Sugar Creek Country Club Doesn't Disappoint

Scott R Chilcutt, Sugar Land, TX (April 16, 2018)  The Houston Tour made its first visit to Sugar Creek Country Club on Monday for the Sugar Land Championship.  And what a treat the special Monday event played under beautiful weather conditions, turned out to be.

Sugar Creek, with three nines originally designed by Robert Trent Jones, has gone through extensive renovations over the past few years, with recently completed Billy Bunker systems, throughout.  While the players certainly enjoyed the layout of the Trent and Jones nines, the Champions Bermuda Greens were the talk of the day.  Smooth and extremely fast, they kept even the best players scores in check while on their minds keeping the number of putts on the round down to a minimum.

The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $390, bringing the Texas Tour events total to $8,160 contributed to the Foundation in 2018.

RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  With the flight tied up making the turn, the back nine would end up settling the score for the Championship.  Lumberton, TX, first-time player, Brian Mack, bettered his first nine scores by three strokes, proving to be plenty for a four-stroke advantage.  Back on tour after an absence since July of 2017, Aaron Pickering of Vidor, TX, held his own until troubles on the par 5 - 12th hole relegated him to the runner-up finish, with Austin, TX, first-time player Justin Morris, rounding out the top three, one stroke back.

Palmer Flight:   Richmond, TX, resident Chris Phillips had a hoe hum round going through his first six holes until a chip in birdie at the par 4 - 7th put a spark in his round.  Phillips added two more birdies and played the next nine holes in -1, and despite two blips finishing the round, ended up with a three-stroke advantage for his eleventh win on tour and first since February 2017.  Wayburn Henry, of Pearland, TX, carded his third runner-up finish of the season with Houston, TX, member Walter Menuet, with a birdie on the par 4 - 9th and Neill Osburn, of Lake Charles, LA, a winner on Saturday, in Galveston, shared the third place finish.   

Hogan Flight:  Rick Smalley of College Station, TX, made three birdies on his round that proved to be just enough of a cushion to pick up his ninth win on tour and second of the points season. Three strokes back, local Sugar Land, TX, club member, Steve Nagy made birdie on the par 3 - 8th, to edge out Rick Houchins, of Las Colinas, TX, by one stroke, after Houchins, carded a birdie on the par 5 - 16th.

Senior Hogan Flight:  After a runner-up finish on Friday in Virginia, Dale Fuhr of Missouri City, TX, made the trip back to Texas to pick up his second win on tour both coming this season.  Fuhr finished five strokes clear of Saturdays, winner in Galveston, Michael Clawson of Alvin, TX and Houston, TX, player Daryl Epperson, sharing the runner-up finish.

Sarazen Flight:  Just some 40 hours after contemplating a move to the Jones Flight, Donovan Ackerson, of Houston, TX, proved he can compete with the Sarazen Group.   Ackerson, with a birdie on the par 5 - 12th, picked up his first win, in his first season on tour, two strokes clear of Spring, TX, player Matt Larson, with a birdie on the par 3 - 15th, and Joe Michetti of Montgomery, TX, tied up in second. 

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Starting the day on the par 3 - 10th, Robert Hayter of Houston, TX, made the turn in the hole, back by six strokes.  Hayter, then played his next eight holes in +2, to force a playoff with Seattle, WA, traveler Steven James.  James, with two birdies on the round, went back to the par 5 - 1st, with Hayter for the sudden death playoff, where Hayter would prevail for his Senior National Championship qualifying third win of the season, and sixth on tour.  Jeffry Holmes of Houston, TX, and Richmond, TX, player Greg Faubion, shared the third place finish, two strokes out of the playoff.

Jones Flight:   One stroke back making the turn, Houston, TX, player Artis Stewart, fought back on the back nine, for his second win in three attempts on the season.  One stroke back, Hungerford, TX, player Gene Macha, with a birdie on the par 3 - 10th, grabbed the runner-up finish, with Gary House, of Cypress, TX, playing in his second event on tour, rounding out the top three.

Snead Flight:  Back to the par 5 - 5th, for the second playoff of the day, Mansfield, TX, traveler Daniel Lawrence and Ron McGinty of Humble, TX, would need more holes to settle the score.  McGinty would prevail for his second win in as many attempts after his first Championship in Galveston on Saturday.  Lawrence, playing in his first year, recorded his second runner-up finish in three attempts, with Katy, TX, resident Mike Lane, making the most of a birdie on the par 4 - 17th, rounding out the top three.

SKINS:

Giant SKINS:  ($94/each)  1 -- Chris Phillips, Richmond, TX; Rick Swanson, Carrollton, TX; Matt Purgahn, Orange, TX; Rick Smalley, College Station, TX; Matt Larson, Spring, TX.

