The Woodlands Open - Tournament Course

Scott R Chilcutt, The Woodlands, TX (June 11, 2018)  The Woodlands Open, on the Houston Tour, made it's way back to The Tournament Course at The Woodlands Country Club.  The Course, rich with history at the highest level of golf, with PGA events and most recently a yearly stop on the Champions Tour for the Insperity Classic, was again a special event for the Amateurs.

Pin placements, once again from the Saturday round of the Insperity, kept players on their toes, with quick, smooth greens, and fluffy rough that made it tough to get close to the hole, from off the short grass.   This go round, the big challenge, seemed to be th swirling winds.  While a player may have had a handle on that wind, when choosing the club, it could change in the seconds leading to the shot.

The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $660, with Texas Tour events total raised to $14,825 contributed to the Foundation in 2018.


RESULTS:

Championship Flight:    League City, TX, player Blake Wilson, birdied his first and the last hole of the day, added another at the par 4 - 5th to run away with a four-stroke advantage.  For Wilson, it was his eighth win on tour, first of the season and second at The Tournament Course. Playing in only his second event of the season, Gordan Wagner, of Sugar Land, TX,  down four strokes making the turn, stayed steady with two birdies on his round to finish tied up in the runner-up spot, with first time College Station, TX, player Andrew Williams.  Williams, with four birdies on the first six holes on the front nine, couldn't keep things going his way on the final twelve to finish in a share of second.

Palmer Flight:  Michael Van Swol of Sugar Land, TX, birdied his final hole, the par 4 - 18th which proved to be just enough for the Championship and his third win on tour and first of the season.  One stroke back, the pair of Al Campo of Deer Park, TX, and San Antonio, TX, traveler Rene Realme, each with one birdie of their own on the day, shared the runner-up finish.

Senior Palmer Flight:  Houston, TX, member, Bob Hayward, carded birdie right out of the gate on the par 5 - 1st, that gave him plenty of edge on the final seventeen to win by three strokes for his first win of the season and ninth on tour.  Chris Phillips of Richmond, TX, finished in the second place spot, after Vidor, TX, player Robert Corbello, took a +7 on the par 3 - 14th to take him out of the Championship.  Corbello, to his credit, followed up with a birdie on the par, 5 - 15th.

Hogan Flight:  Tony Thibodeaux of Port Arthur, TX, made two birdies in his final three holes, to force extra holes with Houston, TX, player John Harcrow.  Harcrow, with three birdies on his day, including the first and last, looked to turn the tables on the playoff situation, making his third sudden death in as many attempts.  Back to the par 5 -1st, Harcrow would pick up his second win in his first year on tour.  For Thibodeaux, it was his best finish, also in his first year on tour.  Orange, TX player Matt  Purgahn, jumped into the third-place finish with the help of a birdie on the last hole, to go with two others on his round.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Starting the day on the par 4 - 10th, Daryl Epperson of Houston, TX, and Montogomery, TX, first-year member, Bob Goodside made the turn event.  Epperson, would then be able to shave three strokes off of the Goodside finish to pick up his second win of the season and nineteenth on tour.  Goodside, settling for the runner-up spot after winning his first time out, cleared Missouri City, TX, member Dale Fuhr, with a birdie on the par 5  15th by three strokes, rounding out the top three.

Sarazen Flight:  Katy, TX, resident Adam Bray, was able to overcome a couple of ugly holes, to pick up his seventh win on tour and first of the season.  Two strokes back, Joe Michetti of Montgomery, TX, with a birdie on the par 5 - 1st took home the runner-up honors, with Abilene, TX, traveler Judy Harris, with a birdie of her own on the par 5 - 13th one stroke back in third.

Senior Sarazen Fligth:  Birdie on the first hole after making the turn at the par 5 - 1st, Robert Hayter of Houston, TX, stayed on his winning ways.  Hayter a winner three of his last four attempts picked up his fifth win of the season and eighth on tour.  Three strokes back, Marty Hodges, Richmond, TX, with only one of two eagles on the day, holed out from the fairway on the par 4 - 11th for the runner-up finish, four strokes clear of a pair of Houston, TX, player Doug Bass and Bruce LeGrand, sharing the third-place finish.  One stroke out of third, LP Jones, also of Houston, playing in the same group as Hodges also carded an eagle on the tough par 5 - 15th, holing out from the fairway.

