Before the Deluge - High Meadow - Masters @ Magnolia

Scott R Chilcutt, Magnolia, TX (April 16, 2016)  High Meadow Ranch, a staple on the Golf Channel AM Tour, hosted the Masters at Magnolia over the weekend.  The unique layout, with three groupings of six holes, always produces movement in the leader board.  Saturday, forecasted to be wet, proved the weather men wrong, but only a delay to the forecast, as torrential rains followed the event, with historic flooding to the Houston area to come.

For the first event in many, none of the Champions were "Up for the Srixon Challenge".   Those players winning their prospective flight playing a Srixon ball will get a dozen sent to them for the win. Eddie Thomas, with a -7 net score, won for the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving.   The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $370, bringing the year to date total from the Texas Tours to $5,320 contributed to the Foundation.

RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  Local, Montgomery, TX, player Scott Waltrip took a two stroke lead to the back nine, with a birdie on the par 4 - 8th, but let his two stroke lead dwindle after making the turn.  David Ortego, from The Woodlands, TX, the 2015 Senior National Champion and two time Major Champion on the 2016 year birdied the par 3 - 16th that would ultimately force a playoff.   Back to the par 4 - 7th, the nearest to the club house and much to the chagrin of players coming through the course, the pair went back out of the sudden death playoff.  First hole out, Waltrip made birdie to solidify his fourth win on tour and first of the points season.  Damon Garcia, of Fannett, TX, brought home the third place honors, his third of the season, with birdies on the par 4 - 12th and par 4 - 15th.

Palmer Flight:  Tyler Logeman, a winner at the 2015 Tour Championship at Blackhorse, carded birdies on the par 4 - 14th and par 4 - 18th to pick up his second win on tour with a two stroke cushion.  Coupland, TX, member Chris Wadle, with three birdies on his round, solidified the runner up spot, with a pair of players knotted in the third place finish.  Aaron Brougher of Spring, TX, with two birdies on his day, and Roger Masek of Sugar Land, TX, with one birdie of his own, split the show place honors.

Senior Palmer Flight:  Back to the course for the second sudden death playoff of the day, Bo Kirkwood of Pasadena, TX, Houston, TX member Walter Menuet and Fred Rich of Tomball, TX, needed extra holes to settle the score. With afternoon access this round, the trio would head back to the par 4 - 1st where Fred Rich matching Menuet's pair of birdies on the day and, hot off a swing change, would make par on his first playoff hole to pick up his first win on tour.

Hogan Flight:  Kingwood, TX, member Brian Frazier started out with double on the par 4 - 1st, then backed it up with a birdie on the par 5 - 2nd, an finished the day with a birdie on the par 4 - 18th to pick up his first win on tour.   Three strokes back, Mike Karlin, of Houston, TX, carded the runner up honors with Rick Smalley, of College Station, TX, rounding out the top three with three birdies on his round.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Daryl Epperson of Houston, TX, played the back nine in +1 with a single bogey to overcome the field for his fourteenth win on tour, second at High Meadow Ranch and first since the August 2014 Tour Championship.  Wharton, TX, player Jimmie Chambers, a winner his last time out at the Galveston Island Championship, with two birdies on the day, was just one stroke out of the lead, tied with George Smith, of Magnolia, TX and Cypress, TX, resident Will Whitley, with three birdies on his round, sharing the runner up honors.

Sarazen Flight:  Richards, TX, member, Eddie Thomas, made a pair of birdies coming to the clubhouse at the par 3 - 11th  and par 4 - 15th to grab his first win on tour. Ross Gonzales, a Major Champion during the January, TPC Sawgrass Open, finished three strokes back, with Dallas Tour member, Sven Bock of Richardson, TX, two strokes out of the runner up finish, settling for third place.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  While partner in crime, Mark Kirby of Bridge City, TX, was in Orlando, FL, taking care of a Major Championship at the Disney Masters, Richmond, TX, member, Greg Faubion, held down the fort for his fifth win on tour and first of the season. Faubion, with a birdie on the par 3 - 5th shared the lead at the turn, to extend it to a four stroke win.  Larry Murphy of Cypress, TX, and Dallas Tour player, Jamie Sansom of Plano, TX, split the runner up finish.

