Tour Championship at Blackhorse

Scott R Chilcutt, Cypress, TX (August 20, 2017)  Blackhorse Golf Club hosted the Houston Tour Championship for the third year this weekend.  First go round we played the North, last year we played both the North and South, this time around we planned on another North / South return, but scheduling screw up got the best of us.  With greens maintenance the Monday before on the North Course, we opted for two rounds on the South.

While we didn't get a repeat of the 2016 Lightning delays, we got a full boat of heat.  Very little wind, with oppressive humidity, made the thick rough and tree-lined fairways even more difficult than normal.

The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $560, bringing the Texas Tour local events total to $17,870 in contributions to the Foundation in 2017.

RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  2016 Houston Tour Champion, Thomas Cruickshank, of Richmond, TX, needed extra holes to finish off last years Championship, but not this one.  Cruickshank, came out with guns a blazing on Saturday, five birdies on his back nine, finishing his first day at - 3, with a seven stroke advantage, then it was just a coast on Sunday.  Thomas would clear Katy, TX, player Noah Purvis by three strokes for the Championship and his sixth win of the season.  Purvis took two strokes off his Saturday total on Sunday, with five birdies and an eagle on the weekend to take home the runner-up honors with Marc Duncan of Houston, TX, rounding out the top three.

Palmer Flight:  Deer Park, TX, resident Al Campo, had to sleep Saturday night on a slight one stroke lead after the first round.  Campo, with a single birdie on Saturday, put three together on Sunday to take three strokes off his final round for a six stroke victory, his second of the season.  Michael Glover of Nederland, TX, in his first year on tour, carded his best finish, with three birdies on the weekend, with Montogomery, TX, member Tyler Logeman, taking home the third place finish, with three birdies of his own.

Senior Palmer Flight:  It took a bogey on the 37th hole to settle the score.  Robert Corbello of Vidor, TX, carded a birdie on his final hole of the event, to go with two others in the round, to force extra holes with La Porte, TX, player Kevin Turner after Turner bogeyed his final hole.  Back to the par 4 - 1st, Turner would prevail for his third win of the season and eleventh on tour.  Carl Christoph of Friendswood, TX, would round out the top three, with four birdies on the weekend.

Hogan Flight:  "The hotter the better", proclaims Dallas Tour traveler, Sven Bock of Richardson, TX, and boy did he get it.  Bock, a 2016 winner at the Hill Country and Dallas Tour Championships in the Sarazen Flight, just missed out in Houston with a third place finish.  This time around, he held on to a one stroke lead after the first round, for his fourth win on tour.  One stroke back, a three-time winner of the season and Houston Tour Flight Champion, Rick Smalley of College Station, TX, settled for the second place finish, with Cypress, TX, local Kyle Standley, rounding out the top three.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Bridge City, TX, player Mark Kirby was on a roll in 2016, picking up two Major Championships in the Senior Sarazen Flight, but promotions got in the way of his roll.   Kirby, a Senior Hogan since July of 2016, has been close, but this one should be especially gratifying.   One stroke back after the first round, Mark played his way into the final pairing, to pick up his eighth win on tour.  Two strokes back, Will Whitley of Cypress, TX, took home the runner-up honors with Wharton, TX, player Jimmie Chambers and first round leader, Randy Tate of Sugarland, TX, sharing the third place finish.

Sarazen Flight:  Pearland, TX, member Jame Hebert, with a skinless eagle on the par 5 - 18th on Saturday, jumped over first round leader, Matt Larson of Spring, TX, on Sunday to take home his third National Championship qualifying win of the season.  Massimo Passini, of Houston, TX, looking for a promotion overcame some woes on Saturday to finish in the second place spot, with Spring, TX, player James Washburn and Katy, TX, player Adam Bray splitting the final podium spot.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  With three birdies and an eagle on the weekend, Sanger, TX, Dallas Tour player Steve Killion, added to his accomplishments in Cypress, TX.   Killion, carded his best finish on tour during the 2015 Cypress Open, across 290 at Cypress Lakes, picked up his second win of the season.  Fellow Dallas Tour player Burnie Rodgers of Haslet, TX, played his first nine holes on Sunday, -1 with a couple of birdies, added another at the over the water par 3 - 17th to finish two strokes ahead of Richmond, TX, member Greg Faubion.

