Road Construction and Wind Headlines Cypress Open

Scott R Chilcutt, Cypress, TX (March 24, 2018)  Cypress Lakes Golf Club, played host to the Cypress Open once again on the Houston Tour.  The course, northwest of Houston off 290, also once again, became a trouble to get to from the southeast with what seems to be endless construction and wrecks as a result of the construction.   While some of the players were scrambling to make the tee time, all were greeted with great green complexes, and wind!  Wind, along with firm and fast conditions, the course instituted after the wet late winter, challenged the players and scores, more than usual events at the venue.

The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $540, bringing the Texas Tour events total to $5,670 contributed to the Foundation in 2018.


RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  Down by three strokes making the turn, Beaumont, TX, member Scott Mays, carded an eagle on the par 5 - 10th to jumpstart his way back into the event with Blake Wilson of League City, TX.   Wilson, with two birdies on the front, would add one on #10, and would par the last two holes of the round to force a playoff with Mays.  Back to the course, Mays would win the first sudden-death hole, for his second win in three attempts.  Conroe, TX, member Brandon Whitaker, with two birdies on the day, would round out the top three.

Palmer Flight:  Orange, TX, member Rick Keszeg, took a relative break during the 2017 season but has come back with a flurry of wins and top finishes (only once out of the top two).  With his last win in August of 2016, Keszeg has racked up four wins on the points season, including two at Cypress Lakes, to make it nine on tour.  With three birdies on the round, the leader, cleared the trio of Al Campo of Deer Park, TX, Houston, TX, player Damian Smith and Brian Frazier of Kingwood, TX, sharing the runner-up spot by eight strokes.  Smith, had two birdies on his round, with Campo carding one on the par 5 - 10th.

Senior Palmer Flight:  Starting his third season on tour, Cypress, TX, local Brad Bailey picked up his first Championship.  Bailey, with two birdies on his round, cleared second place finisher, Bob Hayward of Houston, TX by fives strokes.  Hayward, with a birdie on the tough into the wind, par 4 - 18th, edged out Pasadena, TX, member Bo Kirkwood, with two birdies on his day, by a single stroke.

Hogan Flight:  Playing in his second event on tour, Nestor Alvarez, of Houston, TX, grabbed his first win.  Alvarez, with birdies on the par 4 - 5th and par 4 - 16th, edged out Chicago, IL, traveler Jeremy Rose, with a birdie of his own on the par 5 - 10th by two strokes.  Rose, cleared, Las Colinas, TX, member Rick Houchins, with a birdie of his own on the par 5 - 2nd, by two strokes.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Seventy-year-old, Montgomery, TX, first-year member Rod McCasland, became a winner on tour.  One stroke ahead making the turn, McCasland, added a birdie on the par 5 - 14th, to fend off hard-charging,  David Anthony of Cypress, TX.  Anthony, with two birdies on his round, both coming to the clubhouse, took over the lead on the 14th but dropped one back over the final four to finish in the runner-up spot, his second, in as many attempts.  Spring, TX, player Chris Neeley, rounded out the top three.

Sarazen Flight:  Coming off a runner-up at the Western Amateur Championship at PGA West, Joe Michetti of Montgomery, TX, picked up his tenth win on tour.  Two strokes back, San Marcos, TX, traveler Tommy Mobley, commanded the runner-up finish, with Josh Vasquez, of Houston, TX, taking home the showplace finish.

Senior Sarazen Flight:   Marty Hodges of Richmond, TX, made the most of two birdies on his round to pick up his first win since August of 2016.  For Hodges, it was his seventh win on tour, four strokes clear of Houston, TX, player Rick Halprin. Halprin, also with two birdies on the day, cleared a trio of players by three strokes.  Sharing the third place honors, were John Pickens of Montgomery, TX, Houston, TX, player Robert Hayter and Mike Young, of The Woodlands, TX, all carding birdies on the round.

Jones Flight:  Bert Hood of League City, TX, starting the day on the par 5 - 10th, made the turn one stroke back of Spring, TX, member Kevin Montague, but made up the difference coming to the clubhouse to force extra holes.  Back to the course, Montague would pick up his fourth win on tour, and National Championship qualifying third win of the season.  One stroke back, Marcy Glidden of Brookshire, TX, also a three-time winner of the season rounded out the top three.