Jones Flight:  Montgomery, TX, member Joe Michetti, continued his winning ways with his fourth victory in his first year on tour.  Michetti, with a birdie on the par 3 - 16th, one of only a few on the day, held out a five stroke advantage over Dwayne London of  League City, TX, in the second place spot with Spring, TX, member Richard Lagrone, with two birdies on his back nine, rounding out the top three.

Senior Jones Flight:  Robert Hayter of Houston,TX, made birdie on the par 3 - 9th hole to card his first win on tour.  Four strokes back,  another Houston, TX, resident, Rick Halprin, with a birdie of his own early on the round at the par 5 - 2nd, finished in the runner up spot, with Scott Sammons of Katy, TX, bringing home the show place finish.

Snead Flight:   Montgomery, TX, first year player Michael Pierce, carded his first win on tour, with Carl Eaton, of Conroe, TX, just behind in the second place spot. One stroke back of Eaton, Mike Murphy of Corrigan, TX, and Wharton, TX, player Bryce Kocian, rounded out the top three. 





SKINS:

Giant SKINS:  ($160/each)  1 -- Damon Garcia, Fannett; Will Whitley, Cypress, TX; Larry Murphy, Cypress, TX; John Pickens, Montgomery, TX.

Championship / Palmer:  ($32/each)  2 -- Damon Garcia, Fannett; Aaron Brougher, Spring, TX; Tyler Logeman, Montgomery, TX. 1 -- Roger Masek, Sugar Land, TX; Chris Wadle, Coupland , TX.

Senior Palmer:  ($30/each)  2 -- Walter Menuet, Houston, TX. 1 -- Brad Bailey, Cypress, TX; Bo Kirkwood, Pasadena, TX; Clemente Saenz, Lake Jackson, TX; Dennis Walsh, Groves, TX.

Hogan:  ($20/each)  3 -- Brian Frazier, Kingwood, TX. 2 -- Brent Boudreaux, Montgomery, TX; Mike Karlin, Houston, TX. 1 -- Tom Dyer, Magnolia, TX; Craig Zietsman, Cypress, TX.

Senior Hogan:  ($60/each)  2 -- Will Whitley, Cypress, TX; Darrell Wilson, Georgetown, TX. 1 -- Michael Castaneda, League City, TX; George Smith, Magnolia, TX; Harold Jackson, Baytown, TX.

Sarazen:  ($35/each)  2 -- Ross Gonzales, Hockley, TX. 1 -- Wadsworth Jarrell, Fort Worth, TX; Wayne Waldrep, Spring, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($48/each)  1 -- Larry Murphy, Cypress, TX; Greg Faubion, Richmond, TX; Jim Wright, Azle, TX; Chris Neelley, Spring, TX; Jamie Sansom, Plano, TX.

Jones / Senior Jones / Snead:  ($31/each)  2 -- Richard Lagrone, Spring, TX; Joe Michetti, Montgomery, TX; Robert Hayter, Houston, TX. 1 -- Rick Halprin, Houston, TX; John Pickens, Montgomery, TX; Mike Murphy, Corrigan, TX.

CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

($160/each)  #5 - Daryl Epperson - 4' 4 1/4";  #9 - David Ortego - 16' 9 1/2";  #11 - Mike Rayburn - 6' 6";  #16 - Randy Dorsey - 2' 1 1/2".

Upcoming Texas Events:

Houston Tour members, venture for the first time to the exclusive Bay Oaks Country Club for the South Houston Championship on Monday, May 16th. Registration closes on Friday, May 6th at 11:59PM EST.  

Sunday, April 24th, the Dallas tour hits the exclusive Heritage Ranch Golf and Country Club for the Heritage Ranch Classic. 

The Spring Branch Classic is in store for the Hill Country at River Crossing Golf Club on Saturday, May 7th with entries closing on Friday, April 29th.    

Make sure to register for the Arkansas Championship at Hot Springs Country Club on June 4th and 5th.  This Major Championship, unlike many in the area still has spots available.

For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

Director - Texas Tours

Dallas  Tour - Hill Country Tour  - Houston Tour

GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour

405.513.1467

Beautiful Day on the Gulf of Mexico - Galveston Island Championship

Scott R Chilcutt, Galveston, TX (April 3, 2016)  Sports fans from around the world converged on Houston, TX, with the NCAA, Final Four and the Shell Houston Open in the city for the weekend. In spite of all the commotion, Golf Channel AM Tour members, struggled through the traffic 50 miles south to Moody Gardens for the Galveston Island Championship on Sunday, a mainstay event on the Houston Tour.

