The Fall Classic at Dancing Rabbit

Scott R Chilcutt, Choctaw, MS (October 26, 2014)  Pearl River Resort, in Choctaw, MS played host to the first Golf Channel AM Tour, Major Championship contested in the State of Mississippi at The Fall Classic at Dancing Rabbit.  The resort, operated by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is set in the rolling hills and pine trees known in the East / Central part of the state.  

AM Tour members from 23 states and Canada, representing 26 tours were welcomed to two beautiful Tom Fazio and Jerry Pate designed courses.  While both had similar terrain, that's where the similarities ended.  Bermuda fairways and Bent greens highlighted the Azeleas course, while Zoysia fairways led to Bermuda greens on The Oaks layout setting up for a weekend that would require innovation and flexibility.  

Players, contributed $1,000 to the Feherty's Troops First Foundation, participating in the 50/50 raffle.


RESULTS:

Palmer Flight:  Coming off of two birdies to offset a double bogey on the Azeleas course for a first round even par day, Lance Evans of Oxford, AL extended his lead on the final round to post a sixteen stroke victory, his fourth straight win of the season and ninth on tour.  Iowa Tour member, Christopher Brueggeman from Carlisle, IA carded three birdies on the weekend and held on to his first round runner up spot by one stroke. Jumping from two strokes out of a National Championship qualification spot after Saturday's round, Shanga White of Norcross, GA, finished his Sunday round, with a one stroke advantage over the fourth spot, stamping his ticket to the Nationals.

Senior Palmer Flight:  Mesa, AZ resident, Tony Ham settled into a lead Saturday on the back nine with three birdies and never looked back. Bettering his first round finish by three strokes with the help of two more birdies, Ham took his third Major Championship after previous wins on both coasts at the 2013 Pinehurst Amateur Championship and 2014 Pacific Northwest Major Championship. Dallas Tour member, Michael Fee of Mansfield, TX jumped into a tie for second, after a third place first round,  With Chicago Tour player, Steve Dlugosinski from Elk Grove, IL.

Hogan Flight:  Two strokes out of the lead following Saturday's round on The Oaks course,  it didn't look good for Donovan Childers of Frankfort, KY after doubling his first two holes on Sunday. After the bad start Childers, would get into a rhythm and finish the remaining holes +4 with the help of a birdie on the par 4 -6th to win his first Major Championship, third win of the points season and fifth overall.  Greensboro, GA player, Torben Dileng, six strokes out of the first round lead, finished one stroke out of the championship, taking five strokes off his Saturday total. Rich Adams of Miramar Beach, FL, also starting his Sunday final, six strokes back picked up the final National Championship qualification, just two strokes back. 

Senior Hogan Flight:  In the final pairing on Sunday, with the help of three birdies on his first round, St Louis Tour member, Randy Miller Wentzville, MO started his day on the 15th hole of The Oaks course shotgun. Four pars out of the gate, Miller would get a little loose during the middle part of his day, but finish with six straight pars to record his first Major Championship title and eighth win on tour.  Equaling Millers final round 78, Chelsea, AL resident, Mike Williamson jumped into a share of the runner up finish playing his first fourteen holes at +3, with first round leader, Bruce Beakley of Houston, TX.  Beakley, with three birdies on the weekend, including his second hole on Sunday, took the final Senior National Championship invitation.