Jones Flight:  With a slim, 20 point advantage starting the weekend for the Flight Championship, Rick Halprin of Houston, TX, took any questions out of the conversation with the victory.  Halprin led wire to wire, for his sixth win of the season, clearing second place Montgomery, TX, finisher John Pickens by eleven strokes.  Carl Eaton of Conroe, TX, with three birdies on his weekend, rounded out the top three.

Snead Flight:  Pasadena, TX, player Robert Vespa, another member on the brink of the Flight Championship in the Senior Snead group, did what he had to do to sew up the title, with the win.  Vespa,  with a pair of 93's eeked out the win by one stroke over Mike Murphy of Corrigan, TX.  Murphy, with a par on his final hole of the weekend, extended his lead over third place Houston, TX, finisher Javier Quintero, by five strokes.  








SKINS:

Day 1

Giant SKINS:  ($206)  1 -- Jeff Workman, Fort Worth, TX; Kevin Turner, La Porte, TX; Steve Killion, Sanger, TX.

Championship /Palmer:  ($60/each)  2 -- Thomas Cruickshank, Richmond, TX. 1 -- Tyler Logeman, Montgomery, TX.

Senior Palmer:  ($20/each)  3 -- Carl Christoph, Friendswood, TX. 2 -- Kevin Turner, La Porte, TX. 1 -- Ernie Dyer, Orange, TX; Robert Corbello, Vidor, TX.

Hogan:  ($30/each)  2 -- Jeff Workman, Fort Worth, TX. 1 -- Brian Frazier, Kingwood, TX; Rick Houchins, Houston, TX; Rick Smalley, College Station, TX; Sven Bock, Richardson, TX.

Senior Hogan:  ($53/each)  2 -- Dale Fuhr, Missouri City, TX. 1 -- William Popek, Bay City, TX; Benny Silva, Friendswood, TX; John Reynolds, Beaumont, TX; Chris Neelley, Spring, TX.

Sarazen:  ($20/each)  3 -- Matt Larson, Spring, TX. 2 -- Massimo Passini, Houston, TX. 1 -- Adam Bray, Katy, Tx; Joe Armstrong, Spring, TX; Joe Michetti, Montgomery, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($75/each)  1 -- Gordon Davenport Jr, Friendswood, TX; Michael Bell, Pearland, TX; David Sipe, Houston, TX; Steve Killion, Sanger, TX.

Jones:  ($23/each)  3 -- Rick Halprin, Houston, TX. 2 -- Carl Eaton, Conroe, TX. 1 -- Bert Hood, League City, TX.

Snead:  ($26/each)  2 -- Ron McGinty, Humble, TX. 1 -- Jeff Powell, Santa Fe, TX; Stephen Sater, Sugar Land, TX; Mike Murphy, Corrigan, TX; Robert Vespa, Pasadena, TX.

Day 2

Giant SKINS:  ($124/each)  1 -- Ernie Dyer, Orange, TX; William Popek, Bay City, TX; Bob Murphy, Pearland, TX; Randy Tate, Sugarland, TX; Greg Faubion, Richmond, TX.

Championship /Palmer:  ($30/each)  1 -- Marc Duncan, Houston, TX; Thomas Cruickshank, Richmond, TX; Michael Van Swol, Sugar Land, TX; Roger Masek, Sugar Land, TX; Mike Karlin, Houston, TX; Tyler Logeman, Montgomery, TX.

Senior Palmer:  ($23/each)  3 -- Ernie Dyer, Orange, TX. 2 -- Robert Corbello, Vidor, TX. 1 -- Carl Christoph, Friendswood, TX.

Hogan:  ($90/each)  1 -- Mikkel Jebjerg Souza, Houston, TX; Kyle Standley, Cypress, TX.

Senior Hogan:  ($100/each)  1 -- William Popek, Bay City, TX; Mark Kirby, Bridge City, TX; Randy Tate, Sugarland, TX.

Sarazen:  ($20/each)  2 -- Blake Barnes, Deer Park, TX; James Washburn, Spring, TX.
 1 -- Brandon Casella, Houston, TX; Massimo Passini, Houston, TX; Joe Michetti, Montgomery, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($70/each)  2 -- Greg Faubion, Richmond, TX. 1 -- David Day, Rockwall, TX; Robert Hayter, Houston, TX.

