Prelude - Houston Open - Pecan Grove

Scott R Chilcutt, Richmond, TX (June 24, 2016)  What was booked as a special Friday event leading to the Houston Open - Sweet Water, turned out to be far from special.  While, recent rains and floods at Pecan Grove Plantation Country Club, could have been tolerated, the grounds staff exacerbated the conditions, mowing the Grove nine fairways, and making it more suitable for a hay rake and baler. Blowers and grass whips, normally used in those situations were apparently left in the maintenance barn.  Add to that, the local members, apparently unaware of the schedule,  decided to be very vocal.  Vulgarities to the members of the tour and tour staff ultimately made a bright Friday, very dark.  Not to worry, the members of the club will never have to worry about the AM Tour taking times from them in the future.  It's one thing dealing with course conditions and recent weather challenges, it's another being verbally abused for putting up with those conditions.

Dwayne London (Jones Flight), Blake Barnes (Sarazen Flight), Mike Karlin (Hogan Flight), and Steve Killion (Senior Hogan Flight) were "Up for the Srixon Challenge".   Winning their prospective flights playing a Srixon ball, they will get a dozen sent to them for the win. Olan Benge picked up the Tournament Champion, presented by Carlisle's Engraving with a net -11.   The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $340, bringing the year to date total from the Texas Tour local events to $8,650 contributed to the Foundation.

RESULTS:

Championship:  League City, TX, first year member Blake Wilson, down one stroke at the turn, went even par on the back to pick up his second win in as many attempts.  Local first time player, Thomas Cruickshank of Richmond, TX, and San Angelo, TX, standout Al Smith finished one stroke back to share the runner up honors.

Palmer Flight:  Tyler Logeman of Montgomery, TX, became a three time winner on the season and second in a row with the help of two birdies on the round.  Houston, TX, player, Walter Menuet, birdied the par 4 - 9th to pick up the second place finish, with Tomball, TX, member James Sheppeard, carding three birdies on the day, rounding out the top three.

Hogan Flight:  Al Campo of Deer Park, TX, and Houston, TX, member Mike Karlin, needed extra holes to settle the score.  Back to the par 5 - 10th, Karlin would seal the deal for his first win on the season.  Marietta, GA, visitor, Gene Campbell, finished just one stroke back of the pair to take home the show place finish.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Dallas Tour travelers, in town for the Houston Open, Scott Harris of Fort Worth, TX, and Sanger, TX, resident Steve Killion, swapped front nine / back nine scores to end the round tied for the top spot.  Back to the tenth hole for the sudden death playoff, Killion would prevail for his second win on the season.  One stroke back, local player, Christopher Phillips of Richmond, TX, and La Porte, TX, member Kevin Turner shared the third place finish.

Sarazen Flight:  Starting the day on the tenth hole, Blake Barnes of Deer Park, TX, had an ugly first seven holes, got his act together making the turn and went 51 - 37 with a hole out on his 18th from the bunker to win by one stroke. Winter Park, FL, traveler, Brandon Casella, came up one stroke shy for the runner up finish with a trio of players two back.  Adam Bray of Katy, TX, along with Dallas, TX, player Mark Tylenda and Yukon, OK resident Tim Davis, split the third place honors.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Spring, TX, member Chris Neelley, picked up his fifth win on the season with a two stroke advantage over Mark Kirby of Bridge City, TX.  Monroe, LA visitor, Walter White, rounded out the top three.

Jones Flight:  Dwayne London, of League City, TX, picked up his second win on the season with the help of a birdie on the par 3 -3rd to edge out a pair of players just one stroke back.  Montgomery, TX, players Joe Michetti, a four time winner on the season and  Jeff Gregory a winner back in January, shared the runner up finish.

Senior Jones Flight:  Wharton, TX, sniper, Olan Benge, playing limited rounds on the year, shot his way back to the Senior Sarazen flight with an eight over par 80 for his first win on the season.  Five back, Lloyd Reid, JR, of Dallas, TX took home the runner up honors with Houston, TX, member Rick Halprin rounding out the top three.

Snead Flight:   Michael Pierce, of Montgomery, TX carded his Senior National Championship qualifying third win on the season.  Victoria, TX, player Art Henry, with a birdie on the par 4 - 1st, took the second place spot, with Charles, Watson of Llano, TX grabbing the third place finish.








SKINS:


Giant SKINS:  ($96/each)  1 -- Nick Quast, Trophy Club, TX; Blake Wilson, League CIty, TX; Olan Benge, Wharton, TX; David Day, McClendon-Chisholm, TX; Blake Barnes, Deer Park, TX; Kevin Turner, La Porte, TX.

