1850's Classen Homestead Hosts The Challenge at The Springs

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

Bridgestone Staff Bags Up For Grabs

Scott R Chilcutt, Edmond, OK (July 19, 2012)  Plans have been finalized and we will award the top Order of Merit Points finisher in each flight a customized Bridgestone Staff Bag. 

Each "Player of the Year" will be awarded the customized bag, with Golf Channel Am Tour Logo, Flight Champion and Name.  Bags will be presented at the Tour Championship and pocket with the name stitched will be sent in a short time.  After all we won't know the winners until after the DOUBLE POINTS Tour Championship.

Sport your Player of The Year award at the National Championships, show them how we do it on your TOUR.


Next Up:  Hill Country Tour resumes play at the Challenge at the Springs on July 21st and then a break for the Texas Master at Barton Creek.  The Tour then finishes the year at the Tour Championship at TPC San Antonio for a double points event and last chance for National Championship Qualification on August 11th.

For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Hill Country / Oklahoma Tours
405.513.1467
schilcutt@gcamtour.com

Classic Day At La Cantera - Palmer Course

Hill Country Tour Splits With Houston At The Return to La Cantera -Five of Ten Trophies Leave For The Gulf Coast

Ace Blackwood Lives Up To His Namesake

Scott R Chilcutt, San Antonio, TX (July 14, 2012)  The stage was set with the scenic vistas over San Antonio and the Hill Country for a "Classic Battle of Tours".  Visiting Tour players from Buffalo and New York City, NY, along with Oklahoma, Dallas and Houston converged on the property bordering Six Flags Fiesta Texas.  After a year hiatus from the tour schedule, The Westin, La Cantera Hill Country welcomed players and The Palmer Course showed them who was boss. With thunderstorms churning to the west, cloudy skies and light winds kept the mid July round comfortable and the staff at The Palmer Course, La Cantera solidified why this should be a yearly stop on tour.   



Brack Blackwood - Hole in One Par 3 - 7th

 When Dallas Tour member Brack Blackwood from Grandbury, TX was asked, "how did you shoot a 90"? He responded with "I had a hole in one".  Blackwood, paired with Ron Finnerty, Tony Eno and Martin Nealey in the Palmer Flight holed out his tee shot on the par three, seventh hole with a 24 degree hybird from 181 yards for his second hole in one and first on tour.  Derrick Matthews from Killeen, TX was the recipient of the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Labor Finders by two strokes over Damian Shipley of Corpus Christi, TX.



RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  In the first of a Husband / Wife combination to take home Championships, Lynn Cormier of Missouri City, TX grabbed his third win of the year and second on the Hill Country Tour.  Cormier and Boerne, TX player Chris Daniluck went to the 18th knotted up but Daniluk doubled the final hole to finish in the runner up spot by a single stroke.  Mark Miller from Bulverde, TX started out hot with back to back birdies on the 2nd and 3rd holes going out in one over par but came to the club house two strokes back to round out the third place finish.

Palmer Flight:  Ron Finnerty from Laredo, TX picked up his first win on tour since the 2011 May Day Challenge,  Three over after the front nine, Finnerty added a birdie at the par 4 -15th to finish two strokes ahead of Dave Davlin from San Antonio, TX.  Davlin carded his best finish since the runner up spot at the Grand Cypress Challenge Major in May with a two stroke cushion over Houston Tour traveler Martin Nealey from The Woodlands, TX.

Hogan Flight:  Killeen, TX member Derrick Matthews recorded his second win since his promotion to the Hogan Flight and third on the year. With a birdie on the 2nd, Matthews finished two strokes in front of Dallas Tour member Jeff Blackwood of Midland, TX.  Four strokes back New York, NY visitor Philip Mahony shared the third place finish with Houston Tour Director Jeff Zemencsik. 

Senior Hogan Flight:  George Carlisle from Houston, TX made it two for his last two after winning the June 11th Woodlands Panther Trail event. A single stroke back, Boerne, TX resident Steve Trickel, a winner on the Houston Tour at the May 26th HOU - Wilderness tied up the second place finish with Dallas Tour two time 2012 winner Gregory Stairs from Mansfield, TX.

Sarazen Flight:  Salt Lake City, UT native and NBA standout Devin Brown of San Antonio commanded his second win in his last three tries by two strokes over William Dunem from New Braunfels, TX. With his second place finish Dunem vaulted to the first place spot in the Sarazen Flight points and finished four strokes clear of Houston Tour member Jeff Greenwood of Spring, TX and San Antonio, TX member "Lil" John Heintz.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Homer Turbeville of Austin, TX is making a habit of winning.  Turbeville won in a playoff in his last outing, didn't need any extra holes to finish eight strokes ahead of San Antonio, TX player Richard Huyck. Huyck, tied with Turbeville through the fourteenth hole, ran out of gas on the final four holes but, finished six strokes clear of Joe Abreo from Bulverde, TX and Bastrop, TX player Gerald Cato knotted up in the show position.

