Lake Jackson Championship - The Wilderness

Scott R Chilcutt, Lake Jackson, TX (May 21, 2017)  Off the Houston Tour Schedule since 2014, The Wilderness Golf Course made a comeback, playing host to the Lake Jackson Championship.   55 miles south of downtown Houston and just a few miles north of Surfside Beach on the Gulf, Lake Jackson is home to one of 26 golf courses in the State of Texas that is part of the Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries programs, and the Wilderness is truly in the wilderness. 

Very high chances of thunderstorms forecasted for the day created real questions as to whether the event would be held.  Boiling off the coast for most of the morning, the storms held off, but a quick 20-minute drenching did get everyone wet and temporarily cooled off from the muggy conditions.

The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $350, bringing the Texas Tour local events total to $10,050 in contributions to the Foundation in 2017.


RESULTS:

Palmer Flight:  Sugar Land, TX, member Michael Van Swol went out in even par with a birdie on the par 4 - 6th, started the back nine another birdie on the par 4 - 11th, before ever seeing any trouble.  Van Swol finished the final six holes in +6 but had just enough of an edge prior to that point to pick up his first win in four years on tour.  One stroke back, Bob Hayward of Houston, TX, Deer Park, TX, player Al Campo and Magnolia, TX, member Jeff Zemencsik split the runner-up honors.

Hogan Flight:  Kyle Standley of Cypress, TX, played nearly a flawless round of golf at the Wilderness.   One birdie to go with two bogies on the front, then nine straight pars left Standley with a seven-stroke advantage for his third win of the season,  Derek Matta, in only his second start of the season, ground out the runner-up finish, with two birdies on his round.  Houston, TX, resident Justin Duff, took home the third place points, with two birdies of his own on the day.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Spring, TX, member picked up his second win as a Senior Hogan and first since 2014.  Neelley a mainstay in the Senior Sarazen, with 11 wins, now looks to be in form for a run at the Senior Hogan Flight.  Making the turn with a three-stroke advantage, Chris finished the day six ahead of runner-up Jimmie Chambers of Wharton, TX, with Bay City, TX player William Popek carding his best finish of the season in the show place finish.

Sarazen Flight:  Kevin Montague of Spring, TX, became the second first-time winner of the event.  Montague on tour since 2013 has been close, but this one was the first he was able to close out on top of the leaderboard.  One stroke back, James Price of Portland, TX, was runner-up with Spring, TX, member Joe Armstrong, rounding out the top three.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  David Sipe of Houston, TX, took three off his front nine total, to force a playoff with William Criss, also of Houston.  Back out to the course for the sudden death, it would be Criss that would prevail on the first playoff hole.  Criss a late registration made the most of his decision to get in the tournament, it was his first win on tour since starting competition in 2014.  Robert Hayter, also residing in Houston, two home the third place honors.

Jones Flight:  After a rough start on the front nine, Bruceville, TX, player Spencer Ferrell righted the ship coming to the clubhouse,+2 on the back nine to pick up the championship.  Ten strokes back, Jonathan Tawney of Lorena, TX, with a birdie on the par 4 - 11th, took home the runner-up spot, with Corpus Christi, TX, player William Speck rounding out the top three.

Senior Jones Flight:  Conroe, TX, member Carl Eaton became an eight-time winner on tour.  Eaton took a good lead to the back nine, struggled on a few holes but held on for his first win of the season.  Antone Sanchez of Sealy, TX, finished three strokes back for second place, with Hungerford, TX, player Gene Macha one stroke back in third place.

Snead Flight:  Allen Gumpenberger of Conroe, TX, became the fifth first-time winner of the day, edging out Corrigan, TX, player Mike Murphy, a winner his last time out, by a stroke.  Burnet, TX, player Michael Page, Sugar Land, TX, player Stephen Sater and Robert Vespa, of Pasadena, TX, shared the third place honors.






SKINS:

Giant SKINS:  ($45/each)  2 -- Bob Hayward, Houston, TX. 1 -- Brian Jordan, Houston, TX; Derek Matta, Sugar Land, TX; Jimmie Chambers, Wharton, TX; William Popek, Bay City, TX; Randy Tate, Sugarland, TX; Larry Viktorin, Wharton, TX.