Jones:  ($14/each)  3 -- John Pickens, Montgomery, TX. 2 -- Carl Eaton, Conroe, TX; Rick Halprin, Houston, TX. 1 -- Bert Hood, League City, TX; Scott Sammons, Katy, TX; Mark Boles, Sealy, TX.


Snead:  ($16/each)  3 -- Mike Murphy, Corrigan, TX.  2 -- Jeff Powell, Santa Fe, TX.  1 -- Stephen Sater, Sugar Land, TX; Ron McGinty, Humble, TX; Allen Gumpenberger, Conroe, TX; Javier Quintero, Houston, TX; Mike Lane, Katy, TX.


CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

$145/each

Day 1 

#4 - Jeff Workman - 7' 10";  #6 -  Jimmy Chambers  - 2 1/2";  #13 - Greg Faubion - 6' 1/2";  #17 - Randy Tate - 3' 1".

Day 2 

#4 - Gene Macha - 4' 3";  #6 - Jeff Powell - 3' 2";   #13 - Jeff Powell - 2 1/4";  #17 - Carl Christoph - 1.



NEXT UP:

National Championship September will take place in Rancho Mirage, CA at the Mission Hill Country Club and Westin Mission Hills Courses.  Open players will compete for the 2017 National Championship from September 10th-13th, with the 2017 Senior National Championship taking to the links from September 16th-19th.

Fall Schedule for all three tours will be announced and posted within the next few weeks, look out for those scheduled events.

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

Woodforest Dry but Soft - Montgomery Championship

Scott R Chilcutt, Montgomery, TX (August 6, 2017)  Woodforest Golf Club, back on the schedule in 2017, showed once again why it's claimed to have one of the best course conditions on the tour rotation.  While some weather watchers looked for a washout but, only a few rumbles of thunder came into play in the Championship.  

While the course played a little soft, with thick rough, made it play a little longer than normal.  Add to that a few prankster Woodforest members, giggling about their shenanigans,  that decided to move the back tee's back from where Mike Adcock placed them earlier in the morning put a toll on the Championship and Palmer flights.

The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $490, bringing the Texas Tour local events total to $16,210 in contributions to the Foundation in 2017.


RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  First-time tour player Michael McKinney of Magnolia, TX, got out of the gates fast, with back to back birdies on the par 5 - 2nd and par 3-3rd, to finish the front nine in even par.  McKinney would then stay out of any big trouble coming to the clubhouse for his first win, three strokes clear of The Woodlands, TX, member David Ortego.  Ortego, with a birdie on the par 3 - 16th would finish two strokes clear of Timothy Gushanas of Pearland, TX, rounding out the top three.

Palmer Flight:  Three birdies on the round, would prove to be just enough for Sugar Land, TX, member Michael Van Swol.  For Van Swol, it was his second win on tour, both coming within eleven weeks of each other after winning the Lake Jackson Championship the end of May.  One stroke back, the trio of Bo Kirkwood of Pasadena, TX, Deer Park, TX, resident Al Campo and Hill Country Traveler, Jorge Rodriguez of Round Rock, TX, shared the runner-up honors.

Hogan Flight:  Nacogdoches, TX, resident, Charles Kirk, notched his belt with his second tour win, both coming this season.  Kirk, also a winner at The Woodlands, Tournament Course, carded two birdies during the round to finish just one stroke clear of Brian Frazier, of Kingwood, TX.  Frazier on a tear of late, with two birdies of his own, finished ahead of The Woodlands, TX, member Tom Dyer, but three strokes.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Chris Neeley, of Spring, TX, claimed his fourth victory of the season and second since his promotion from the Senior Sarazen Flight.  Neeley finished his final two holes of the round, one stroke clear of Humble, TX, player Tim Kozlowski, which proved to be the decision making holes.  Rounding out the top three, Larry Murphy, just promoted to the Senior Hogan Flight after a long list of successes on the season, finished just three strokes out of the Championship.