Snead Flight:  Bryan, TX, member Robert Haddon, became a four-time winner on tour.  Haddon, with his first Major Championship, win, his last time out at the Houston Open,  cleared second place finisher Stephen Sater of Sugar Land, TX, by four strokes.  Sater, with a birdie on the par 5 - 10th, a winner on the 2018 season, cleared Princeton, TX, member Benjamin Gaddy, with two birdies of his own on the day, by two strokes. 







SKINS:

Giant SKINS:  ($320/each)  1 -- Scott Mayes, Beaumont, TX; David Anthony, Cypress, TX.

Championship / Palmer:  ($60/each)  2 -- Scott Mayes, Beaumont, TX; Rick Keszeg, Orange, TX; Kyle Standley, Cypress, TX.

Senior Palmer:  ($17/each)  2 -- Brad Bailey, Cypress, TX; Bo Kirkwood, Pasadena, TX. 1 -- Bob Hayward, Houston, TX; Brian Ford, Kingwood, TX; Michael Weber, Tomball, TX.

Hogan:  ($44/each)  1 -- Rick Houchins, Las Colinas, TX; Nestor Alvarez, Houston, TX; Ferdinand Andres, Houston, TX; Ronnie White, College Station, TX; Michael Campbell, New Braunfels, TX.

Senior Hogan:  ($66/each)  2 -- Jeff Green, Coldspring, TX. 1 -- David Anthony, Cypress, TX; Tim Pohl, Erie, Pa.; Mark Kirby, Bridge City, TX; Jamie Sansom, Allen, TX.

Sarazen:  ($13/each)  2 -- Tommy Mobley, San Marcos, TX; Josh Vasquez, Houston, TX; Joe Michetti, Montgomery, TX; Jeff Gregory, Montgomery, TX. 1 -- Larry Atchley, Kyle, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($35/each)  3 -- David Jackson, Houston, TX. 2 -- Rick Halprin, Houston, TX. 1 -- David Cox, Orange, TX; Robert Hayter, Houston, TX; Marty Hodges, Richmond, TX.

Jones / Snead:  ($66/each)  1 -- Bert Hood, League City, TX; Carl Eaton, Conroe, TX; Charles Watson, Llano, TX; Joey Butts, League City, Texas; Benjamin Gaddy, Princeton, TX; Ron McGinty, Humble, TX.







CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

$160/each:  #4 - Brad Bailey - 8' 5";  #7 - Roger Masek - 4' 3";  #11 - Rick Swanson - 6';  #17 - Marty Hodges - 10".


NEXT UP:

Houston Tour -  The schedule includes a special, two events in three days, beginning in Galveston on Saturday, April, 14th at Moody Gardens for the Galveston Island Championship.  This tournament is a consistent sell-out so don't wait for the deadline on Friday, April 6th.   The tour then moves a few miles north for the first visit to Sugar Creek Country Club, for the Sugar Land Championship, on Monday, April 16th.  The event registration also closes on Friday, April 6th.

Hill Country Tour -  Sunday, April 8th, the Tour goes back to River Crossing Golf Club for the Spring Branch Classic.  Entries close on Friday, March 30th, 2018 at 11:59 PM CST.

Dallas Tour - April events start along I-35W in Burleson for the Battle Of Burleson, at Hidden Creek Golf Club on April 7th.  Registrations close on Friday, March 30th at 11:59 PM CST.   



Major Championships Open for Registration - (Majors that will be included in the 2018 Texas Tour Flight Champion year-end awards)

NW Arkansas Open at Bellavista - April 21st and 22nd.  Spots available.

Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay - June 23-24th. SOLD OUT, waiting list spots available.

Hill Country Classic at La Cantera - July 7th and 8th.  Spots available.

Texas Classic at Barton Creek - July 28th - 29th.  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

schilcutt@gcamtour.com

Cinco Ranch Hosts the Katy Classic

Scott R Chilcutt, Katy, TX (March 11,2018)  The Golf Club of Cinco Ranch, sits among Cinco Ranch, an 8,100-acre-Master -Planned community, on the west side of Houston.