Championship / Palmer:  ($24/each)  2 -- Blake Wilson, League City, TX; Bob Hayward, Houston, TX. 1 -- Al Campo, Deer Park, TX; Jeff Zemencsik, Magnolia, TX; Brian Jordan, Houston, TX; Michael Van Swol, Sugar Land, TX; Anthony Desouza, Cypress, TX.

Hogan / Senior Hogan / Sarazen:  ($60/each)  2 -- Kyle Standley, Cypress, TX; Jimmie Chambers, Wharton, TX. 1 -- Derek Matta, Sugar Land, TX; Randy Tate, Sugarland, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($20/each)  2 -- William Criss, Houston, TX; David Sipe, Houston, TX. 1 -- Gordon Davenport Jr, Friendswood, TX; Robert Hayter, Houston, TX; Larry Viktorin, Wharton, TX; Michael Nowotny, Sealy, TX.

Jones / Senior Jones:  ($60/each)  1 -- Johnathan Tawney, Lorena, TX; David Liggett Jr, LaPorte, TX; Carl Eaton, Conroe, TX.

Snead:  ($32/each)  1 -- Javier Quintero, Houston, TX; Mike Murphy, Corrigan, TX; Stephen Sater, Sugar Land, TX; Bill Russell, San Antonio, TX; Robert Vespa, Pasadena, TX.





CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

$87/each

#4 - Mike Lane - 8' 1";   #8 -  Kyle Standley - 8' 10";  #13 - Bob Hayward - 2' 8";  #16 - Mike Murphy - 5' 9 1/2".


NEXT UP:

Back to Vaaler Creek Golf Club of the Battle at Blanco on the Hill Country Tour for the Memorial Day weekend tournament on Saturday, May, 27th.  

Available for Registration:

Hill Country Tour makes its first stop at the Tapatio Springs Hill Country Golf Club on Saturday, June 3rd for the Championship @ Boerne. Entries will close on Friday, May 26th at 11:59 PM, don't miss the chance to compete at this beautiful Hill Country venue for the first time on the Golf Channel AM Tour.

The Dallas Tour takes a break until the June 4th event at Tierra Verde, for the Arlington Championship.  Don't wait until the deadline of May, 26th, this one will sell out early.

The Woodlands Tournament Course, host of the Insperity Invitational on the Champions Tour, will host the tour players from around the state and country for The Woodlands Open on Monday, June 12th in The Woodlands.  Don't wait on entries, this one will sell out as registrations close on Friday, June 2, at 11:59 PM EST. 

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

South Houston Championship - Bay Oaks

Scott R Chilcutt, Houston, TX (May 15, 2016) After the deluge of water covered players to the bone in 2016, The Houston Tour made another Monday trip south of I-10.  And what a day it was, Bay Oaks Country Club, situated near Clear Lake in South Houston, and just off another NCAA, DIII Women's Championship, was ready for the Golf Channel AM Tour and the light breezes and the warm sunny day didn't hurt. 

The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $500, bringing the Texas Tour local events total to $9,700 in contributions to the Foundation in 2017.

RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  Nineteen-year-old Cameron Chottiner of Houston, TX, carded four birdies for a +3 - 75 for the championship in his first event on tour.  2015 Senior National Championship Flight Champion, David Ortego of The Woodlands, TX, finished with two birdies of the day, three strokes back for the runner-up finish with League City, TX, member Blake Wilson rounding out the top three.

Palmer Flight:  Six strokes back making the turn, Friendswood, TX, resident Jon Colvard, played the back nine in +2 to force extra holes with Al Campo of Deer Park, TX.  Back to the par 4 - 1st for the sudden death, Colvard would prevail to pick up his first win on tour.  Five strokes back the pair of Houston, TX, players Mike Karlin and Ramesh Muthusamy would split the third place honors.

Senior Palmer Flight:  Bob Hayward of Houston, TX, became a two-time winner at Bay Oaks.  Hayward slogged through the weather to shoot a 79 at last year's event, which would be his last as a Senior Hogan before a promotion.  This round, Hayward took three strokes off that finish, for his second win of the season and eighth on tour.  Two strokes back, Orange, TX, player Ernie Dyer, took home the runner-up spot with Robert Corbello of Vidor, TX, rounding out the top three.

