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Wednesday, April 18, 2018

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

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