Jones Flight:  Corpus Christi, TX resident and Hill Country Tour Member Damian Shipley made his debut on the Hill Country Tour count.  Picking up his second win on Tour, Shipley played his first five events on the Am Tour on the Houston Tour. Killeen, TX member Josue Duprey recorded his third runner up spot to go with four wins on tour this year two strokes back.  Dallas Tour member Greg Preissinger from Granbury, TX rounded out the top three just a single stroke back of Duprey.

Senior Jones Flight:  The better half of the Husband / Wife Championship winners, Houston Tour member Lu Cormier from Missouri City, TX took advantage of the Hill Country men for her second win on the year. Cormier birdied the par 5 - 3rd hole in route to a four stroke advantage over Thomas West from Giddings, TX.  West stayed clear of the pair of Mike Jones from Midland, TX and Kerrville, TX member John Merritt by two strokes.

Snead Flight:  Houston Tour member Javier Quintero nearly lapped the field with an eight stroke advantage for his ninth win on tour and first on the year over second place finisher Francisco Vazquez of Waco, TX.  Five strokes back of Vazquez, San Antonio, TX player and National Championship Qualifier with a 2nd place finish at the Red River Shootout at WinStar Resort  Major Carlos Cruz and Kingsville, TX newcomer Michael Tredway tied up for the third place honors. 

Senior Snead Flight:  Alan Brumley from Humble, TX finished the Houston Tour sweep of the Snead Flight for his first win on the year by another eight stroke advantage over Dwain Smith of Cedar Park, TX.  With the runner up finish, Smith jumped to the Hill Country Summer Series Points lead in the Senior Snead Flight. Soon to be relocated to the Atlantic Coast, Dan OShea of  Copperas Cove, TX matched his 2012 best third place finish from the The Legends of Golf Classic in April.

SKINS: 

Championship /Palmer:  2 -- Brack Blackwood, Granbury, TX; Ron Finnerty, Laredo, TX. 1 -- Chris Daniluck, Boerne, TX; Michael Campbell, New Braunfels, TX; Mark Miller, Bulverde, TX; Scott Williams, College Station, TX; Dave Davlin, San Antonio, TX.

Hogan / Senior Hogan:  1 -- Jeff Blackwood, Midland, TX; Derrick Matthews, Killeen, TX; Philip Mahony, New York, NY; Ariel Donato, Porter, TX; Gregory Stairs, Mansfield, TX.

Sarazen / Senior Sarazen:  2 -- Michael Esquivel, Austin, TX. 1 -- John Wilkie, San Antonio, TX; Homer Turbeville, Austin, TX; Michael Hirsch, Giddings, TX; Richard Huyck, San Antonio, TX.

Jones / Senior Jones:  2 -- Greg Preissinger, Granbury, TX; Lu Cormier, Missouri City, TX. 1 -- Damian Shipley, Corpus Christi, TX; Artis Stewart, Houston, TX; Mike Jones, Midland,TX.

Snead / Senior Snead:  2 -- Alan Brumley, Humble, TX; Dwain Smith, Cedar Park, TX. 1 -- Carlos Cruz, San Antonio, TX; Dan OShea, Copperas Cove, TX.

Next Up:  Hill Country Tour resumes play at the Challenge at the Springs on July 21st and then a break for the Texas Master at Barton Creek.  The Tour then finishes the year at the Tour Championship at TPC San Antonio for a double points event and last chance for National Championship Qualification on August 11th.

For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Hill Country / Oklahoma Tours
405.513.1467
schilcutt@gcamtour.com


    

Challenge at Twin Creeks - Humor by Fred Couples

Scott R Chilcutt, Cedar Park, TX (July 2, 2012)  Twin Creeks Country Club and it's championship golf course is a Fred Couples signature design that is a true cart path engineering marvel.  The course, opened in 2003 and was Fred's first in the state of Texas working with co-designer Lee Schmidt.  Traversing up and down the clubhouse cliff side location was just part of the marvel, nestling playable golf holes into the canyons was the true test.  And a test they made it, with a sure sense of humor along with, at times a kinky thought process that brought that test together.

Josue Duprey from Killeen, TX brought home the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Labor Finders.
  

RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  Boerne, TX standout, Chris Daniluck carded his fourth win of the season on two birdies to stay clear of Kyle Lewie from Waco, TX.

