Katy Open Championship - Meadowbrook Farms Golf Club

Scott R Chilcutt, Katy, TX (July 22, 2018)  After River Ridge Golf Club in Sealy, TX, a mainstay on the Houston Tour schedule, was closed for persistent flooding along the Brazos River, a few of the staff members, headed east to Meadowbrook Farms Golf Club.   As a result of those moves, calls start coming in to schedule an event at the Katy club and that addition proved to be a pleasant addition.

Great conditions and hot temperatures greeted the players during mid-day rounds of golf on Sunday.  While. the heat dome over the DFW area didn't bring record highs like many endured on Saturday, it was still clearly hot, even for July in Houston.

The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $570, with Texas Tour events total raised to $19,420 contributed to the Foundation in 2018.


RESULTS:

Championship:  With four birdies on the round and only a single blip of a bogie, League City, TX, member Blake Wilson, made it two in a row after winning at The Woodlands Tournament Course, in June.  For Wilson, it was his ninth win on tour and second of the season.  Second place finisher, Andrew Williams of College Station, TX, with a birdie on the 4 - 15th seems to be stuck on the 77 mark, in two events on tour with Katy, TX, player Noah Purvis, and his birdie on the par 4 - 10th one stroke back to round out the top three.

Palmer Flight:  Struggling on the front nine, Mike Karlin of Houston, TX, started his recovery on the par 4 - 10th, added another on the par 4 - 15th to shoot -1 - 35 coming to the clubhouse for his National Championship qualifying third win of the season. Friendswood, TX, resident Jon Colvard, with a birdie on the par 4 - 5th, finished two strokes back in the runner-up spot, with Michael Van Swol of Sugar Land, TX, and Brian Frazier of Kingwood, TX, sharing the third place finish.

Senior Palmer Flight:  Houston, TX, member Walter Menuet was cruising along on his front nine until near disaster hit in the weeds on his approach to the par 4 -10th to tie the front nine with Fred Rich of Tomball, TX.  Menuet would make birdie on the par 4 - 12th, but only could hold on to that tie position over a hard-charging Rich.  The two would need to go back to the par 4 - 1st, to settle the score, where Menuet picked up his fourth win on tour and first of the season. For Rich, it was his best finish since two wins during the fall of 2017, with Houston, TX, player Bob Hayward, and two birdies on his round, taking home the final podium spot.

Hogan Flight:  Rick Smalley, of College Station, TX, made a mess of three of his first four holes but bounced back with birdies on the par 3 - 6th and the par 3 - 8th to keep himself in the round.  Coming to the clubhouse, Smalley, would go even par on the back nine, with another birdie on the par 4 - 15th, to pick up his fifth win of the season.  Four strokes back, San Antonio, TX, traveler John Heintz, with three birdies on his day, and Mike Rayburn of Montgomery, TX, shared the runner-up honors.

Senior Hogan Flight:  With birdies on his first and last hole of the day, Daryl Epperson of Houston, TX, snuck away with his third win of the season.  Three strokes back, San Antonio, TX, resident Alan Collier,  with two birdies of his own on the round, cleared four players tied in third by four strokes.  Porter, TX, player Bill Schultz, with a birdie on the par 3 - 6th, Chris Neeley of Spring, TX, Southlake, TX, resident, Scott Striegel, with the birdies on his card and Robert Sullivan of Houston, TX, split the third-place finish.

Sarazen Flight:  Hill Country Tour traveler, Mike Betzale of Live Oak, TX, made his most of the trip, with the help of two birdies during his round to pick up his second win, in his first year on tour. Another first-year player, Richmond, TX, member Jerome Dizon, finished three strokes out of the lead, three strokes ahead of a pair tied up in third.  Joe Michetti, of Montgomery, TX, with a birdie on the final hole, the par 5 - 18th,  and Adam Bray of Katy, TX, shared the showplace finish.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Taking a one-stroke lead to the back nine, Jeffry Holmes of Houston, TX, was able to double the advantage coming to the clubhouse to pick up his second win in his last three attempts.  Mike Young, a two-time winner on the season from The Woodlands, TX, finished two strokes back, and one stroke clear of Houston, TX, member David Jackson, rounding out the top three.