Moody Gardens, situated nearly in the middle of a small sliver of the barrier island, gets the good and bad of the weather on the Gulf Coast.  North winds off the mainland can be brutal, as testament to some Saturday practice rounds, but when things are good they can be really good.  We got some of the best on Sunday, when over 100 players were greeted to light southerly winds, to go with excellent course conditions, some of the best in recent years.

Bruce Beakley (Senior Palmer Flight), Matt Purgahn (Hogan Flight), Blake Barnes (Sarazen Fligth) and Marcy Glidden (Jones Flight)  were "Up for the Srixon Challenge", winning their prospective flight playing a Srixon ball and will get a dozen sent to them for the win. Marcy Glidden, with a -9 net score, grabbed the win for the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving.   The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $500, bringing the year to date total from the Texas Tours to $4,350 contributed to the Foundation.

RESULTS:

Championship:  Second time tour player, Neil Hennigan, of Beaumont,TX, started the day with a birdie on the first hole, added two more on the front and came to the clubhouse with a pair on the the par 4 - 16th and par 3 - 17th  to pick up his first win on tour.  Three time winner on tour and defending Champion at the Galveston Island Championship, Scott Waltrip, of Montgomery, TX, picked up steam on the back nine, with three birdies of his own, but came up just one stroke shy, carding the runner up finish.  Visor, TX, player, Aaron Pickering, playing his first event of the 2016 points season, made the best of three birdies of his own coming to the club house to round out the top three.

Palmer Flight:  Coming out of the gate, two over after eight holes, Jeff Zemencsik of Magnolia, TX, got those two strokes back quickly.  Zemencsik birdied the par 3 - 9th, added another at the par 4 - 10th, but had rough finishes at 14 and 15, followed by birdies at the par 4 - 16th and par 3 - 17th, getting things back in hand, but only enough for extra holes.  Spring, TX, member, Aaron Brougher, thought to be out of it after his front nine, even with a birdie on his starting hole, par 5 - 1st, he made the turn and finished the back in even par.  Back to the tenth hole for the playoff, Zemencsik, one of only two birdies on that hole of the day, dunked it in the water, but a favorable drop, shot and putt, carded a par for the win, his first of the season and fifth on tour. Wayne Taylor, three strokes back, took advantage of a birdie on the par 4 - 8th for the show place finish.  

Senior Palmer Flight:  Playing from the long yardages for the Senior Palmer Flight, Bruce Beakley of Houston, TX, held true to his level headed play.  With a birdie on the par 3 - 4th, Beakley kept his head down to pick up his second win on the season and tenth on tour.  Playing along side Beakley, Tim Kozlowski of Humble, TX, the home of the Shell Houston Open, finished in the runner up spot, two strokes back.  Out on tour for the second time this year,  Dennis Walsh of Groves, TX, recorded his second third place finish of the season.

Hogan Flight:  Birdie on the first hole of the day, the par 5 - 1st, Orange, TX, player Matt Purgahn, settled into a rhythm, took a hit at the par 4 - 8th, but bounced back on the final nine with a three over par to pick up his first win on the season and sixth on tour.  Mike Karlin, of Houston, TX, with birdie on the par 4 - 10th, relegated a big giant skin, opting out of that side game, tied it up with Kingwood, TX, Brian Frazier, with a birdie of his own on the par 3 - 4th and Mike Rayburn of Montgomery, TX, with three birdies on the day, splitting the runner up finish.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Jimmie Chambers of Wharton, TX, nearly lapped the field, with a personal best on tour, +3, with the assistance of birdies on the par 5 - 1st and par 4 - 8th for his first win on tour.  Houston, TX, player Robert Hayward, already a two time winner on the season, including one Major Championship, birdied the par 3 - 17th to stay ahead of the third place finishers by four strokes.  Kevin Turner, of La Porte, TX and Cypress, TX, player Will Whitley shared the third place honors.