Palmer Flight:  Scott Williams from College Station, TX was able to stay up by one stroke for his second win on tour.  Always in the mix, Houston tour traveler Dusty Rhodes played the back nine in three over par to fend off Sean Fenton from Fort Worth and Laredo, TX member Ron Finnerty for the second spot.  Finnerty birdied four holes, but followed them up with some "others" to keep him out of contention.

Hogan Flight:  Another second time winner, Paul Wuerdeman from San Antonio, TX went out in two over par to finish three strokes clear of  Jorge Rodriguez from Round Rock, TX and San Antonio member Michael Mathis.  The pair both birdied the 1st, 3rd and 18th holes, but couldn't keep the doubles off the cards to catch Wuerdeman.

Sarazen Flight:  Cedar Park, TX local, Les Costales snatched his first win in his two years on tour by a single stroke over Austin, TX player Michael Esquivel.  Esquivel in his first event since wrist surgery shot +5 on the front to stay ahead of William Dunem from New Braunfels rounding out the top three.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Homer Turbeville from Austin, TX used a driver off the deck to advance his 2nd shot to the fringe that would extend a playoff with Giddings, TX player Michael Hirsch after Hirsch narrowly missed a long birdie putt.  Hirsch then left his tee shot on the par three 11th in a collection area and came up short with his chip to open the door for Turbeville to pick up his first win of his career.  John Rogers from Waco, TX finished two strokes back of the pair for the third spot.

Jones Flight:  Killeen, TX resident Josue Duprey recorded his fourth win on tour this year three strokes clear of Jardel De Andrade of Round Rock, TX.  Newly promoted from the Snead Flight, Xavier Bardy of San Antonio, TX took the show position eleven strokes back of Duprey.

Snead Flight: Cathay McGee a traveling Houston Tour member stayed one stroke clear of San Antonio, TX player Mark Colwell for her second win on the season.  Two strokes back of Colwell, Thomas Kerwin from Pflugerville, TX rounded out the top three.





SKINS:

Championship / Palmer:  3 -- Ron Finnerty, Laredo, TX. 1 -- Matthew Alvers, Pflugerville, TX; Randy Sellers, Lewisville, TX; Chris Daniluck, Boerne, TX.

Hogan:  2 -- Derrick Matthews, Killeen, TX. 1 -- Edward Villasana, Del Valle, TX; Jorge Rodriguez, Round Rock, TX; Paul Wuerdeman, San Antonio, TX.

Sarazen:  3 -- William Dunem, New Braunfels, TX. 2 -- Daniel Mcgrath, Austin ,Tx. 1 -- Les Costales, Cedar Park, TX; George Peddy, Bedford, TX; Michael Esquivel, Austin, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  3 -- Homer Turbeville, Austin, TX. 2 -- Gerald Cato, Bastrop, TX; Michael Hirsch, Giddings, TX. 1 -- Bob Tuttle, Kingsland, TX; Charles Cox, Austin, TX; Gregg Smith, Austin, TX

Jones:  3 -- Josue Duprey, Killeen, TX. 1 -- Joshua Barron, Cedar Park, TX; Mike Jones, Midland,TX; Scott Thompson, Helotes, TX; Thomas West, Giddings, TX; Jardel De Andrade, Round Rock, TX.

Snead:  4 -- Mark Colwell, San Antonio, TX. 2 -- Thomas Kerwin, Pflugerville, TX; Dan OShea, Copperas Cove, TX; Dwain Smith, Cedar Park, TX. 1 -- Richard Schram, Bryan, TX.


Next Up:  Registration Closes on Friday, July 6th for the La Cantera Classic.  Challenge at the Springs will be held on July 21st before the before the Texas Masters at Barton Creek.

For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Hill Country / Oklahoma Tours
405.513.1467
schilcutt@gcamtour.com

Flintrock Falls Doesn't Disappoint - Austin Nicklaus Open

Scott R Chilcutt, Austin, TX (June 16, 2012)  Just off the shores of Lake Travis in the heart of the Hill Country in northeast Austin lies the Hills of Lakeway.  Along with The World of Tennis Sports Complex The Hills Country Club is made up of four golf courses and players from around the state took on Flintrock Falls a Nicklaus-designed facility.

Small, hidden, firm and undulating greens, tight landing areas along with many blind shots required crisp ball striking and course management. Total tournament stats revealed a tough three holes on the front nine (1,3,9)  that would only yield three birdies on the day with the average strokes to par at 1.77 on the par four 9th.  Overall players averaged 21.32 over on the par 72 layout.   Lane McKinney from League City, TX would pick up the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Labor Finders. 

RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  Commanding his first win as a tour player at the May 5th Championship @ Falconhead, Austin, TX resident Charles Rougeau made it two for two by four strokes over Houston tour traveler Nathan Ashley.  Hills Country Club player, Rougeau was cruising along at one over par through the first 13 holes with a quad on the par four 14th, but finished with a five over 77.  Ashley stayed two strokes clear of  Ken Dyke from Keller, TX and Boerne, TX member Chris Daniluck tied in the third spot.

