Scott R Chilcutt, Galveston, TX (March 29, 2015) Moody Gardens Golf Course on Galveston Island has been the host to the Houston Tour since 2011, typically contested in the late January. This year the move from cold winds of winter to the heels of spring break for many around the country. Despite the in season hotel rates, we clearly got the best of the date shift with a beautiful weekend for Saturday practice rounds and the tightly contested Sunday event, where four of nine flights went to extra hole sudden death playoffs.
Jeff Gregory a second time player from Montgomery, TX took home the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving.
RESULTS:
Championship Flight: Playing in his first event on tour, David Ortego of Spring, TX made the turn, two strokes back of Montgomery, TX member, Scott Waltrip, but a birdie on the par 3 -17th was just enough to get back in the mix, knotting the two in a tie for the Championship. Back to #10 for the sudden death, it would take the pair 5 holes to break the stalemate, where Waltrip became a two time winner on tour and first since the December 2012 - HOU - Gleannloch Pines event. Six strokes back, Josh Stout of Houston rounded out the top three, moving him to within ten points of the Order of Merit lead.
Palmer Flight: Sugar Land, TX member, Roger Masek maintained a relatively clear scorecard to build a four stroke advantage picking up his eighth win on tour and first since his promotion to the Palmer Flight. Soon to be relocating to Georgia, Frank Wallace of Lufkin, TX carded three birdies on the day for his second runner up finish on the points season with first year player, Ralph Haun of Sugar Land, TX taking the third place spot.
Senior Palmer Flight: Walter Menuet of Houston and Orange, TX member Ernie Dyer matched front nine and back nine scores to force extra holes. 2014 Senior Hogan National Champion, Dyer, would grab the win in the playoff for his fourth Championship on tour and first since his move to the Senior Palmer group. Two strokes back of the pair, Joe Sublett of Baytown, TX would make birdie from 8' 4" on his closest to the hole shot on the par 3 -13th hole to round out the top three.
Hogan Flight: Starting the day on the tenth hole, three players would all finish in the lead, all with different ways to get to the outcome. One shot back at the turn, James Sheppeard from Tomball, TX would birdie two consecutive holes at the par 4 - 2nd and par 4 - 3rd. Spring, TX member Steve Allison would birdie his final hole, the par 3 - 9th and Matt Purgahn of Orange, TX would make four on that last hole to let the other two into a playoff party. After the sudden death, James Sheppard would come out victorious, his fifteenth win on tour and second of the season.
Senior Hogan Flight: Arthur Flores of Houston, TX and Richmond, TX player Eddey Neeley would return to the course to settle what appeared to be a playoff, where Neeley would prevail. Upon further review of his emailed scorecard, Flores notified the committee that he had signed an incorrect scorecard, moving the field up a notch after the disqualification, It was Neeley's second win on tour, by one stroke over Frank O'Neill of Sugar Land,TX finishing in the runner up spot, with a pair of players tied up in third. Rosharon, TX member, Bobby Stokes, a two time winner on the season and Chris Neelley of Spring, TX would split the third place honors.
Sarazen Flight: Deer Park, TX player Blake Barnes clearly knows how to get around Moody Gardens, T2 in 2013 and winner in 2014, Barnes became the only player of the day to win back to back at the track. It was Blake's eighth win on tour, including three Major Championship victories. With a par on his final hole of the day, Kristopher Bixby of Katy, TX jumped out of a tie to record the runner up spot with Houston, TX player Rick Houchins rounding out the top three.
Senior Sarazen Flight: With the help of birdies on the par 3 - 4th and par 4 - 12th, Marty Hodges of Richmond, TX became a four time winner on tour. Five strokes back, Houston, TX player Robert Hayter, carded his best finish in his first season on tour with L.P. Jones of Houston and Tucson, AZ traveler, Bill Lewicki sharing the third place finish.
Senior Jones Flight: Neil Macdonald of Huntsville, TX became a four time tour winner and another repeat winner at Moody Gardens. It was Macdonald's first since the 2012 HOU - Woodlands Panther Trail Tournament. Houston, TX player Ray Bednar made par on his last hole of the day, the par 3 -9th to jump into second place. One stroke back of Bednar, Mike Murphy of Corrigan, TX used birdies on the par 4 - 3rd and par 4 - 15th to finish in the show position.
Snead Flight: Montgomery, TX first year player Jeff Gregory became a winner with a two stroke advantage over Carl Eaton of Conroe, TX. Eaton made birdies on the par 5 - 1st and par 3 -17th to finish eight strokes ahead Victoria, TX member Art Henry, with a birdie on the par 3 - 9th and Bryce Kocian of Wharton, TX rounding out the third place finishers.
SKINS:
Giant Skins: ($85/each) 1 -- Ralph Haun, Sugar Land, TX; Joe Sublett, Baytown, TX; Hayden Adair, College Station, TX; Scott Waltrip, Montgomery, TX; Marty Hodges, Richmond, TX.
Championship / Palmer / Senior Palmer: ($32/each) 2 -- Scott Waltrip, Montgomery, TX; Josh Stout, Houston, TX. 1 -- Keith Storey, Houston, TX; Ralph Haun, Sugar Land, TX; Frank Wallace, Lufkin, TX; Joe Sublett, Baytown, TX; Hayden Adair, College Station, TX; David Ortego, Spring, TX.
Hogan / Senior Hogan: ($65/each) 2 -- James Sheppeard, Tomball, TX. 1 -- Steve Allison, Spring, TX; Scott Harper, Ranger, TX; Michael Castaneda, League City, TX; Randy Tate, Sugarland, TX.
Sarazen: ($23/each) 2 -- Bob Koch, Littleton, CO; Massimo Passini, Houston, TX. 1 -- Kristopher Bixby, Katy, TX; Blake Barnes, Deer Park, TX.
Senior Sarazen: ($80/each) 1 -- William Criss, Houston, TX; Gene Macha, Hungerford, TX; Larry Viktorin, Wharton, TX.
Jones / Snead: ($45/each) 2 -- Carl Eaton, Conroe, TX; Mike Murphy, Corrigan, TX. 1 -- Art Henry, Victoria, TX; Marshall Sweed, Sugar Land, TX.
CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:
($140/each) #4 - Josh Stout - 4' 8"; #6 - Keith Storey - 4' 10"; #13 - Joe Sublett - 8' 4"; #17 - Frank O'Neill - 2' 5"
Upcoming Texas Events:
Houston Tour members will tee it up again on Saturday, April 11th for The Masters @ Magnolia - High Meadows Ranch. Entry deadline is Friday, April 3rd at 11:59 PM EDT.
Dallas Tour players move to the Pecan Valley Open in Fort Worth on Saturday, April 4th before coming back to the totally renovated The Lakes at Castle Hills for the Castle Hills Masters on Monday, April 20th. Entry Deadline is Friday, April 10th.
The Hill Country moves to San Antonio for the San Antonio Masters at The Dominion Country Club on Monday, April 13th. Space is limited and the event closes on Friday, April 3rd.
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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