Championship/Palmer:  ($40/each)  2 -- Aaron Pickering, Vidor, TX; Chris Phillips, Richmond, TX. 1 -- Brian Mack, Lumberton, TX.

Hogan/Sarazen:  ($25/each)  3 -- Rick Smalley, College Station, TX. 2 -- Steve Nagy, Sugar Land, TX. 1 -- John Harcrow, Houston, TX; Matt Purgahn, Orange, TX; Rick Houchins, Las Colinas, TX; Matt Larson, Spring, TX.

Senior Hogan:  ($60/each)  1 -- Doug Sparkes, Houston, TX; Rick Swanson, Carrollton, TX; Allan Collier, Austin, TX; Doyle Wofford, Montgomery, TX; Mark Kirby, Bridge City, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($20/each)  2 -- Greg Faubion, Richmond, TX; Andre Fitzpatrick, Weatherford, TX; Steven James, Seattle, WA.  1 -- Robert Hayter, Houston, TX.

Jones/Snead:  ($20/each)  2 -- Ron McGinty, Humble, TX; Mike Lane, Katy, TX; Gene Macha, Hungerford, TX; Artis Stewart, Houston, TX. 1 -- Bert Hood, League City, TX; Richard Schram, Bryan, TX.

CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

$125/each:  #4 - Rick Smalley - 3' 6";  #8 - Robert Hayter - 3' 6";  #10 - Andre Fitzpatrick - 2';  #15 - Michael Clawson.

NEXT UP:

Houston Tour - High Meadow Ranch hosts the Masters @ Magnolia on Saturday, May 5th.  Registrations close on Friday, April 27th.

Dallas Tour - Fort Worth Championship at Waterchase, on Sunday, April 29th, is sold out, waiting list spots are available before it closes on Friday, April 20th.  Fairview Classic at Heritage Ranch on Sunday, May 6th, still has some spots available and will sell out.  Don't wait for the registration deadline on Friday, April 27th.

Hill Country Tour -  The Golf Club of Texas, will host the Briggs Ranch Championship on Saturday, April 28th.  Entry deadline is Friday, April 20th.




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.  EVENT CLOSED.

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

Northerly Blows off the Bay for Galveston Island Championship

Scott R Chilcutt,  Galveston, TX (April 14, 2018)  And the calendar says it's April.  Sure didn't feel that way on Saturday, as 90+ members made the call for the Galveston Island Championship.  Friday practice rounds had to endure some crazy south winds, but the course is designed and known for the blow off the Gulf of Mexico.  Overnight, a front came in from Canada, with it, brought 35+ MPH gusts from the north, and it became gradually colder throughout the morning.  If that wasn't enough, rain clouds popped up, getting many wet, with some reports of small hail.

In case anyone questioned that the conditions, couldn't have been that hard on the game, how about 4.5 strokes?  From the south windblown, 2017 event where the field averaged, 93.8 to the 2018 version, where scores soared to 98.38.

The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $480, bringing the Texas Tour events total to $7,770 contributed to the Foundation in 2018.

RESULTS:

Palmer Flight:  Houston, TX, member Mike Karlin, started the day with a birdie on the downwind, par 5 - 1st, and the turn with a four-stroke advantage, which proved to be just enough to pick up his sixth win on tour and second of the season.  Al Campo of Deer Park, TX, battled with Karlin, but could only get back to within one stroke on the final hole of the day, with a par against Karlin's triple bogie.  Orange, TX, resident Rick Keszeg, carded the best back nine finish in the field and finished one-stroke back of Campo to round out the top three.

Senior Palmer Flight:   Despite a triple eight on the par 5 - 14th, Neill Osborne of Lake Charles, LA, used the help of a five-stroke advantage making the turn to pick up his first win of the season and third on tour.  Orange, TX, member Ernie Dyer, played the final three holes in even par, to jump into the runner-up spot, with Robert Corbello, of Vidor, TX, with a birdie on the par 5 - 1st, taking home the third-place finish one stroke back.

Hogan Flight:   Houston, TX, player Nestor Alvarez, made birdie on the first two holes of the day, added another on his final hole, the par 4 - 18th, to pick up his second win in as many attempts five strokes clear of Jeff Burke of Houston, TX.  Burke, a member since 2011, has been off the tour since, 2015, with new additions to the family, carded back to back birdies on the par 5 - 11th and par 4 - 12th, to finish four strokes clear of Orange, TX, resident Matt Purgahn, with a lone birdie on the par 4 - 15th.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Michael Clawson of Alvin, TX, clearly didn't let the conditions get to him.  Clawson, playing in his second event on tour, picked up the win, after a runner-up his first time out, by a whopping ten strokes.  David Evans, of Lumberton, TX, with a birdie on the par 3 - 17th, finished in the second place spot, two strokes clear of David Green of Coldspring, TX, with two birdies on his round.