Hogan Flight:  A pair of DFW Tour and Fort Worth resident travelers take the top two spots in the flight.  Kirk Boerner, with a birdie on the par 4 - 10th, picked up his fifth win on tour and fourth of the points season.  Two strokes back, Mark Tylenda grabbed the runner-up finish, with Nacogdoches, TX player Charles Kirk carding the third place finish.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Coldspring, TX, resident Jeff Green and Daryl Epperson of Houston, TX, matched front nine / back nine scores to force extra holes to settle the score.  Back to the first, the pair would take two extra, where a par on the par 4 - 2nd would seal the deal for Epperson, picking up his sixteenth on tour and second of the year. Five strokes back, Chris Neelley of Spring, TX would bring home the showplace finish.

Sarazen Flight:  Starting the day on the 10th hole, James Hebert of Pearland, TX, was threatening to WD before the round due to illness.  What bug had a hold of him early in the round, vanished on his back nine, firing a +1 - 37 to take home the Championship, his second in as many attempts.  Four strokes back, first time player, Cuauhtemoc Caballero, of Dickinson, TX, put together a string of three birdies in a row to finish the round in second.  Houston, TX, member Massimo Passini, rounded out the top three, two strokes out of second.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Cypress, TX, player Larry Murphy now has three wins on tour.  Two of those have come at the Bay Oaks Country club after picking up his first win on tour at the 2016 version of the South Houston Championship.  Murphy carded two birdies on the front nine, to clear second place finisher Clay Parmer of Pasedena, TX by four strokes.  Hill Country Tour traveler, Donald Bebout, of Lakeway, TX, finished just one stroke back of Parmer with the help of a birdie on the par 4 - 18th.

Jones Flight:  Rick Halprin, of Houston, TX, picked up his National Championship qualifying, third win of the season and fourteenth on tour.  Halprin, two strokes back, making the turn did just enough to capture the win over Montgomery, TX, player John Pickens.  Pickens with a colorful scorecard finished both nines with birdies.  Two strokes back of second place, David Liggett of LaPorte, TX, and Huntsville, TX, resident Neil Macdonald split the third place honors.

Snead Flight:  Back in action for only his second event since some reconstruction surgery, Corrigan, TX, member Mike Murphy looks to be back in game shape.  Murphy, with six par's on the round, finished out his fourteenth Championship on tour, with eleven strokes to spare.  Robert Vespa, of Pasadena, TX, claimed the runner-up spot with Allen Gumpenberger, of Conroe, TX, taking the final podium spot. 




SKINS:

Giant SKINS:  ($95/each)  1 -- Chris Phillips, Richmond, TX; Robert Corbello, Vidor, TX; Bob Hayward, Houston, TX; Ernie Dyer, Orange, TX; David Ortego, The Woodlands, TX; Carl Eaton, Conroe, TX.

Championship / Palmer:  ($32/each)  2 -- Mike Karlin, Houston, TX. 1 -- Matt Wolfe, Groves, TX; Blake Wilson, League City, TX; David Ortego, The Woodlands, TX.

Senior Palmer:  ($18/each)  3 -- Chris Phillips, Richmond, TX. 2 -- Wayburn Henry, Pearland, TX. 1 -- Carl Christoph, Friendswood, TX; Marty Jordan, Houston, Texas; Robert Corbello, Vidor, TX; Bob Hayward, Houston, TX; Ernie Dyer, Orange, TX.

Hogan / Senior Hogan:  ($75/each)  1 -- Brian Frazier, Kingwood, TX; Kirk Boerner, Fort Worth, TX; Jeff Green, Coldspring, TX; Chris Neelley, Spring, TX; Chantz Haas, Beaumont, TX.

Sarazen:  ($40/each)  2 -- Cuauhtemoc Caballero, Dickinson, TX. 1 -- Jeff Gregory, Montgomery, TX; Joe Michetti, Montgomery, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($45/each)  2 -- Larry Murphy, Cypress, TX. 1 -- Donald Bebout, Lakeway, TX; L.P. Jones, Houston, TX; Michael Castaneda, League City, TX; William Criss, Houston, TX.


