a tie for second with Bob Eustice from Garland, TX playing in his first Major Championship.

Snead Flight:  The back half of the father / son Championship, David Blackwood playing out of the Hill Country Tour finished the final round strokes ahead of Jason Crawford from Round Rock. Crawford, playing a limited schedule recorded his best finish on tour bested a pair from San Antonio, overnight leader Xavier Bardy and Carlos Cruz who shared the third and final qualification spot for the Nationals.

Senior Snead Flight:   Timothy Thayer from  Cypress, TX and Pflugerville, TX member Thomas Kerwin took it to extra holes.  Thayer finished off his Championship run picking up the trophy and first win since 2010.   It was Kerwin's best finish in a Major in six attempts.  Rounding out the top three, The Woodlands, TX player Jim Lamberth grabbed his National Championship invitation in his first major event.


Texas Open players put the "Troops First" this weekend raising over $1,600 for the Troops First Foundation.




Next Up - Hill Country Tour back in action at the End of Winter Open at the River Crossing Club on March 10, 2012.  Dallas Tour resumes play at the Classic at The Creek on March 24, 2012.   Oklahoma Tour starts off 2012 at the ST. Patty's Day @ KickingBird event. 

For more information:

Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Fort Worth - Hill Country - Oklahoma
Golf Channel Amateur Tour
405.513.1467 - 972.201.9478
schilcutt@gcamtour.com
www.gcamtour.com

47 Hill Country Tour Players Take on the Texas Open

First Major of 2012 in the Central Part of the Country

Scott R Chilcutt, Horseshoe Bay, TX (February 29, 2012)  The Golf Channel Am Tour is heading back to the scenic Horseshoe Bay Resort in the Texas Hill country for the 2012 Texas Open Major Championship. Nestled along Lake LBJ, Horseshoe Bay is one of the most picturesque venues in Texas and the event will be held at two great golf courses, Ram Rock and Apple Rock. 

Hill Country Tour Players competing this weekend.

Championship Flight: Chris Daniluck - Boerne, TX

Linas Jarasius - Austin, TX

Kyle Lewie - Waco, TX

Mark Miller - Bulverde, TX Palmer Flight:

Cody Armstrong - Midland, TX

Ron Finnerty - Laredo, TX

Todd VanDerSchaegen - San Antonio, TX

Bryan Wood - Leander, TX

Senior Palmer Flight: Greg Brueland - San Antonio, TX

Frank Davis - San Antonio, TX

Gary Grizzle - San Antonio, TX

Hogan Flight: Joe Abreo - Bulverde, TX

Brian Cox - Killeen, TX

Tim Haverly - San Antonio, TX

Jorge Rodriguez - Round Rock, TX

Senior Hogan Flight: Bill Clark - Helotes, TX

Jack Holt - Boerne, TX

BeeJay Johnson - Austin, TX

Maurice Mintken - Round Rock, TX

Joe Slade - Horseshoe Bay, TX

Larry Susen - Austin, TX

Steve Trickel - Boerne, TX

Darrell Wilson - Georgetown, TX

Sarazen  Flight: John Cox - Austin, TX

William Dunem - New Braunfels, TX

Michael Esquivel - Austin, TX

Don Koether - La Grange, TX

Derrick Matthews - Killeen, TX

Senior Sarazen Flight: Gerald Cato - Bastrop, TX

Charles Cox - Austin, TX

Gregg Smith - Austin, TX

Jones Flight: Joshua Barron - Cedar Park, TX

Coy Dayton - Austin, TX

Josue Duprey - Killeen, TX

Eric King - Dripping Springs, TX

Scott Thompson - Helotes, TX

Senior Jones Flight: Rog Springer - San Antonio, TX

Snead Flight: Xavier Bardy - San Antonio, TX

David Blackwood - San Antonio, TX

Jason Crawford - Round Rock, TX

Carlos Cruz - San Antonio, TX

Charles Mielak - San Antonio, TX

Aaron Seafous - Austin, TX

Senior Snead Flight: Gene Hanley - San Antonio, TX

Tom Hill - Boerne, TX

Thomas Kerwin - Pflugerville, TX

Larry Rucker - Universal City, TX

Next Up - Hill Country Tour back in action at the End of Winter Open at the River Crossing Club on March 10, 2012.  Dallas Tour resumes play at the Classic at The Creek on March 24, 2012.   Oklahoma Tour starts off 2012 at the ST. Patty's Day @ KickingBird event. 