Sarazen Flight:  Gulf Coast Tour member,  Matt McCollister of  Addis, LA and Birmingham Tour player, Jonathan Sun couldn't settle the score after 36 holes.  McCollister, with three birdies on his Saturday round and a four stroke advantage heading into the final 18 holes, opened the door to Sun on his last hole of the weekend, where Jonathan would take advantage of the extra sudden death holes for his first win on tour. Chet Lovelace of Alabaster, AL used two birdies on the weekend for his best finish at a Major Championship punching his ticket to the Nationals.  Kirk Trussell of  Houma, LA carded his first hole in one, taking advantage of the $500 gift card promotion, withe an 8 iron on the 154 par 3 - 13th on Sunday.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  The top three from the first round at The Oaks course, took it to a tenth hole start on Sunday and the battle was on.  Bruce LeGrand of Houston, TX, one stroke back starting the day would even up the pairing with a birdie on the par 3 - 13th, but fall back on the next hole to grab the show position finish.   Newark, DE player, Arthur Young, carded seven straight pars to finish his first nine holes with a commanding lead, only to hit a wall on his 17th hole of the day, relegating himself to the runner up finish, when Houston Tour player,  Mark Kirby of Bridge City, TX played his final five holes at +3 for a two stroke victory. It was Kirby's second Major Championship after winning the 2012 Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay and sixth win on tour.

Jones Flight:  Chris Conaway of Atlanta, GA picked up his first win on tour outlasting Euless, TX resident Tom Stockton by a single stroke.  Starting the Sunday round knotted in the top spot both players would begin play on the fourth hole of The Oaks course shotgun, Conaway would take the lead early, but never really get too far away when Stockton made up ground on the 17th and 18th holes of the final round, falling short of the win. With the help of two birdies on his final round, Doyle Fleming of Haslet, TX jumped into the T3 finish taking ten strokes off his first day total, with Chillicothe, IL resident, Richard Ledbetter making a big move of his own to share the final National Championship qualification.

Snead Flight:  Atlanta, GA player, Mario Miller started the Sunday round tied in the fifth place spot five strokes back.  Miller played two consistent nines taking eight strokes off his first day total for his third win on tour and first Major Championship.  Rodney Langley Oneonta, AL sharing that fifth place spot after Saturday's round, jumped his way into the runner up spot with Arkansas Tour member, Scott Bundrick of Conway, AR rounding out the top three.




NEXT UP:

North Texas 2015 actions gets under way at the Frisco Lakes Challenge on Saturday, November 1st.

The Houston Tour gets back to play at the November 8th Katy Classic / Cinco Ranch, registration closes on Friday, October 30th.

The Hill Country Tour resumes action at the Winter Championship @ Canyon Springs on Saturday November 22nd.




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

 

Houston Tour Opens 2015 Points Season - Cypress Open

No repeat winners, four first time Champions, three career low rounds set the stage for the 2015 Points Season!

Scott R Chilcutt, Cypress, TX (October 12, 2014)  Cloudy, with nice breezes, the day would be filled with new stories to be told as the first of the Texas Tours on the Golf Channel AM Tour would open the 2015 points season.

The Cypress Open on the Houston Tour, contested at  Cypress Lakes Golf Cub, where events have been played since 2008,  offered a few of the same stories, but not many. Great course conditions along with slick but smooth greens may have been the only tales of the past.  While rain may have contributed to some earlier events, only a quick 10 minute downpour and a few lightning bolts would slow down this day.  

Steve Nagy and Gene Macha took advantage of the Srixon Ball Challenge, winning their flights, and grabbing a dozen Srixon golf balls of their choice presented by Srixon.  Steve Killion, became the first time Tournament Champion, presented by Carlisle's Engraving, shooting a career low round.


RESULTS:

Championship Flight:   First time Tour Player, 22 year old Patrick Cannon of Houston, TX carded birdies on the par 5 - 2nd,  par 4 -  6th and par 3 - 17th for the win.  Three strokes back,  Fannett, TX player, Damon Garcia, another first timer on tour,  played the middle eight holes of his round in -2 with birdies on the par 5 - 8th and par 5 - 10th for the runner up finish.  Four time tour winner, Aaron Pickering from Vidor, TX rounded out the top three, three strokes back.

Palmer Flight:   Beginning his third year on tour, Missouri City, TX resident,  Wayne Taylor had a pair of T3 finishes for his previous best on tour.  Taylor, matched front and back nine scores with the help of a birdie on the par 5 - 10th to pick up his first Championship by a two stroke margin. Visiting, Hill Country Tour members,  Chris Wadle of Coupland, TX, with consecutive birdies on the par 4 - 12th and par 4 -14th took home the second place finish and San Antonio, TX first year member Patrick Weathersby, with a birdie on the par 5 - 14th secured the third place spot.