Sarazen Flight:  Somerset, MA, traveler Ian Maggiacomo, taking advantage of travels throughout the country, picked up his second win on tour and first since 2015.  Maggiacomo, with two birdies on his round, edged out, James Washburn, of Spring, TX, by one stroke. Washburn, with a birdie of his own on the tough par 4 - 10th, cleared four players one stroke back for the runner-up finish.  Garrett Dick of Houston, TX, Cypress, TX, member William Bowen, Adam Bray of Katy, TX, and Montgomery, TX, resident, Joe Michetti, split the third place honors.

Senior Sarazen Flight:   Starting the day on the par 4 - 10th, Mike Young of The Woodlands, TX, made the turn three strokes out of the lead, but made up the difference coming to the clubhouse, for his second win, in his first year on tour.  Seattle, WA, visitor, Steven James, with a birdie on the par 4 - 12th, split the runner-up honors, with Gregory Wolfford, of Orange, TX, with a birdie of his own on the par 5 - 1st.

Jones Flight:  With the flight starting the round on the par 4 - 10th, Michael Pago of Burnet, TX, and Conroe, TX, Allan Gumpenberger, were knotted up making the turn.  Coming to the clubhouse, Page, kicked it into gear, with his second birdie of the day on the 5 - 5th, for his second win in as many attempts, his Senior National Championship qualifying, third win of the season and fifth on tour.  Gumpenberger, took home the runner-up honors, four strokes clear of third-place finisher, Kevin Montague of Spring, TX.

Snead Flight:  Humble, TX, player, Ron McGinty, in his second year on tour picked up his first Championship after finishing in the runner-up spot at the Golf Club of Houston Major Championship.  Six strokes back, with a birdie on the par 5 - 11th Javier Quintero, of Houston, TX, took home the second place finish, two strokes clear of third-place finisher, Joey Butts of League City, TX.  




SKINS:

SKINS GIANT:  ($150/each)  1 -- Max Hill, Houston, TX; Nestor Alvarez, Houston, TX; Matt Purgahn, Orange, TX; James Washburn, Spring, TX.

Championship/Palmer:  ($40/each)  2 -- Scott Waltrip, Montgomery, TX. 1 -- Rick Keszeg, Orange, TX; Roger Masek, Sugar Land, TX.

Senior Palmer:  ($30/each)  3 -- Neill Osborne, Lake Charles, LA. 1 -- Brian Ford, Kingwood, TX; Robert Corbello, Vidor, TX.

Hogan:  ($25/each)  3 -- Kyle Young, Bellaire, TX. 2 -- Jeff Burke, Houston, TX. 1 -- Nestor Alvarez, Houston, TX; Scott Thompson, Helotes, TX; Matt Purgahn, Orange, TX; Mark Tylenda, Lewisville, TX.

Senior Hogan:  ($25/each)  2 -- David Evans, Lumberton, TX; Jeff Green, Coldspring, TX. 1 -- Michael Clawson, Alvin, TX; Max Hill, Houston, TX; Jeff Shaffer, Spring, TX.

Sarazen:  ($20/each)  4 -- James Washburn, Spring, TX. 3 -- Ian Maggiacomo, Somerset, MA. 2 -- Logan Landry, Westlake, LA; Joe Michetti, Montgomery, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($32/each)  2 -- Steven James, Seattle, WA. 1 -- Johnny Vayon, Houston, TX; Greg Faubion, Richmond, TX; Gregory Wolfford, Orange; Marty Hodges, Richmond, TX; David Jackson, Houston, TX; Mike Young, The Woodlands, TX.


Jones/Snead:  ($85/each)  1 -- Allen Gumpenberger, Conroe, TX; Michael Page, Burnet, TX; Mike Lane, Katy, TX.

CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

$150/each:  #4 - Robert Corbello - 26' 10";  #6 - Scott Thompson - 13' 7";  #13 - Bill Criss - 15' 0";  #17 - Kyle Young - 1' 7".




NEXT UP:

Houston Tour - High Meadow Ranch hosts the Masters @ Magnolia on Saturday, May 5th.  Registrations close on Friday, April 27th.

Dallas Tour - Fort Worth Championship at Waterchase, on Sunday, April 29th, is sold out, waiting list spots are available before it closes on Friday, April 20th.  Fairview Classic at Heritage Ranch on Sunday, May 6th, still has some spots available and will sell out.  Don't wait for the registration deadline on Friday, April 27th.

Hill Country Tour -  The Golf Club of Texas, will host the Briggs Ranch Championship on Saturday, April 28th.  Entry deadline is Friday, April 20th.




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.  EVENT CLOSED.

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