Scott R Chilcutt, Humble, TX (February 13, 2016) The Golf Channel AM Tour, hosted the Redstone Classic on the Houston Tour Schedule, just 45 days shy of the Shell Houston Open.
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.
Scoring conditions were tough, greens rolling true, deceived the players with the speed, they may have looked fast, but probably rolled closer to the 9 neighborhood. Swirly and gusting winds, obviously affected the field, with five of eleven flights requiring more than the standard 18 holes to set the score. Matt Purgahn of Orange, TX, coming off a win at the Duel In the Desert in Las Vegas, just a week prior, didn't take any chances with his putter on the 14th hole and slammed home his first career ACE, from 142 yards with an 8 iron.
Neil Macdonald (Senior Jones Flight), was "Up for the Srixon Challenge", winning his prospective flight playing a Srixon ball and will get a dozen sent to him for the win. Macdonald also went on to win for the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving.
The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, grabbed $670, and went on to share $100 of the winnings for $770 going to to the Foundation.
RESULTS:
Championship Flight: In the first of the sudden death playoffs of the day, the Championship Flight took the most holes to settle the score with a threesome. First time players, Neil Hennigan of Beaumont, TX, made the turn in the lead, but found trouble on the par 4 - 12th to end up in a tie with fellow traveler, Silsbee, TX, player David Jones, after he tripled the final hole of the day. Travis Nichols of Houston, TX, doubled two holes and wound up finding his way to the first tee for the playoff. First hole, knocked Jones out of playoff contention and then it took two more for Nichols to pick up his thirteenth win on tour and first since the June 2014 Woodlands at the Gary Player Course event.
Senior Championship Flight: Playing in a limited schedule on tour since 2013, Rich Vigil of Katy, TX and Lake Charles, LA, traveler Randy Tadlock, matched front nine / back nine scores to force the playoff. Vigil, birdied the first hole of the day, added two on the back, and Tadlock went to seven, matching two on the back to both finish +4. Back to the first hole, it wouldn't finish the tournament, but crossing over to eighteen, would seal the deal for Vigil, his ninth win on tour. Copperas Cove, TX, member Rusty Lippert finished two strokes back for the third place honors.
Palmer Flight: It's been a long time coming for Coupland, TX, player Chris Wadle. On tour since, 2011, Wadle finally picked up his third win on tour and first since the 2013, Classic at the Creek on the Dallas Tour, despite six third place finishes and a couple of runner up spots. Jeff Zemencsik of Magnolia, TX, finished two stokes behind and two strokes ahead of the third place finish for the runner up spot. Dallas Tour player, Keith Childress, of Diana, TX wound out the show place finish.
Senior Palmer Flight: Vidor, TX, player Robert Corbello birdied the par 4 - 5th, but it wasn't quite enough to stay out of a playoff with JD Price of Whitney, TX. The two went back to #1, where Price would have to drain a 40'er to extend the sudden death even further, ultimately winning on the second playoff hole for his sixth win in two years on tour. Three strokes back a pair of Orange, TX players, Erie Dyer, the 2014 Senior Hogan National Champion and Todd McLane, with a birdie on the par 5 - 13th shared the third place finish.
Hogan Flight: Jorge Rodriquez of Round Rock, TX, birdied his first hole of the day, added another at the par 4 - 12th, but still couldn't solidify the win. Sugar Land, TX, member Derek Matta, took one stroke off his front side to the back to even the score causing another playoff on the day. In the end, Rodriquez would prevail for his tenth win on tour, but only his first since the 2014 Round Rock Open. Mike Karlin of Houston, TX and Orange, TX member Matt Purgahn, rounded out the top three just one stroke back.
Senior Hogan Flight: After a January win in Ponte Vedra, FL, and another two strong finishes at the TPC Sawgrass Open Major and the Port Aranasas Open, David Anthony of Cypress, TX stepped into the winners circle once again. Anthony, using a birdie on the par 4 - 11th, took a one stroke lead to the back nine to edge out second place finisher Daryl Epperson of Houston, TX. Cypress, TX player Will Whitley and Houston, TX member, Robert Hayward finished just two strokes out of the lead to share the third place honors.
Sarazen Flight: The second three way playoff of the day, would only take one hole to crown the champion. Birthday boy, Wayne Waldrep of Spring, TX, would card the strongest back nine of the trio, but had already settled into his post round hamburger when Judson Severson, of College Station, TX and La Grange, TX member, Brandon Schilack turned in the matching scores. Severson, with an eagle two on the par 4 - 17th took that momentum to the playoff winning on the first hole for his first on tour.