Senior Palmer Flight:   Starting on the tenth hole, Traylor Sells of nearby, Cypress, TX came out of the gate with a couple of birdies in his first four holes, cooled off in the middle of his first nine, then followed up with a birdie on the par 4 - 1st to set up six straight par's en route to his eighth win on tour, including two Major Championships.  Two strokes back, Groves, TX player Dennis Walsh finished in the runner up spot with first time player, Dave Paukner Jr playing out of  Angleton, TX rounding out the top three.

Hogan Flight:  On tour since 2011, Sugar Land, TX member Steve Nagy secured a spot for the 2014 National Championship with his best finish, a runner up, at the July Major Championship at the  Texas Masters at Barton Creek. With a more than respectable showing at the Nationals, Nagy kept his momentum on Sunday, even par on the front nine with three birdies, added one on the back for a +3 - 75, and a three stroke advantage.  Just promoted from the Sarazen Flight, Hill Country Tour member,  Ronnie Davis of Converse, TX  played his first six holes in even par with the help of a birdie on the par 4 - 3rd to secure the runner up finish.  Magnolia, TX and long time Houston Tour Director, now exclusively on the players side,  Jeff Zemencsik, carded the third place finish one stroke back of Davis, with two birdies.

Senior Hogan Flight:  After tee times were posted, Robert Hayward was in a quandary.  With a 7:10PM flight scheduled that evening, it was clearly a question of whether the Houston, TX resident would be able to make that flight.  Without any options, Hayward made the tee time, made his flight and became a first time winner and did it in style.  Hayward birdied the first three of his six holes to finish the day with a +3 - 75 and a three stroke advantage.  Bruce Beakley of Houston, TX went out in even par, struggled a bit on three of his last four holes, but secured the runner up spot three strokes ahead of a trio tied in the third place finish.  Hill Country member, John Hilgers of Wimberly, TX, Orange, TX resident, Keith Grissom and Randy Tate of Sugarland, TX shared the show place finish.

Sarazen Flight:  You might accuse Patrick Richardson of The Woodlands, TX of many things but NOT supporting the Golf Channel AM Tour would not be one of them.  Playing in his 152nd round on tour since 2009,  Richardson has progressed through the ranks and picked up his twelfth win in three flights on tour.  One stroke back, Hockley, TX resident, Ross Gonzales, a member since 2010 and previous winner recorded the runner up finish.  Spring, TX member,  Kevin Montague, with his best finish on the Dallas Tour at the 2013 Tarrant County Open @ Sky Creek Ranch rounded out the top three.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  "That was a fun round of golf", stated Dallas Tour member Steve Killion of Sanger, TX and it would be hard not being fun the way Killion traversed the course.  Starting on the tenth hole, Killion went out two under par with birdies on the par 5 - 14th and par 4 - 15th, scooted through the brief rain with a double and two bogies early on the back nine, then finished with a birdie on the par 5 - 8th to shoot a +1 - 73, his best round on tour. A pair of players finished five strokes back to share second place spot.   Cypress, TX player Will Whitley, with two wins on tour, added his seventh runner up finish with the help of two birdies on the day, and shared the honors with Arkansas native, Doug Bass of Houston, TX using birdies on the par 4 - 1st and par 5 - 14th to solidify the spot.

Jones Flight:  Starting on the back nine, Houston, TX resident, Rick Halprin, a tour member since 2009, was on fire. With birdies on the par 3 - 11th and par 5 - 14th, Halprin was was two under par after six.  He struggled on 16 and 17, but finished the nine in +3.  Running his back nine in +6, Rick held on for his seventh win on tour.   Two stokes back, the pair of  Anthony Parrish of Cypress, TX and Barker, TX player Woody Casasent, with two birdies on the day, split the second place points.