The Club, host to the Katy Classic on the Houston Tour, always seems to have nice conditions in early spring, and this round was no different.  Humid morning conditions cooled a bit with cloud cover by starting time, some of the clouds looked like impending rain.  In the end, after all the players were off the course, only a sprinkle on our way drive north, with the event playing to geat weather.

The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $540, bringing the Texas Tour events total to $4,210 contributed to the Foundation in 2018.


RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  Crowley, LA, first-time player Robbie Trahan, made the turn at +1, with the help of a birdie on the par 4 - 8th, and despite a rough back nine, held on to a two-stroke lead for the Championship.  Winner his last time out, Scott Mayes of Beaumont, TX, overcame an early four-stroke deficit to finish in the runner-up spot, with Conroe, TX, player Brandon Whitaker rounding out the top three.

Palmer Flight:  Roger Masek of Sugar Land, TX, overcame a three-stroke deficit making the turn with a birdie on the par 4-14th, to go +1 coming to the clubhouse for a three-stroke victory.  For Masek, it was his eleventh win on tour and first since October 2016.  Three-time, 2018 points season winner, Rick Keszeg of Orange, TX, took home the second place finish, one stroke clear of Houston, TX, member Mike Karlin, a winner his last time out.

Senior Palmer Flight:  Perennial Champion, Orange, TX, member Ernie Dyer, picked up his fifth win as a Senior Palmer, and eighth on tour, after taking home the Senior National Championship in the Hogan Flight, his first year on tour in 2014. Dyer, two strokes back making the turn played the back nine in +2, with a birdie on the par 5 - 15th for a six-stroke advantage over Wayburn Henry of Pearland, TX.  Henry, with a birdie on the par 3 - 16th, cleared the pair of Chris Phillips of Richmond, TX, and Houston, TX, player Walter Menuet, by a stroke. Menuet, carded three birdies on the round, with Phillips grabbing one at the par 4 - 7th.

Hogan Flight:  Manvel, TX, player Bruse Beaudreaux, bettered his last score out at Pearland, by fifteen strokes, to set up the Championship.  Beaudreaux, with two birdies on his round, cleared the field by five strokes.  Playing in his first event on tour, Michael Clawson, of Alvin, TX, took home the runner-up spot, three strokes clear of the trio of Orange, TX, member Matt Purgahn and Kyle Young of Bellaire, TX, both win birdies on the round along with Corpus Christi, TX, first-year member, Kevin Fontenot.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Birdie on the par 4 - 9th, got Bob Goodside, of Montgomery, TX, within one stroke of the lead making the turn, that proved to be enough of a push to grab his first victory.  One stroke back, Bridge City, TX, resident, Mark Kirby, with a birdie on the par 5 - 6th, cleared the pair of David Evans, of Lumberton, TX, and Southlake, TX, traveler, Scott Striegle by three strokes.  Evans carded two birdies on his round.

Sarazen Flight:  Hill Country Tour traveler, Larry Atchley, of Kyle, TX, overcame a four-stroke deficit making the turn to pick up the Championship, one stroke clear.  For Atchley, it was his ninth win on tour and second of the points season.  One stroke back, Spring, TX, player Matt Larson also a two-time winner on the season, took home the runner-up honors with another Hill Country player, Tommy Mobley of San Marcus, TX, rounding out the top three.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Signing a scorecard for a higher score on a hole, left Spring, TX, player, Kevin Hobbs, locked in a tie and headed back to the course for a sudden-death playoff with Gregory Wolfford, of Orange, TX.  Sneaking into the par 4 - 18th, the pair would take a couple of tries before Hobbs, would finally prevail, for his first win on tour.  Wolfford, grabbed the runner-up prizes, with David Jackson of Houston, TX, rounding out the top three, one stroke back with a pair of birdies on his back nine.

Jones Flight:  Continuing with the playoff them, Mark Boles of Sealy, TX, and Houston, TX, player Artis Stewart finished knotted up for the championship.  The pair, swapping front nine / back nine scores, went back to the par 4 - 1st, where Boles would take the championship, for his first win of the season and thirteenth on tour.  Stewart, a winner his last time out, took home second place points, with the pair of Marcy Glidden of Brookshire, TX, and Conroe, TX, resident Carl Eaton, splitting the third place honors.