Jones Flight:  Charles Ackerman of New Caney, TX, with the help of a birdie on the par 5 - 1st, came away with his first tour win.  Huntsville, TX, player Neil Macdonald, with a birdie on the same hole, finished in the second place spot, with Marcy Glidden of Brookshire, TX, rounding out the top three.

Snead Flight:  Port Neches, TX player, Shane Trhan, swaps his runner-up finish with Blake Bares of Houston, TX, at Bay Oaks to pick up his first win on tour.  Barnes the winner at that event, finished six strokes back for the second place honors, with Stephen Satar of Sugar Land, TX, taking home the final showplace finish.







SKINS:

Giant SKINS:  ($233/each)   1 -- Kyle Standley, Cypress, TX; L.P. Jones, Houston, TX; Matt Purgahn, Orange, TX.

Championship/Palmer:  ($60/each)  1 -- Justin Laird, Houston, TX; Andrew Williams, College Station, TX; Aaron Pickering, Vidor, TX; Blake Wilson, League City, TX; Terry Rice, Midland, TX; Kyle Standley, Cypress, TX.

Senior Palmer:  ($24/each)  2 -- Michael Weber, Tomball, TX. 1 -- Bob Hayward, Houston, TX; Robert Corbello, Vidor, TX; Price Youngs, Nederland, TX.

Hogan:  ($24/each)  2 -- Nestor Alvarez, Houston, TX; Ferdinand Andres, Houston, TX; John Harcrow, Houston, TX. 1 -- Rafa Rivero, The Woodlands, TX; Kyle Young, Bellaire, TX; Matt Purgahn, Orange, TX.

Senior Hogan:  ($60/each)  1 -- Bob Goodside, Montgomery,  TX; Jeff Green, Coldspring, TX; Doug Sparkes, Houston, TX; Jimmie Chambers, Wharton, TX; Mark Kirby, Bridge City, TX; Dale Fuhr, Missouri City, TX.

Sarazen/Senior Sarazen:  ($42/each)  2 -- L.P. Jones, Houston, TX; Matt Larson, Spring, TX. 1 -- Marty Hodges, Richmond, TX; John Pickens, Montgomery, TX; Dan Maytubby, Cushing, TX; Greg Faubion, Richmond, TX; Joe Michetti, Montgomery, TX.


Jones/Snead:  ($53/each)  2 -- Blake Barnes, Houston, TX. 1 -- Shane Trahan, Port Neches,TX; Stephen Sater, Sugar Land, TX; Richard Schram, Bryan, TX; Neil Macdonald, Huntsville, TX.



CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

$165/each:  #3 - Andrew Williams - 6' 4";  #8 - Kyle Young - 3' 1";  #14 - Gordan Wagner - 3' 10";  #16 - Bruce LeGrand - 7' 9".



NEXT UP:

Dallas Tour -  June 16th the DFW Tour makes a stop at Bear Creek for the DFW International Open, event SOLD OUT and CLOSED.   Don't miss the registration for the Desoto Championship on July 1st at Thorntree Golf Club, entries close on Friday, June 22nd, but will surely sell out prior to that time.

Hill Country Tour -   Lighthouse Country Club, in Kingsland, TX, will open up the Texas Open weekend at Horseshoe Bay on Friday, June 22nd.  Spots still available with registration closing on Friday, June 15th.  


Houston Tour -  After a break for two majors in two weeks, the Houston Tour will tee it up at Pecan Grove Golf Club for the Richmond Championship on July 14th.  Entries close on Friday, July 6th. 

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

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

Hill Country Classic at La Cantera - July 7th and 8th.  SOLD OUT, waiting list spots available.

Texas Classic at Barton Creek - July 28th - 29th.  SOLD OUT, waiting list 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