Snead Flight:  Gene Macha of Hungerford, TX, not fairing well in his first two events on tour at The Woodlands, Macha came out to prove a point and it happened. Gene, with a birdie on his fifth hole, the par 5 - 14th went on to shoot 26 strokes better than his best for his first win on tour, eleven strokes clear of second place. Carl Eaton of Porter, TX, a two time winner and five time runner up split the second place honors with another two time winner and two time runner up, Wharton, TX member Bryce Kocian.





SKINS:

Giant Skins: ($180/each)  1 -- Dave Paukner Jr, Angleton Texas; Chris Wadle, Coupland , TX; Kendall Hisey, Humble, TX.

Championship / Palmer/ Senior Palmer: ($48/each)  1 -- Hayden Adair, College Station, TX; Kevin Turner, Beaumont, TX; Dave Paukner Jr, Angleton Texas; Chris Wadle, Coupland , TX; Patrick Weathersby, San Antonio, TX.

Hogan: ($70/each)  2 -- Steve Nagy, Sugar Land, TX. 1 -- Jeff Zemencsik, Magnolia, TX.

Senior Hogan: ($80/each)  1 -- Bruce Beakley, Houston, TX; Robert Hayward, Houston, TX; Colin Knight, Richmond, TX.

Sarazen: ($11/each) 3 -- Kendall Hisey, Humble, TX. 2 -- Ross Gonzales, Hockley, TX. 1 -- Gary Gum, Spring, TX; Kyle Young, Bellaire, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($64/each)  1 -- Will Whitley, Cypress, TX; Larry Viktorin, Wharton, TX; Doug Bass, Houston, TX; Michael Nowotny, Sealy,  TX; John Scott, Houston, TX.

Jones:  ($30/each)   3 -- Rick Halprin, Houston, TX; Woody Casasent, Barker, TX. 1 -- Scott Sammons, Katy, TX.


Snead: ($16/each)  2 -- Gene Macha, Hungerford, TX; Carl Eaton, Porter, TX; Bryce Kocian, Wharton, TX.


CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

$160/each)  #4 - Tom Dubrock - 5'2"; - #7 - Damon Carcia - 5'2";  #11 - Rick Halprin - 1'9"; #17 - Lee Isham - 3'10.5"



NEXT UP:

The Houston Tour gets back to the links on Saturday, November 8th for the Katy Classic @ The Golf Club of Cinco Ranch, registration closes on Friday, October 31st.
Hill Country Tour action resumes at the Fall Challenge / Round Rock at the Teravista Golf Club on Sunday, October 19th.

The Fall Classic at Dancing Rabbit in Mississippi is the first Major of the season in the South Central Region on October 25th and 26th.

November 1st marks the season start on the Dallas Tour at The Golf Club at Frisco Lakes for the Frisco Lakes Challenge, entry deadline is October 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

Epperson Joins the Team!

Scott R Chilcutt, Houston, TX (October 4, 2014)  Thirteen time AM Tour winner, Daryl Epperson from Houston, TX joins the tour staff in Houston as the Assistant Tour Director. . "As a long time member of the AM Tour I wanted to be a part of the organization.  Jeff Zemencsik built a great following and I wanted to help keep that momentum", states Epperson.  Daryl who spent 30 years with Conoco / Phillips, now a software consultant, joins the team in Houston to maximize the player experience

While Daryl will continue to compete in some events outside of the Houston Tour, his focus will be on solidifying the Houston Tour as one of the best in the country.

NEXT UP:

The Houston Tour opens the season on Sunday, October 12th at the Cypress Open at Cypress Lakes Golf Club, registration closes on Friday, October 3rd.

Hill Country Tour action resumes at the Fall Challenge / Round Rock at the Teravista Golf Club on Sunday, October 19th with entries closing on Friday October 10th.

The Fall Classic at Dancing Rabbit in Mississippi is the first Major of the season in the South Central Region on October 25th and 26th.

November 1st marks the season start on the Dallas Tour at The Golf Club at Frisco Lakes for the Frisco Lakes Challenge, entry deadline is October 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