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
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