Scott R Chilcutt, Humble, TX (October 11, 2015) Tour 18 Houston, situated in Humble, TX, replicates a collection of some of the greatest golf holes in the country. For most of us, the chance to play holes at Augusta, Colonial, and Pebble Beach are merely a dream, so opening the Golf Channel AM Tour Houston 2016 points season seemed appropriate to start the dreaming.
Players welcomed cool morning temperatures for the Fall Challenge in Humble, especially those that endured the sweltering heat in LaQuinta, and a beautiful south Texas day followed to open the new points year. It was a tale of two nines for many of the players in the sold out event. Nine hole scores, many of which were low, only seemed to retreat back to the field when the day was done, when some kicked into gear coming back to the clubhouse.
Mark Donohue (Senior Sarazen Flight) was "Up for the Srixon Challenge", winning his flight playing a Srixon ball and will get a dozen sent to him for the win. Kristopher Bixby grabbed the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving, breaking into the 70's for the first time of his GC AM Tour career.
RESULTS:
Championship Flight: Katy, TX, player Jefred Villalobos has now played four tournaments on the Golf Channel AM Tour and in each he has taken home the hardware. Villalobos, started the day with a double on the par 4 - 1st, followed with a birdie on the par 4 - 3rd and then added three more birdies coming to the club house including his final two holes for the victory. First time tour player, Jacob Hiett of Houston, TX started a little shaky, but finished his final eleven holes with three birdies and a back nine even par 36 to finish two strokes out of the lead. Lake Charles, LA, Senior Championship player, Randy Tadlock, matched front nine, back nine scores with two birdies on the day to round out the top three.
Palmer Flight: Looking out of contention after going +10 on his first eight holes, Roger Masek of Sugar Land, TX, finished the final ten holes in three under par, with four birdies to pick up his ninth win on tour, and second since his promotion to the Palmer Flight. Orange, TX, player Todd McLane started the day strong with a birdie on the par 4 - 3rd, but got on a bogey train that ended with consecutive pars on his final two holes to finish just one stroke back. Playing the front nine in -2, Robert Corbello of Vidor, TX flipped his two sides with Masek to complete his round two strokes out of the lead with the final podium finish.
Hogan Flight: Mike Karlin of Houston, TX, Sugar Land, TX member, Derek Matta and Tom Dyer from Magnolia, TX all finished regulation knotted in the top spot. Starting the day on the #10 tee, Karlin came out swinging early with a birdie on the par 3 - 11th going -1 after three, but got into some trouble before finishing his last five holes with par. Matta shot consistent scores on both nines, birdieing his second to last hole the par 4 - 8th to get a spot in the playoff, while Dyer took six strokes off his front nine card to go +2 on the back forcing his way into a playoff spot. Back to the tenth hole for the playoff, it would be Dyer, riding the momentum of a strong final nine to cap off the win with a par for his fifth win on tour.
Senior Hogan Flight: George West, TX, player, Terry Jackson, on hiatus from the tour for three years, came back with a vengeance. Terry made consecutive birdies on the par 4 - 12th and par 5 - 13th to pick up the win by four strokes over Harold Jackson of Baytown, TX, with a birdie of his own on the par 4 - 8th. One stroke back of Jackson, Mike Innes of The Woodlands, TX with one birdie on the day and Richmond, TX member, Christopher Phillips, carding three birdies, shared the third place honors.
Sarazen Flight: Four of the top five players ride the wave of National Championship bids just weeks earlier. Rick Houchins of Houston, TX and Katy, TX resident, Kristopher Bixby, matched scores on the front at one over par, but Houchins was able to outlast Bixby coming to the club house by a single stroke. It was Houchins thirteenth win on tour and could likely be his last event as a Sarazen Flight player, with a Tournament Index that is looking towards a Hogan Flight promotion. For Bixby, with two birdies on the day, it was a career low score, his first in the 70's on tour. Massimo Passini of Houston, TX, tied in the fifth spot at the National Championship after the first round, rounded out the top three.
Senior Sarazen Flight: 2015 Senior Sarazen Flight Champion from the Dallas Tour, Mark Donohue of Lewisville, TX continues his strong play into the 2016 season. Donohue, starting the day on the tenth hole, took three strokes off on the back, and with par on the final hole, the par 3 - 9th (Sawgrass 17th) picked up his sixth win on tour by a stroke. Just out of the top spot, the trio of Burnie Rodgers of Haslet, TX another Dallas Tour player, Bridge City, TX player Mark Kirby and Bruce LeGrand of Houston, TX shared the runner up honors.