Championship:  ($15/each)  3 -- Blake Wilson, League CIty, TX. 2 -- Thomas Cruickshank, Richmond, TX; Al Smith, San Angelo, TX. 1 -- Nick Quast, Trophy Club, TX.

Palmer:  ($36/each)  1 -- Tyler Logeman, Montgomery, TX; James Sheppeard, Tomball, TX; Bruce Beakley, Houston, TX; Bo Kirkwood, Pasadena, TX; Walter Menuet, Houston, TX.

Hogan:  ($20/each)  2 -- Mike Karlin, Houston, TX; Scott Striegel, Southlake, TX; Charles J. Kirk, Nacogdoches, TX. 1 -- Brandon Benoit, Houma, LA; Matt Wolfe, Groves, TX.

Senior Hogan:  ($37/each)  2 -- Jerrod Hoyle, Brenham, TX; Christopher Phillips, Richmond, TX; Rick Swanson, Carrollton, TX. 1 -- Kevin Turner, La Porte, TX.

Sarazen:  ($22/each)  3 -- Brandon Casella, Winter Springs, FL. 2 -- Blake Barnes, Deer Park, TX. 1 -- Wayne Waldrep, Spring, TX; George Peddy, San Antonio, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($66/each)  2 -- Mark Kirby, Bridge City, TX. 1 -- David Day, McClendon-Chisholm, TX.

Jones/ Senior Jones / Snead:  ($40/each)  2 -- Olan Benge, Wharton, TX. 1 -- Jeff Ackerman Sr., Wylie, TX; Lloyd C Reid Jr, Dallas, TX; Rick Halprin, Houston, TX; Joshua Tankersley, Fort Worth, TX; Jeff Gregory, Montgomery, TX.

CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

($132/each)  #3 - Nathan Minnich - 5';  #6 - Al Smith - 2' 11";  #12 - Olan Benge - 4' 9";  #17 - Rick Swanson - 12'.

Upcoming Texas Events:

Houston Tour members, take flight at the The Woodlands Open - Tournament Course on Monday, with only a few spots still open, entries close on Friday, July 1st at 11:59 PM EST. 

Dallas Tour play is sold out for the event at Southern Oaks on the Fourth of July weekend for the Battle at Burleson, but a few spots are open for the Championship at Craig Ranch on Monday, July 18th.  Entries close on Friday, July 8th.

Saturday July 9th the Hill Country Tour will take on the Briggs Ranch Championship at the Golf Club of Texas.  Registration ends at midnight, July 1st.

For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

Director - Texas Tours

Dallas  Tour - Hill Country Tour  - Houston Tour

GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour

405.513.1467

schilcutt@gcamtour.com

Back to Panther Trails - Houston Tour

Scott R Chilcutt, The Woodlands, TX (June 13, 2016)  Low scores were the theme of the day, with soft conditions and consistently rolling greens at The Golf Trails of The Woodlands, Panther course for the special Monday event.

George Smith picked up the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving with a net - 7.   The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $390, bringing the year to date total from the Texas Tour local events to $8,310 contributed to the Foundation.


RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  League City, TX, second time player, Blake Wilson only had a few blemishes on his scorecard and when he made bogey he backed it up with a birdie.  Add an eagle at the par 5 - 9th and Wilson, carded a -4 / 68 to command his first win on tour. Noah Purvis, in his tour debut, matched Wilson's birdies with five on the round, but the double on the par 4 - 1st proved to be the difference, finishing two strokes back.  The Woodlands, TX, local Matthew Winters rounded out the top three.

Palmer Flight:  Tyler Logeman of Montgomery, TX, picked up his third win on tour and second of the points season.  With three birdies on the round, Logeman slid into a seven stroke advantage over the pair of Houston players,  Justin Castillo and Vince Scudiero shared the runner up finish with five birdies between the two.  

Senior Palmer Flight:  Orange, TX, member Ernie Dyer carded his sixth win on tour and first since his promotion to the Senior Palmer Flight, after his Senior National Championship run in 2014.  Down two strokes making the turn, Dyer put a +2 together coming to the clubhouse to win by four strokes over Robert Corbello of Vidor, TX, and Houston, TX, first year member, Jim Penn.