Sarazen Flight:  Deer Park, TX, member, Blake Barnes, was in a hurry to pick up his National Championship qualification.  Barnes, starting on the par 4 - 10th, didn't get the game in line until the par 3 - 17th, making a birdie, following up for his third win on the season, third win in a row at Moody Gardens and eleventh win on tour.  Three strokes back, Ross Gonzales of Hockley, TX picked up the runner up prize, with Katy, TX, player Adam Bray equaling his best finish on the season with two previous T3 spots.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Traveling south to follow his Alma mater, the Orangemen of Syracuse, into the final four, Kansas tour member, Michael Roane, of Leawood, KS, followed a disappointing Saturday night with a win, his first on the season and fifteenth on tour.  Roane, with two birdies on the day, stayed two strokes ahead of a trio of players, knotted in the runner up spot. Spring, TX, member Chris Neelley, with one birdie on the round, William Criss, with three birdies on the day, and Wharton, TX, player Larry Viktorin, with a birdie of his own, shared the runner up finish.

Jones Flight:  Brookshire, TX, resident Marcy Glidden, took advantage of the field for her seventh win on tour and first since the 2015 Masters at the Ridge. Glidden, with a birdie on the par 3 - 9th held a six stroke advantage over runner up, Olan Benge of Wharton, TX, with three players four strokes back.  John Pickens, a two time winner on the season from Montgomery, TX, Shertz, TX, first year player Paul Tyus, also a two time winner on the season and Joe Armstrong, of Spring TX, with a birdie on the par 5 - 1st, split the third - fifth place points.

Snead Flight:  Mike Murphy of Corrigan, TX, made it fourteen wins on tour, first of the season and first since June of 2015. Murphy, with a birdie on the par 3 - 17th, commanded a five stroke victory over Houston, TX, player Javier Quintero, already a two time winner on the season, with Conroe, TX, member Carl Eaton, also a two time winner in 2016 rounding out the top three.




SKINS:

Giant Skins:  ($660/each)  1 -- Jeff Zemencsik, Magnolia, TX.

Championship / Palmer / Senior Palmer:  ($70/each)  2 -- Jeff Zemencsik, Magnolia, TX. 1 -- Bruce Beakley, Houston, TX; Neil Hennigan, Beaumont, TX; Wayne Taylor, Missouri City, TX; Roger Masek, Sugar Land, TX.

Hogan:  ($30/each)  2 -- John Heintz, San Antonio, TX. 1 -- Clay West, Lumberton, TX; Gus Aldana, Spring, TX; Matt Wolfe, Groves, TX; Mike Karlin, Houston, TX; Mike Rayburn, Montgomery, TX.

Senior Hogan:  ($56/each)  2 -- Jimmie Chambers, Wharton, TX. 1 -- Michael Castaneda, League City, TX; Robert Hayward, Houston, TX.

Sarazen:  ($26/each)  2 -- Judson Severson, College Station, TX; Sven Bock, Richardson, TX. 1 -- Jose Rivera, Houston, TX; Blake Barnes, Deer Park, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($34/each)  2 -- Michael Roane, Leawood, KS; Chris Neelley, Spring, TX; William Criss, Houston, TX. 1 -- Gordon Davenport Jr, Friendswood, TX.

Jones / Snead:  ($170/each)  1 -- Mike Murphy, Corrigan, TX; Joe Armstrong, Spring, TX.

CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

($160/each)  #4 - Aaron Pickering - 7' 2";  #6 - Aaron Brougher - 3' 3";  #13 - Mark Crafton  - 12' 9";  #17 - Michael Van Swol  - 5' 2".

Upcoming Texas Events:

Houston Tour members, head back to High Meadows Ranch Golf Club for the Masters at Magnolia on Saturday, April 16th, with entries closing on Friday, April 8th.

Backing up that weekend on Monday, April 18th, the Hill Country Tour visits the exclusive Dominion Country Club for the San Antonio Masters, registration closed on Friday, April 8th. 

Sunday, April 24th, the Dallas tour hits the exclusive Heritage Ranch Golf and Country Club for the Heritage Ranch Classic. Registration deadline is Friday, April, 15th at 11:59 PM EST.

  

Make sure to register for the Arkansas Championship at Hot Springs Country Club on June 4th and 5th.  This Major Championship, unlike many in the area still has spots available.

For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

Director - Texas Tours

Dallas  Tour - Hill Country Tour  - Houston Tour

GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour

405.513.1467