Snead Flight:  Garrett Dick of Houston, TX, picked up his first championship on tour, playing his way right out of the Snead Flight,  with San Antonio, TX, traveler Bill Russell solidly in the second place finish.  Two strokes back of Russell, the trio of Blake Barnes, of Houston, TX, Corrigan, TX, player Mike Murphy and Stephen Sater of Sugar Land, TX, shared the third place finish.
    




SKINS:

Giant SKINS:  ($70/each)  1 -- Aaron Brougher, Spring, TX; Brian Frazier, Kingwood, TX; Roger Masek, Sugar Land, TX; Walter Menuet, Houston, TX; Michael Weber, Tomball, TX; Matt Purgahn, Orange, TX; Bruse Boudreaux, Manvel, Tx; Burnie Rodgers, Haslet, TX.

Championship / Palmer:  ($22/each)  2 -- Scott Mayes, Beaumont, TX. 1 -- Robbie Trahan, Crowley, LA; Aaron Brougher, Spring, TX; Brian Frazier, Kingwood, TX; Roger Masek, Sugar Land, TX.

Senior Palmer:  ($15/each)  3 -- Wayburn Henry, Pearland, TX. 2 -- Walter Menuet, Houston, TX; Michael Weber, Tomball, TX. 1 -- Chris Phillips, Richmond, TX; Ernie Dyer, Orange, TX.

Hogan:  ($44/each)  2 -- Matt Purgahn, Orange, TX. 1 -- Bruse Boudreaux, Manvel, Tx; Kyle Young, Bellaire, TX; Steve Nagy, Sugar Land, TX.

Senior Hogan:  ($36/each)  2 -- David Evans, Lumberton, TX; Dale Fuhr, Missouri City, TX. 1 -- John Kaminski, Corpus Christi, TX; Bill Schultz, Porter, TX; Mark Kirby, Bridge City, TX.

Sarazen:  ($20/each)  3 -- Larry Atchley, Kyle, TX. 2 -- Matt Larson, Spring, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($33/each)  2 -- Burnie Rodgers, Haslet, TX. 1 -- Michael Nowotny, Sealy, TX; Robert Hayter, Houston, TX; David Jackson, Houston, TX; Gregory Wolfford, Orange.

Jones:  ($65/each)  1 -- Kevin Montague, Spring, TX; David Liggett Jr, LaPorte, TX; Scott Sammons, Katy, TX; Gene Macha, Hungerford, TX.


Snead:  ($35/each)  3 -- Mike Lane, Katy, TX. 1 -- Ron McGinty, Humble, TX.




CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

$140/each:  #3 - Bill Schultz - 6' 8 3/4";  #5 - Steve Nagy - 6' 1";  #12 - Jeffery Holmes - 7' 6 1/4";  #16 - Kyle Young - 3' 10 3/4". 



NEXT UP:

Houston Tour -  Back to Cypress Lakes on March 24th for the Cypress Open, with registration closing on Friday, March 16th at 11:59 PM CST.  

Dallas Tour - March 17th event at Winstar, the St. Paddy's Day Championship, is closed and sold out.  

Monday, March 26th we venture back to a special event at The Dye Classic @ Stonebridge Ranch.   Entries will go fast as this event has always sold out. Registrations close on Friday, March 16th.   

Hill Country Tour -  March 18th, event at Delaware Springs Golf Course for the Classic at the Springs, in Burnett, TX, is closed for Registration.  

Sunday, April 8th, the Tour goes back to River Crossing Golf Club for the Spring Branch Classic.  Entries close on Friday, March 30th, 2018 at 11:59 PM CST.




Major Championships Open for Registration - (Majors that will be included in the 2018 Texas Tour Flight Champion year-end awards)

NW Arkansas Open at Bellavista - April 21st and 22nd.  Spots available.

Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay - June 23-24th. Spots available.

Hill Country Classic at La Cantera - July 7th and 8th.  Spots available.

Texas Classic at Barton Creek - July 28th - 29th.  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

schilcutt@gcamtour.com