Jones Flight: With the flight starting on the day on the tenth, James Price of Portland, TX, overcame a 10 on the first hole, added a couple of birdies at the par 4 - 16th and par 4 - 18th to stay in the game. Porter, TX, member Heath Rood, got the best of the flight on his back nine to force a playoff with Price. Back to the sudden death affair, Price was able to make par picking up his fifth win on tour. Rood, with his best finish on tour took home the runner up honors with a pair of players tied up in the show position finish. First time players, Joe Michetti of Montgomery, TX and Spring, TX, member Richard Lagrone, shared the third place honors.
Senior Jones Flight: Marcy Glidden of Brookshire, TX, took five strokes off her front nine score to force extra holes with David Sipe of Houston, TX. Back to their starting hole the par 5 -10th for the playoff, Sipe would make par for the second time on the day for his seventh win on tour, three of them coming at Major Championships. For Glidden, the runner up finish, matched her last time out at a local event, second place honors at the 2015 Tour Championship at Blackhorse. Sharing the third pace finish, two strokes back were John Pickens of Montgomery, TX and Vidor, TX player Randy Adcock.
Snead Flight: Conroe, TX player Carl Eaton made par on his final hole of the day to edge out Javier Quintero for his fifth win on tour, one of them coming at 2015 Major Championship, the Srixon Championship at La Cantera. Perry Dragon of Houston, TX, made birdies at the par 4 - 5th and par 5 - 13th to take home the third place awards.
SKINS:
Giant SKINS: ($150/each) 1 -- Roger Masek, Sugar Land, TX; Michael Castaneda, League City, TX; Christopher Phillips, Richmond, TX; James Price, Portland, TX.
Championship / Palmer: ($40/each) 2 -- Roger Masek, Sugar Land, TX. 1 -- Marc Duncan, Cypress, TX; Robert Corbello, Vidor, TX; Wayne Taylor, Missouri City, TX.
Hogan: ($22/each) 1 -- Mike Karlin, Houston, TX; Jorge Rodriguez, Round Rock, TX; Tom Dyer, Magnolia, TX; Derek Matta, Sugar Land, TX; Scott Thompson, Helotes, TX; Steve Nagy, Sugar Land, TX; Bryan Wood, Leander, TX.
Senior Hogan: ($35/each) 2 -- Christopher Phillips, Richmond, TX; Kevin Cruthirds, Richmond, TX. 1 -- Michael Castaneda, League City, TX; Harold Jackson, Baytown, TX; Terry Jackson, George West, TX; John Reynolds, Beaumont, TX; Kevin Thibodeaux, Port Arthur, TX.
Sarazen: ($40/each) 3 -- Blake Barnes, Deer Park, TX. 1 -- Judson Severson, College Station, TX.
Senior Sarazen: ($52/each) 2 -- Burnie Rodgers, Haslet, TX. 1 -- L.P. Jones, Houston, TX; Mark Kirby, Bridge City, TX; Michael Bell, Pearland, TX.
Jones / Senior Jones: ($43/each) 2 -- James Price, Portland, TX. 1 -- Tommy Templin, Hurst, TX; Lee Isham, Cypress, TX; David Sipe, Houston, TX; Jeff Wadsworth, El Campo, TX.
Snead: ($40/each) 4 -- Perry Dragon, Houston, TX. 2 -- Rick Hagel, Beaumont, TX; Carl Eaton, Conroe, TX.
CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:
($155/each) #6 - Kevin Cruthirds - 4' 1 1/2"; #9 - Jorge Rodriguez - 3' 0"; #11 - Mike Karlin - 4' 7"; #15 - L.P. Jones - 4' 11".
Upcoming Texas Events:
Fresh off the 2015 National and Senior National Championships, where three of six Senior National Championship honors came home to the State of Texas, the 2016 points season is underway.
The Dallas Tour opens the 2016 points campaign in Frisco for the Frisco Lakes Challenge on Saturday, October 24th. ENTRY DEADLINE is Friday, October 16th at 11:59 PM - EST.
New to the Hill Country Tour, the private club in Georgetown, opens the season for The Georgetown Fall Open at Berry Creek Country Club. REGISTRATION CLOSES on Friday, October 16th at 11:59 PM - EST.
FALL MAJOR - Don't miss the double points Major at The Fall Classic at Dancing Rabbit on Saturday, November 7th and Sunday November 8th. In addition, to two outstanding golf courses in Philadelphia, MS, great casino action on the grounds will keep you busy when not on the course.
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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