Sarazen Flight:  Spring, TX, player Joe Armstrong a four-time winner during the 2016 season, finally broke into the winner's circle after his promotion from the Jones Flight.  Armstrong, with a couple of podium finishes during the season coming off a top five in Austin at the Texas Classic Major Championship, cleared the field by five strokes with the help of a birdie on the par 5 - 10th.  Adam Bray of Katy, TX, a two-time winner during the points season, finished in the runner-up spot with first year Spring, TX, player James Washburn taking home the third place finish.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  A pair of Houston, TX, residents, John Scott and William Criss, carded identical front nine / back nine scores, both with a single birdie on the front to force extra playoff holes.  Back out to the par 5 - 10th, where the pair both bogeyed the first time through.  Bogie would be just enough for Criss to pick up his second win both coming in his fourth year on tour.  Just one stroke, back L.P. Jones, also of Houston, TX, rounded out the top three, for his sixth podium finish of the season to go along with his win at Cypress Lakes in March.

Jones Flight:  Richard Lagrone, of Spring, TX, playing in a limited number of events due to schedule issues this year, made birdie on the par 4 - 11th that proved to be just enough to force a sudden death playoff with Montgomery, TX, local John Pickens.  Back to the course, the Championship would go to Pickens, for his third win in his last three attempts.  Two strokes back, Carl Eaton of Conroe, TX, and Spring, TX, resident Terry Collins, would share the show place honors.

Snead Flight:  Conroe, TX, player Allan Gumpenberger picked up his third win in his first season on tour.  One stroke back, Robert Vespa of Pasadena, TX, with a birdie on the par 5 - 2nd, took home the runner-up honors, with Javier Quintero, of Houston, TX, rounding out the top three.





SKINS:

Giant SKINS:  ($96/each)  2 -- Michael Van Swol, Sugar Land, TX. 1 -- Richard Lagrone, Spring, TX; Daryl Epperson, Houston, TX; Randy Tate, Sugarland, TX.

Championship / Palmer:  ($60/each)  2 -- Michael Van Swol, Sugar Land, TX. 1 -- Michael McKinney, Magnolia, TX; Timothy Gushanas, Pearland, TX; Rick Keszeg, Orange, TX.

Hogan:  ($25/each)  4 -- Brian Frazier, Kingwood, TX. 1 -- Gus Aldana, Spring, TX; Charles J. Kirk, Nacogdoches, TX; Kyle Standley, Cypress, TX.

Senior Hogan:  ($28/each)  3 -- Jeff Green, Coldspring, TX. 1 -- Chris Neelley, Spring, TX; Daryl Epperson, Houston, TX; Tim Kozlowski, Humble, TX; Randy Tate, Sugarland, TX.

Sarazen:  ($15/each)  4 -- James Washburn, Spring, TX. 2 -- Joe Armstrong, Spring, TX. 1 -- Jose Rivera, Houston, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($34/each)  2 -- John Scott, Houston, TX.  1 -- Robert Hayter, Houston, TX; L.P. Jones, Houston, TX; David Cox, Orange, TX; William Criss, Houston, TX; Jeffry Holmes, Houston, TX.


Jones / Snead:  ($30/each)  3 -- Robert Vespa, Pasadena, TX. 1 -- Mark Colwell, Selma, TX; Allen Gumpenberger, Conroe, TX; Javier Quintero, Houston, TX; Carl Eaton, Conroe, TX; Richard Lagrone, Spring, TX.

CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

$120/each

#3 - Mike McKinney - 2' 8";  #7 - Mark Kirby - 3' 7 1/2";  #12 - Michael Van Swol - 15' 4" ;  #16 - Gus Aldana - 2' 1".

NEXT UP:

Hill Country Tour Championship will venture to TPC San Antonio, where the A T & T Oaks and Canyons courses will test the players to the fullest on Saturday, August, 12th, and Sunday, August 13th. 

Spots still available for the Houston Tour Championship at Blackhorse Golf Club, in Cypress, TX, on Saturday, August 19th, and Sunday, August 20th, where we will rotate between the South and North courses.   Entries will close on Friday, August 11th.

Tour Championships in the state will culminate in Flower Mound, TX, at Bridlewood Golf Club for the DFW Tour Championship on August 26th and 27th.  Last chance to enter, if not sold out before, will be Friday, August 18th.

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