For more information:

Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Fort Worth - Hill Country - Oklahoma
Golf Channel Amateur Tour
405.513.1467 - 972.201.9478
schilcutt@gcamtour.com
www.gcamtour.com

Visit the Tour Blogs:

Dallas - gcatdallas.blogspot.com -

Hill Country - gcatsanantonio.blogspot.com

Oklahoma - gcatoklahoma.blogspot.com

Cool in Kerrville - Kerrville Championship Recap

Scott R Chilcutt, Kerrville, TX (February 11, 2012)  Perched high on a mountain top just south of the upper Guadalupe River the clubhouse at The Club At Comanche Trace greeted players to carts for the decent down a few hundred feet to the registration and practice facilities.

Rains on Friday morning with overcast skies gave way to a cold front that moved through the Hill Country that cleared the skies Saturday morning but made for chilly conditions.

Labor Finders, an industrial labor staffing company, extended their Oklahoma Tour sponsorship to The Hill Country and Dallas tours to present the Tournament Champion Trophy.   Xavier Bardy from San Antonio barely missed out on the award by a scorecard playoff during the Winter Classic - Hill Country in December made the best of this day, taking the trophy by 3 strokes over Carlos Cruz.

RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  Lynn Cormier from Missouri City, TX grabbed his first win since graduating to the Championship flight just before the National Championships last year.  Cormier edged out Waco, TX player Kyle Lewie by a stroke after starting out a little rocky, but finished the back nine in even par.  Lewie finished his third straight runner up spot with the help of an eagle, 3 on the par 5-7th hole.  Chris Daniluck from Boerne, TX and Austin, TX member Linas Jarasius shared the third spot 4 strokes out of the lead.

Palmer Flight:  Fresh from his college graduation last fall, Derek Loebbecke from Cuero, TX picked up his second win on tour by three strokes over Midland, TX player Jeremy Henson.  Henson, one week removed from a Las Vegas, NV event , edged out a fellow Duel in the Desert Champion,  Ron Finnerty from Laredo, TX by a stroke.  Finnerty, matched Henson's birdie on the 18th hole to stay clear by one stroke of first time player Mark Greene of Austin, TX.

Hogan Flight:  Grandbury, TX member Brack Blackwood picked up his first win on tour by a stroke over Wes Reed from Corpus Christi, TX.  The pair matched each other on their back nines, but Blackwood edged out Reed by a stroke on the front for the win.  Kileen, TX player Brian Cox finished a couple of strokes out of second place and ahead of Jorge Rodriguez from Round Rock, TX by one.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Houston, TX resident and Houston tour traveler, Bill Mathews snared his 10th win on the Golf Channel Am Tour.  Matthews used a couple of birdies on the 3rd and 10th holes to stay out in front of Steve Trickel from Boerne, TX by four strokes.  In his second event on tour, Argyle, TX player Paul Burleson wrapped up the third spot, two strokes clear of Gene Rampy from Bastrop, TX and Helotes, TX member Bill Clark.

Sarazen Flight:  Rene Realme of San Antonio took the top honors after, what should have been the third playoff, was not held due to an incorrect interpretation of a situation and ultimate ruling.  After tying for the win, Killen, TX member Derrick Matthews was dinged two strokes by mistake but was not brought to the tournament committee’s attention until after the competition was closed and finished in the second spot.   William Dunem from New Braunfels, TX rounded out the top three.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Reported to be his last event on the tour, Fred Hines from San Antonio, TX whipped up on the field finishing eight strokes ahead of League City, TX player Lane McKinney.  Clive, IA  traveler Mike Murray along with Dallas Tour members Rick Allaire from Dallas, Fort Stockton, TX member Jerry Gallemore and Bob Moreau from Plano all rounded out the top three with one stroke behind McKinney.