Palmer Flight:  Randy Sellers from Lewisville, TX birdied the final two holes to edge out Deer Park, TX player Dusty Rhodes by a stroke.  Sellers recorded his second win on tour and first since the 2011 Coyote Ridge Challenge.  Two strokes back of Rhodes, Scott Williams from College Station, TX finished third with a couple of birdies to start the back nine.

Hogan Flight:  Yet to finish out of the top three this year, San Antonio member Michael Mathis went par, birdie the final two holes to pick up his first win in his two year career on tour.  One stroke back Dallas Tour player Shawn Whitaker from Lewisville, TX birdied the 18th as well but a bogey on 17 was enough to keep him out of a playoff.  Houston Tour director Jeff Zemencsik playing in his first event since winning at the 2011 The Legends of Golf Classic was three strokes back to round out the top three.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Houston Tour player C. Craig Farris from League City, TX snatched his first win on tour five strokes clear of Paul Wuerdeman from San Antonio.  Wuerdeman, a winner in his first time on tour at the Mr. Nelson Open @ Riverhill  in April had his best finish in the last three events by a pair of strokes over Edward Villasana from Del Valle, TX.

Sarazen Flight:   It took birdies on the 16th and 18th holes to get Devin Brown from San Antonio into a playoff after Canadian native Glenn Hodgson now residing in Austin parred the final three.  On the first hole of the playoff, Hodgson was away after the approach shot and Brown won in putt off.  Les Costales from nearby Cedar Park, TX and Rockwall, TX player from the Dallas Tour, Joseph Roy knotted up the third spot.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Plenty of seconds.  The second Houston Tour player and second from League City, TX  to take home a trophy, Lane McKinney shot a career low seven over par 79 for back to back wins on the Hill Country Tour.  McKinney a winner his last time out at the Championship @ Falconhead finished four strokes ahead of Giddings, TX player Michael Hirsch.  In his second runner up finish on the year Hirsch had a four stroke cushion over Haslet, TX member Burnie Rodgers finishing third for the second time in his last three outings.

Jones Flight:  Greg Preissinger from Grandbury, TX picked up win number two on the year by a single stroke over Giddings, TX player Thomas West.  One stroke back of West was the pair of Neil Macdonald from Huntsville, TX and David Castillo of San Antonio. With the win, Preissinger jumped into third place on the Dallas Tour points and is leading the Summer Series.

Snead Flight:  74 year old Jim Schmitz from Boerne, TX grabbed his first win on tour with a par on the final hole by a single stroke.  Heading to the tee on 18, Tom Hill also from Boerne, TX has a commanding lead but made a triple bogey to finish tied with tour newcomer Dwain Smith from Cedar Park, TX for the second place spot.         
           



SKINS:

Championship /Palmer:  2 -- Dennis Petras, Austin, TX; Randy Sellers, Lewisville, TX.  1 -- Ken Dyke, Keller, TX; Charles Rougeau, Austin, TX; Scott Williams, College Station, TX.

Hogan / Senior Hogan:  1 -- Brian Cox, Killeen, TX; Ronnie Davis, Converse, TX; Scott Zaskoda, Austin, TX; Maurice Mintken, Round Rock, TX; Edward Villasana, Del Valle, TX.

Sarazen:  6 -- Devin Brown, San Antonio. 2 -- Joe Luman, Odessa, TX; Les Costales, Cedar Park, TX.  1 -- Joseph Roy, Rockwall, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  2 -- Michael Hirsch, Giddings, TX; Burnie Rodgers, Haslet, TX; Lane McKinney, League City, TX.  1 -- Gerald Cato, Bastrop, TX; Billy Gilmore, Corpus Christi, TX; Gregg Smith, Austin, TX.

Jones:  2 -- Aaron Seafous, Austin, TX. 1 -- David Castillo, San Antonio, TX; Bob Tuttle, Kingsland, TX; Coy Dayton, Austin, TX; Greg Preissinger, Granbury, TX.

Snead:  2 -- Ramon Colen, San Antonio, TX.  1 -- Jim Schmitz, Boerne, TX; Dan OShea, Copperas Cove, TX; Dwain Smith, Cedar Park, TX; Gene Hanley, San Antonio, TX; Thomas Payne, Houston, TX.

Next Up:  The local tour takes a break for the Major Championship at the Red River Shootout on June 23rd / 24th.  Back in action for the Challenge at Twin Creeks on Monday, July 2nd.

For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Hill Country / Oklahoma Tours
405.513.1467
schilcutt@gcamtour.com