Jones / Snead:  ($25/each)  2 -- Carl Eaton, Conroe, TX; John Pickens, Montgomery, TX. 1 -- Rick Halprin, Houston, TX; David Liggett Jr, LaPorte, TX; Scott McClendon, Kingwood, TX; Robert Vespa, Pasadena, TX; Mike Murphy, Corrigan, TX.

CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

$145/each

#3 - John Pickens - 7' 10";  #8 - David Ortego - 1' 10 3/4";  #12 - Scott McClendon -5' 8 1/4"; #14 - Kyle Young - 5' 5 1/4.






NEXT UP:

Houston Tour players three weekends in a row when we go back to The Wilderness Golf Club, in Lake Jackson for the first time in years on Sunday, May 21st. 

Available for Registration:

Back to Vaaler Creek Golf Club of the Battle at Blanco on the Hill Country Tour for the Memorial Day weekend tournament on Saturday, May, 27th.  Registrations close on Friday, May 19th.

The Dallas Tour takes a break until the June 4th event at Tierra Verde, for the Arlington Championship.  Don't wait until the deadline of May, 26th, this one will sell out early.

The Woodlands Tournament Course, host of the Insperity Invitational on the Champions Tour, will host the tour players from around the state and country for The Woodlands Open on Monday, June 12th in The Woodlands.  Don't wait on entries, this one will sell out as registrations close on Friday, June 2, at 11:59 PM EST. 

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

River Ridge Golf Club Hosts Sealy Open - Houston Tour

May 31, 2016 arial view just north of the course

Scott R Chilcutt, Sealy, TX (May 6, 2017)  River Ridge Golf Club, a mainstay on the Houston Tour.  The event usually contested in the month of March when the pecan trees along the course were barren of any leaves, gave a different look to the event this time around.  

The club along the banks of the Brazos River was right in the eye of the June 2016 record flooding and ultimate Federal and State disaster declarations that came with it.  With the exception of some of the bunkers still a little crusty, the low-lying areas of the course have seemed to bounce back to the form players have been accustomed to in the past.

The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $400, bringing the Texas Tour local events total to $8,280 in contributions to the Foundation in 2017.

RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  Richmond, TX, player Thomas Cruickshank, put a double stamp on his National Championship qualification.  Thomas, winning the March Major Championship at Horseshoe Bay, added another local event for four wins in six attempts on the season.  Playing alongside Cruickshank one of his high school players, John James of Missouri City, TX, could beat out the coach but finished in the runner-up spot in his first event on tour.  Aaron Pickering of Vidor, TX, with two birdies early in his round rounded out the top three.

Palmer Flight:  Aaron Brougher of Spring, TX, has had only nominal results since his self-promotion to the Palmer Flight.  Winning the 2015 Major Championship at La Cantera, in San Antonio, TX, as a Palmer, Brougher picked up his second win in the flight and seventh overall. One stroke back, Damian Smith of Houston, TX, grabbed the runner-up finish with Roger Masek of Sugar Land, TX, and Houston, TX member, Mike Karlin sharing the third place honors.

Senior Palmer Flight:  Back to the course after not able to settle the score in 18 holes, Neill Osborne, of Lake Charles, LA, and first-year tour traveler, Nathan Douglas of Georgetown, TX, headed back out for the sudden death playoff.  In the end, Douglas would prevail for his first win on tour.  Humble, TX, member Tim Koslowski and Robert Hayward of Houston, TX, would split the third place finish, both with two birdies on the day.

Hogan Flight:  Playing sparingly since his first event on tour in 2011, Jason Duff of Houston, TX, looked to place himself in a Journey to Better promotion, with a ten stroke advantage.  His first win on tour, Duff with two birdies on the back nine, finished ahead of Cypress, TX, player Kyle Standley and Ross Gonzales of Hockley, TX.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Wharton, TX, player Jimmie Chambers, went out with a +1 front nine, that proved to be plenty for his first win on the season and third on tour.  Three strokes back, Daryl Epperson of Houston, TX grabbed the runner-up finish.  One stroke back of second, Jeff Green of Cold Springs, TX, and Rosharon, TX. player Bobby Stokes split the third place finish.