Jones Flight:  Eric King from Dripping Springs, TX would take Killeen, TX player Josue Duprey to extra holes.  Duprey a winner in Galveston earlier in the year would birdie his 15th hole of the day but couldn't keep it going to best King for the round.   On the first hole of the playoff Eric made it count with a par and fourth win on the tour. Jim Wilson from San Antonio, TX finished out the top three just 2 strokes back.

Senior Jones Flight:  First time player Ray Torrez from Irving TX birdied twice on his back nine to force a playoff against another rookie, Round Rock, TX member Steve Figgins where Torrez would finish out the tournament victorious in the extra holes.   Houston Tour member Alan Brumley visiting from Humble, TX finished just one stroke back and two strokes ahead of Story City, IA travler Mitchell Gustin.

Snead Flight:  Xavier Bardy from San Antonio looked to have the field covered, going out in 1 over par 37 on his front nine, with a birdie on the 8th hole but came back to earth on his back nine.   Bardy would end up winning the flight by only two strokes over  San Antonio, TX player David Blackwood after Blackwood would finish with a strong five over par 41 on his last nine holes.  Carlos Cruz from San Antonio finished one stroke back in the show position.

Senior Snead Flight:  In her fifth event on tour, Cathay McGee from Houston, TX secured her first win.  McGee finished out her round birdie / par to stay ahead of Thomas Kerwin from Pflugerville, TX by four strokes. Cypress, TX member Timothy Thayer finished four strokes back from Kerwin with Dan OShea from Copperas Cove, TX taking the fourth spot.




SKINS:


Championship /Palmer:  2 -- Monte Glosson Jr, Dripping Springs, TX; Chris Daniluck, Boerne, TX. 1 -- Kyle Lewie, Waco, TX; Mark Greene, Austin, Tx.


Hogan/Senior Hogan:  2 -- Jorge Rodriguez, Round Rock, TX.  1 -- Brack Blackwood, Granbury, TX; Bill Clark, Helotes, TX; Bill Mathews, Houston, TX; Pud Rutledge, San Marcos, TX; Steve Trickel, Boerne, TX; Darrell Wilson, Georgetown, TX.


Sarazen/Senior Sarazen: 1 -- Rene Realme, San Antonio, TX; Mike Murray, Clive, IA; Fred Hines, San Antonio, TX; Lane McKinney, League City, TX; Brenton Fillers, Brownwood, Texas; Derrick Matthews, Killeen, TX; Kevin Roberts, Granbury, TX; John Wilkie, San Antonio, TX.


Jones /Senior Jones:  2 -- Bobby Ashcraft, San Antonio, TX; Burnie Rodgers, Haslet, TX.  1 -- Jim Wilson, San Antonio, TX; Lu Cormier, Missouri City, TX.


Snead/Senior Snead:  2 -- David Blackwood, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- Carlos Cruz, San Antonio, TX; Xavier Bardy, San Antonio, TX;  Charles Mielak, San Antonio, TX; Aaron Seafous, Austin, TX.




Next Up - Hill Country Tour back in action at the End of Winter Open at the River Crossing Club on March 10, 2012.  Dallas Tour resumes play at the Grand Prairie Classic on February 18, 2012.   Oklahoma Tour is off until 2012 at the ST. Patty's Day @ KickingBird event.  The first Major in the Central Region of the 2012 points year (another sell out) will be held at Horseshoe Bay for the Texas Open.  


For More Information:


Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Fort Worth - Hill Country - Oklahoma
Golf Channel Amateur Tour
405.513.1467 - 972.201.9478
schilcutt@gcamtour.com
www.gcamtour.com

Visit the Tour Blogs:

Dallas - gcatdallas.blogspot.com - Hill Country - gcatsanantonio.blogspot.com

Oklahoma - gcatoklahoma.blogspot.com