Senior Sarazen Flight: Spring, TX, resident Chris Neelley, picked up his second win on the season and fifth on tour. One stroke back, Dallas Tour traveler, Mark Donohue of Lewisville, TX, with a birdie on the par 4 - 10th finished in the runner up spot with New Rochelle, NY visitor, Rey Jiminez, rounding out the top three.
Jones Flight: In his first year on tour, Joe Michetti of Magnolia, TX became a two time winner. A Major Champion at the rain shortened Fall Classic at Dancing Rabbit in Mississippi, Michetti, just cleared the 2015 Redstone Classic winner, Tony Parrish by a single stroke. Heath Rood, of Porter, TX, with a birdie on the par 5 - 13th rounded out the third place spot.
Senior Jones Flight: Huntsville, TX, player Neil Macdonald, with the help of a birdie on the par 4 - 6th, carried just enough cushion coming to the club house to pick up his fifth win on tour. David Sipe, of Houston, TX, finished alone in the second place spot with another Houston player, Rick Halprin and Katy, TX member Scott Sammons, splitting the third place honors.
Snead Flight: Javier Quintero of Houston, TX and Kingwood, TX player Ray Bedner would make the turn tied at the top, but late first nine momentum would carry Quintero to his second win on the season and nineteenth on tour. Robert Vespa, of Pasadena, TX, rounded out the top three finishers, five strokes out of the lead.
SKINS:
Giant Skins: ($535/each) 1 -- Matt Purgahn, Orange, TX; Judson Severson, College Station, TX.
Championship / Palmer: ($200/each) 1 -- Kyle Stewart, Tomball, TX; Keith Childress, Diana, TX.
Senior Championship / Senior Palmer: ($60/each) 2 -- John Perry, Sugar Land, Texas. 1 -- Rich Vigil, Katy, TX; Robert Corbello, Vidor, TX; Todd McLane, Orange, TX; Milton Kirkwood, Pasadena, TX.
Hogan: ($30/each) 2 -- Scott Thompson, Helotes, TX. 1 -- Jorge Rodriguez, Round Rock, TX; Matt Purgahn, Orange, TX; Rick Houchins, Houston, TX; Clay West, Lumberton, TX; Kyle Young, Bellaire, TX.
Senior Hogan: ($76/each) 2 -- Will Whitley, Cypress, TX. 1 -- David Anthony, Cypress, TX; Keith Grissom, Orange, TX; Robert Hayward, Houston, TX.
Sarazen: ($25/each) 2 -- Judson Severson, College Station, TX; George Horton, Houston, TX. 1 -- Randy Lay, Houston, TX; Wayne Waldrep, Spring, TX; Blake Barnes, Deer Park, TX; Brandon Schielack, La Grange, TX.
Senior Sarazen: ($70/each) 1 -- Larry Viktorin, Wharton, TX; Rick Allaire, Dallas, TX; Mark Dion, Spring Texas; Danny Farr, Roxie, MS; Mark Donohue, Lewisville, TX; Gary Gum, Spring, TX.
Jones: ($45/each) 1 -- Tony Parrish, Cypress, TX; Jeff Wadsworth, El Campo, TX; Heath Rood, Porter, TX; Timothy Durham, McKinney, TX.
Senior Jones: ($25/each) 2 -- Don Martino, League City, TX. 1 -- Zane Latham, Valley View, TX; Marshall Sweed, Sugar Land, TX; Neil Macdonald, Huntsville, TX; Terry Everts, Eastland, TX; Antone Sanchez, Sealy, TX; David Sipe, Houston, TX.
Snead: ($30/each) 2 -- Robert Vespa, Pasadena, TX. 1 -- Bryce Kocian, Wharton, TX; Javier Quintero, Houston, TX.
CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:
($260/each) #7 - Robert Hayward - 3' 5 1/2"; #9 - Kevin Turner - 2' 10 3/4""; #16 - Zane Latham - 3' 9""; #14 - Matt Purgahn - ACE.
Upcoming Texas Events:
The Houston Tour continues the season on March 5th for the Sealy Open at River Ridge Registration closes on Friday, February 26th.
Dallas Tour players open the 2016 calendar year in North Richland Hills, TX at the Iron Horse Open on Sunday February 28th, 2016 with an entry deadline of Friday, February 19th.
For More Information:
Scott R Chilcutt
Director - Texas Tours
Dallas Tour - Hill Country Tour - Houston Tour
GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour
405.513.1467