Sarazen Flight:  James Hebert, of Pearland, TX, off the tour since 2013, is back, and back with a vengeance.  Only able to muster a two top 15 spots early in his career, Hebert took home a third place finish his first time out this season, and picked up his first win, with three strokes to spare.  Houston, TX, player Massimo Passini, not out of the top three in four tries on the season, took home the runner-up spot with La Grange, TX, Brandon Schielack and Matt Larson of Spring, TX, splitting the show place honors.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Richmond, TX, resident Greg Faubion, carded an even par on the back nine to force extra holes with Olan Benge of Wharton, TX.  Benge, recently promoted from the Senior Jones Flight, became one of two players on the day to prevail after that promotion with his win in the sudden death.  Houston, TX, player William Criss, rounded out the top three for his best finish on the season.

Jones Flight:  Elgin Amboree of Houston, TX, looking to keep the momentum of his promotion, intact, picked up his second win of the season.  Ambroee, with a birdie on the par 5 - 17th, proved to be just enough to outlast Matt O'Brien of Katy, TX for the win, one stroke back.  Sealy, TX, local Antone Sanchez and Johnathan Tawney of Lorena, TX, shared the third place honors.

Snead Flight:  In the third playoff of the day, Dallas Tour traveler, Christopher Johnson of Duncanville, TX, took six strokes off his front nine scores to force a playoff with Mike Lane of Katy, TX.  Lane with a birdie on his first hole of the day, simply couldn't keep the momentum, handing the win to Johnson, his first of the season.  One stroke back, Jim Lamberth of The Woodlands, TX, rounded out the top three for his six top three finish on the year, including three wins.



SKINS:  

Giant SKINS:  ($68/each)  1 -- David Sipe, Houston, TX; Massimo Passini, Houston, TX; David Anthony, Cypress, TX; Geoffrey Knight, Houston, TX; Tim Kozlowski, Humble, TX; Marty Jordan, Houston, Texas; Aaron Brougher, Spring, TX; Aaron Pickering, Vidor, TX.

Championship / Palmer:  ($20/each)  4 -- Aaron Pickering, Vidor, TX. 1 -- Aaron Brougher, Spring, TX; Roger Masek, Sugar Land, TX; Anthony Desouza, Cypress, TX.

Senior Palmer:  ($25/each)  2 -- Tim Kozlowski, Humble, TX; Neill Osborne, Lake Charles, LA. 1 -- Carl Christoph, Friendswood, TX; Nathan Douglas, Georgetown, TX; Marty Jordan, Houston, TX.

Hogan / Senior Hogan:  ($68/each)  2 -- Geoffrey Knight, Houston, TX. 1 -- Jeff Green, Coldspring, TX; David Anthony, Cypress, TX; Ross Gonzales, Hockley, TX.

Sarazen / Senior Sarazen:  ($52/each)  1 -- David Sipe, Houston, TX; Greg Faubion, Richmond, TX; Olan Benge, Wharton, TX; Brandon Schielack, La Grange, TX; Massimo Passini, Houston, TX.


Jones / Snead:  ($45/each)  2 -- Mike Murphy, Corrigan, TX. 1 -- Artis Stewart, Houston, TX; Ramon Colen, San Antonio, TX; Robert Vespa, Pasadena, TX; Mike Lane, Katy, TX; Javier Quintero, Houston, TX.



CLOSEST TO THE HOLE: 

$130/each

#4 -  Geoffrey Knight - 3' 6 1/8";  #6 -  Massimo Passini - 13';  #8 -  Bruce LeGrand - 2";  #12 -  Nathan Douglas - 6' 7 1/2".

NEXT UP:

Back to the Hill Country for the Spring Branch Classic at River Crossing on Saturday, May 13th, and the Houston Tour members travel back to Bay Oaks for the South Houston Championship on Monday, May 15th.

Available for Registration:

Houston Tour players three weekends in a row when we go back to The Wilderness GolF Couse, in Lake Jackson for the first time in years.  The event, on Sunday, May 21st closes on Friday, May 12th at 11:59 PM EST.   

Back to Vaaler Creek Golf Club of the Battle at Blanco on the Hill Country Tour for the Memorial Day weekend tournament on Saturday, May, 27th.  Registrations close on Friday, May 19th.

The Dallas Tour takes a break until the June 4th event at Tierra Verde, for the Arlington Championship.  Don't wait until the deadline of May, 26th, this one will sell out early.

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