Hogan Flight:  Jorge Rodriguez, made the trip from Round Rock, TX, worth his while, grabbing his National Championship qualifying third win on the season, after Houston, TX, player Mike Karlin, got into trouble on his final hole.  Karlin, would settle for the runner up finish one stroke back, and two strokes ahead of third place finisher, Matt Wolfe of Groves, TX. 

Senior Hogan Flight:  Three players came to the clubhouse feeling pretty good about +2 - 74's only to find out it would take extra holes to settle the score.  Out on the first playoff hole, Mike Hafner of Katy, TX, with two birdies on his round would be assured of splitting the second and third place points.  Magnolia, TX, member, George Smith was next out, on the second hole, Smith carded four birdies on the day after a rough start.  With a par on the second playoff hole, Kevin Turner of La Porte, TX, picked up his third win on the season, adding another Senior National Championship qualification to his T3 less than a month earlier at the Triburon Amateur Major Championship.

Sarazen Flight:  Eddie Thomas of Richards, TX, started the round with a birdie on the par 4 - 1st and never trailed for his second win on tour and the season.  After a rough start, College Station, TX, resident Judson Severson, got things together on the back nine to jump into the runner up finish. Wayne Waldrep, of Spring, TX, equaled Thomas on the front nine, but just couldn't keep the momentum, settling for the third place spot.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Denver Tour traveler, Arjun Sen, of Centennial, CO, equaled his career low score 77, with the help of a pair of birdies to pick up his second win on tour.  Four strokes back, L.P. Jones of Houston, TX, with three birdies on his round and Cypress, TX, member Larry Murphy, with a couple of his own, shared the runner up finish.

Jones Flight:  Montgomery, TX, player John Pickens was able to shift a shifting schedule around to grab his third win on the season and Senior National Championship qualification. Pickens finished four strokes clear of runner up Neil Macdonald, of Huntsville, TX, with Montgomery, TX, resident Jeff Gregory, rounding out the top three.

Snead Flight:  Javier Quintero, became another three time winner on the season, by only a single stroke, after runner up finisher Carl Eaton, of Conroe, TX, carded the only birdie of the day on the par 4 - 18th hole. One stroke back of Eaton, Bryce Kocian, with a birdie on the par 3 - 5th, took home the show place finish.    




SKINS:

Giant SKINS:  ($120/each)  1 -- William Popek, Bay City, TX; Chantz Haas, Beaumont, TX; L.P. Jones, Houston, TX; Carl Eaton, Conroe, TX.

Championship / Palmer / Senior Palmer:  ($80/each)  1 -- George Adams, Houston, TX; Vince Scudiero, Houston, TX; James Sheppeard, Tomball, TX; Ernie Dyer, Orange, TX.

Hogan / Senior Hogan:  ($72/each)  2 -- George Smith, Magnolia, TX. 1 -- Jorge Rodriguez, Round Rock, TX; Kevin Turner, La Porte, TX; Chantz Haas, Beaumont, TX.

Sarazen / Senior Sarazen:  ($60/each)  1 -- Steve Hamilton, Leander, TX; Arjun Sen, Centennial, CO; L.P. Jones, Houston, TX; Gordon Davenport Jr, Friendswood, TX; Mark Kirby, Bridge City, TX.

Jones / Snead:  ($35/each)  2 -- Richard Schram, Bryan, TX. 1 -- Jeff Gregory, Montgomery, TX; Joe Armstrong, Spring, TX; Richard Lagrone, Spring, TX; Marshall Sweed, Sugar Land, TX; Carl Eaton, Conroe, TX; Bryce Kocian, Wharton, TX.

CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

($115/each)  #2 - David Anthony - 10' 2";  #7 - Chantz Haas - 6';  #11 - Jack Carlile - 7' 11";  #17 - Steve Hamilton - 1' 11 1/4".

Upcoming Texas Events:

Members from around the country will take on the Houston Open Major Championship, on June 25th and 26th, with a special Friday, Prelude event at Pecan Grove Plantation Country Club.  While the Houston Open is sold out and closed for registration the Prelude event has some spots available, with the entry deadline, Friday, June 17th at 11:59 PM EST.

Dallas Tour players, back to chasing points at Southern Oaks on the Fourth of July weekend for the Battle at Burleson. Registration closes on Friday, June 24th.  

Monday June 27th the Hill Country Tour will try again at the rescheduled San Antonio Masters, on the famed The Dominion Country Club.  Don't miss out on playing this exclusive golf club, entries close on Friday, June 17th. 

For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

Director - Texas Tours

Dallas  Tour - Hill Country Tour  - Houston Tour

GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour

405.513.1467

schilcutt@gcamtour.com