Scott R Chilcutt, Humble, TX (February 14, 2015) 45 days shy of the Shell Houston Open, when the PGA Tour takes on the Tournament Course at the Golf Club of Houston, the Golf Channel AM Tour, hosted the Redstone Classic on the Houston Tour Schedule. Grand stands and hospitality tents are starting to come into the landscape, while course staff has the course in fantastic shape leading to the Masters tuneup.
Beautiful sunny skies and light winds, greeted players from as far away as Wisconsin, New Mexico, Kansas and Oklahoma paired up with Texas members for a sold out holiday event. Four of eight flights required playoffs to finalize the champions, enjoying extra play on the layout. Artis Stewart made the day special with a hole in on the par 3 - 7th hole. Senior Championship Flight player, Mark Echols of Diana, TX picked up the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving in a score card play off over, Wharton, TX member Larry Viktorin. Bobby Stokes of Rosharon, TX took advantage of the Srixon Ball Challenge by winning his flight and will receive a free dozen Srixon balls of his choice.
RESULTS:
Championship Flight: In what had to be a deja vu moment from the November, Katy Classic for a pair of Vidor, TX members, Aaron Pickering and Robert Corbello needed extra holes to finalize the championship. Similar to the last outing Pickering took a small advantage to the back nine, where Corbello carded three birdies coming to the clubhouse to force the sudden death playoff. Pickering ended up again on the top side of the playoff for his sixth win on tour. Two strokes back, Diana, TX player Mark Echols played even par on the back nine with the help of two birdies to jump into the third place finish.
Palmer Flight: John Price of Whitney, TX played his final eleven holes in -2, on three birdies to pick up his second win on tour, in as many attempts. Price, another winner from the November, Katy Classic ended up with a six stroke advantage over Houston, TX resident Keith Storey. Storey, with birdies on the par 4 -10th and par 3 - 16th, made up a front nine deficit to edge out Milton Kirkwood of Pasadena, TX for the runner up finish, his best finish on tour since the 2012 season.
Hogan Flight: Finishing in the runner up spot his last two outings, at the December, South Texas Winter Championship and January, Port Aransas Open, James Sheppeard of Tomball, TX. birdied the par 4 - 11th and par 5 - 15th to pick up his fourteenth win on tour. Five strokes back, Ryan McCue of Houston, TX made it off the waiting list at the last minute to card his best finish on tour with the help of birdies on the par 4 - 6th and par 5 - 8th. One stroke back of McCue, Derek Matta of Sugar Land, TX and Houston resident, Bryan Young shared the third place honors.
Senior Hogan Flight: Starting the day on the 10th hole, Mike Hafner from Katy, TX and Rosharon, TX member, Bobby Stokes matched front nine back nine scores, including both birdies on the par 4 - 12th to finish regulation knotted at the top of the leader board. Out for extra holes it would be Stokes for the win, his second in as many attempts and third on tour. Hafner, backed up his runner up finish at the December, Hawaii Amateur Championship, both in on course playoffs. Steve Killion of Sanger, TX took three strokes off his front nine with the help of birdies at the par 4 - 1st and par 5 - 8th to finish one stroke back of the lead pair.
Sarazen Flight: Hockley, TX player, Ross Gonzales, continued his strong 2015 points season play with three birdies on his round at the par 3 - 9th, par 4 - 10th and par 4 - 12th for his first win of the season and second on tour. Gonzales, only out of the top two on the season once at the January TPC Sawgrass Open Major where he finished in third place and the final National Championship qualification spot. Oklahoma Tour traveler, Imran Siddiqi from Edmond, OK finished his front nine with consecutive birdies on the par 5 - 8th and par 3 - 9th to finish one stroke back. Massimo Passini of Houston, fresh off a trip to the Puerto Rico Amateur, rounded out the top three.
Senior Sarazen Flight: Starting the day, four strokes back after his first nine, Larry Viktorin of Wharton, TX righted the ship on the back nine (+3) to card his twelfth championship on tour and first of the points season. One over par after nine holes with the help of birdies on the par 4 - 12th and par 4 - 17th, Crowley, TX player Dale McFarland ran into trouble mid way through his final nine to finish in the runner up spot, one stroke back. Mike Innes of The Woodlands, TX with birdies on the par 4 - 6th and par 4 - 12th finished in the show position.
Jones Flight: Anthony Parrish began his round with a birdie on the par 4 - 10th, but
ran into a little trouble on the par 4 - 18th signature hole. Parrish then played steady on his back nine (+5) to force a playoff with Katy, TX player Scott Sammons. Sammons, with a birdie on the par 4 - 6th, finished in the runner up spot after Parrish took care of his first win on tour in the playoff. Artis Stewart of Houston, finished his last three holes in -2 with the help of a hole in one on the par 3 - 7th, one stroke back finishing in third.
Snead Flight: Alan Brumley of Atascocita, TX played his final four holes in +2 to force extra holes with Lake Leon, TX traveler Stan Harper. Harper with birdies on the par 4 - 12th and par 3 - 14th couldn't hold off Brumley in extra holes picking up his seventh win on tour and second in as many attempts. Robert Vespa of Pasadena, TX finished just two strokes out of the playoff for his best finish on tour.
SKINS:
Giant SKINS: ($375/each) 1 -- Artis Stewart, Houston, TX; Michael Fee, Mansfield, TX.
Championship: ($44/each) 2 -- Dallas Webster, Wylie, TX. 1 -- Andrew Braun, Trophy Club, TX; Aaron Pickering, Vidor, TX; Robert Corbello, Vidor, TX.
Palmer: ($50/each) 1 -- Keith Childress, Diana, TX; Arthur Flores, Houston, TX; Scott Harris, Fort Worth, TX; John Price, Whitney, TX; Doug Collins, Iraan, TX; Ernie Dyer, Orange, TX; Michael Fee, Mansfield, TX; Keith Storey, Houston, TX.
Hogan / Senior Hogan: ($75/each) 2 -- James Sheppeard, Tomball, TX. 1 -- Glynn Aldredge, Orange, TX; Keith Grissom, Orange, TX; Manuel Martinez, Cisco, TX; Olan Benge, Wharton, TX.
Sarazen / Senior Sarazen: ($50/each) 1 -- Ross Gonzales, Hockley, TX; Imran Siddiqi, Edmond, OK; Trey Landry, Katy, TX; Craig Duncan, Kingwood, TX; Dale McFarland, Crowley, TX; Burnie Rodgers, Haslet, TX.
Jones / Snead: ($70/each) 2 -- Anthony Parrish, Cypress, TX. 1 -- Thomas Dubrock, Friendswood, TX; Artis Stewart, Houston, TX; Scott Sammons, Katy, TX.
CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:
($180/each) #7 - Artis Stewart - HOLE IN ONE; #9 - Milton Kirkwood - 3' 3"; #14 - Larry Viktorin - 3' 0"; #16 - Keith Grissom - 5' 6"
Upcoming Texas Events:
Dallas Tour gets back into the swing of things at the Classic at the Creek, Indian Creek Golf Club on Saturday March 21st with a registration deadline of Friday March 13th.
The Hill Country takes on Delaware Springs Golf Course for the first time in Burnet, TX. The Classic at the Springs is Sunday, March 22nd, entries close on Friday March 13th.
For More Information:
Scott R Chilcutt
Director - Texas Tours
Dallas Tour - Hill Country Tour - Houston Tour
GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour
405.513.1467