Jones Flight:  Spring, TX, member Terry Collins, played his back nine in +3, with the help of two birdies to pick up the second win on tour and first since the 2016 season.  Two strokes back, Kevin Montague, also of Spring, TX, with a birdie on the par 4 - 11th, grabbed the second place finish, seven strokes clear of Huntsville, TX, member Neil Macdonald a two-time winner his previous two outings.

Snead Flight:  Stephen Sater of Sugar Land, TX, was able to par his final two holes of the day, proving to be just enough to pick up his third win on tour and second of the season over a hard-charging, Blake Barnes of Houston, TX, and Humble, TX, member Ron McGinty, splitting the runner-up spot.








SKINS:

Skins GIANT:  ($315/each)  1 -- Ross Gonzales, Hockley, TX; Scott Striegel, Southlake, TX.

Championship/Palmer:  ($56/each)  3 -- Blake Wilson, League City, TX. 1 -- Michael Van Swol, Sugar Land, TX.

Senior Palmer:  ($20/each)  2 -- Michael Weber, Tomball, TX. 1 -- Bob Hayward, Houston, TX; Walter Menuet, Houston, TX; Kevin Turner, La Porte, TX; Wayburn Henry, Pearland, TX.

Hogan:  ($20/each)  3 -- John Heintz, San Antonio, TX. 2 -- Rick Smalley, College Station, TX; Jeff Burke, Houston, TX. 1 -- Steve Allison, Spring, TX; Ross Gonzales, Hockley, TX; Mike Rayburn, Montgomery, TX; John Harcrow, Houston, TX.

Senior Hogan:  ($42/each)  2 -- Daryl Epperson, Houston, TX. 1 -- Paul Atkinson, Bryan, TX; Bill Schultz, Porter, TX; Allan Collier, Austin, TX; Scott Striegel, Southlake, TX; Tim Pohl, Erie, Pa..

Sarazen:  ($90/each)  1 -- Michael Betzale, Live Oak, TX; Garrett Dick, Houston, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($36/each)  2 -- Kevin Hobbs, Spring, TX. 1 -- Burnie Rodgers, Haslet, TX; Marty Hodges, Richmond, TX; Mike Young, The Woodlands, TX.

Jones/Snead:  ($46/each)  2 -- Terry Collins, Spring, TX; Blake Barnes, Houston, TX. 1 -- Kevin Montague, Spring, TX; Terry Spencer, Georgetown, TX.





CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

$160/each:  #6 - Michael Weber - 2' 9";  #8 - Bob Hayward - 1' 5";  #14 - Ross Gonzales - 3' 1";  #17 - Michael Van Swol - 2' 8".


NEXT UP:



Houston Tour -  The Houston Tour Championship at Woodforest on August 18th and 19th.  Entry closes on Friday, August 10th. 


Dallas Tour -   Back in action after the Texas Classic at Barton Creek, the DFW Tour will head back to Tierra Verde for the Arlington Championship on Sunday, August 5th.  Registration closes on Friday, July 27th, with only a few spots available.

Hill Country Tour -   Back in action at Falconhead Golf Club for the Championship at Falconhead leading up to the Texas Classic at Barton Creek, to be held on Friday, July 27th.  Currently SOLD OUT and CLOSED. 


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

Texas Classic at Barton Creek - July 28th - 29th.  SOLD OUT and CLOSED.

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

Richmond Championship - Pecan Grove

Scott R Chilcutt, Richmond, TX (July 14, 2018)  After a less than enjoyable experience the last time we tried Pecan Grove Plantation Country Club in Richmond, the staff vowed for a better outcome and they held true to there word.  Without member interference, the course set up for a true test of skill for the players taking on the track.

The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $420, with Texas Tour events total raised to $17,590 contributed to the Foundation in 2018.


RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  Home course, local Thomas Cruickshank of Richmond, TX, with three birdies and three bogies made the turn at even par, tied for the lead with San Antonio, TX, traveler Sutherland Stith using two of each.  Coming to the clubhouse, Cruickshank could only find another even-par nine with another birdie, while Stith went -2 on the back for his second win in as many attempts. Aaron Pickering of Vidor, TX, made the most of two birdies on his round to round out the top three.

Palmer Flight:  In a combined flight of Open and Seniors, the group played from distance more suited for the Open, with a majority of a group coming from those players.  But in the end, it was Mesquite, TX, Senior member, Gabriel Brisco with the victory.  For Brisco, with a birdie on the par 5 - 15th, it was his second win of the season to go along with eleven top-five finishes of the points season.  Kyle Standley, of Cypress, TX, with three birdies on the front nine holes, grabbed the second place honors, for his best finish of the points season, since a win in October.  On stroke back, Pasadena, TX, member Bo Kirkwood, with two birdies going out and Ara Simonian of Houston, TX, with a birdie of his own on the front, shared the third place finish.

Hogan Flight:   In another installment of an Open/Senior combined flight the open player takes this one but not without extra holes.  John Harcrow, of Houston, TX, and Montgomery, TX, resident Bob Goodside, needed sudden death to settle the score.  Harcrow, with two birdies in regulation, made a bomb putt on the first hole of the playoff for birdie to take the championship, his fourth of the year over Goodside.  Seven strokes back,  Doug Sparkes of Houston, TX, rounded out the top three, with a pair of birdies of his own.

Sarazen Flight:  Garrett Dick of Houston, TX, with a birdie on the par 4 - 5th hole, pickup up his third win on tour.  Three strokes back, Katy, TX, player Adam Bray, grabbed the runner-up finish, with San Antonio traveler, Michael Betzale, of Live Oak, TX, taking home the showplace finish.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Houston, TX, resident Robert Hayter, kept up his knack for knowing just what to shoot to get the win.  With eight wins on the season, Hayter has won fifty percent of those by one stroke or less, with two playoff victories.  After starting the day on the par 4 - 10th, Hayter, would birdie the par 5 - 18th to take a four-stroke advantage to the back nine.  One stroke back, Richmond, TX, local Marty Hodges, with a birdie on the par 4 - 7th and Gregory Wolfford, of Orange, TX, with two birdies on his round, would share the runner-up finish.

Jones Flight:  Huntsville, TX, player Neil Macdonald, made it two in a row, both coming with scores in the 80's. this one with consecutive birdies on six and seven.  For Macdonald, off the tour since August of 2017, it's his second win in four events since the end of May and eighth victory on tour.  Four strokes back, Gene Macha of Hungerford, TX, grabbed the second place finish, with Houston, TX, member Artis Stewart rounding out the top three.

Snead Flight:  Robert Haddon, of Bryan, TX, picked up his fourth win in as many attempts.  Haddon, with a birdie on the par 3 - 12th, cleared, Humble, TX, runner-up finisher, Ron McGinty by nine strokes.  McGinty, finished one stroke clear of the pair of Javier Quintero, of Houston, TX, and Katy, TX, player Mike Lane, sharing the third place honors.




SKINS:

Giant SKINS:  ($90/each)  1 -- Kyle Standley, Cypress, TX; Gabriel Brisco, Mesquite, TX; Jeffry Holmes, Houston, TX; Bo Kirkwood, Pasadena, TX; Doug Sparkes, Houston, TX.

Championship/Palmer:  ($36/each)  2 -- Kyle Standley, Cypress, TX. 1 -- Thomas Cruickshank, Richmond, TX; Chase Farmer, League City, TX; Gabriel Brisco, Mesquite, TX; Bo Kirkwood, Pasadena, TX.

Hogan/Sarazen:  ($37/each)  2 -- John Harcrow, Houston, TX; Doug Sparkes, Houston, TX. 1 -- Paul Atkinson, Bryan, TX; Bob Goodside, Montgomery,  TX; Jerome Dizon, Richmond, TX; Garrett Dick, Houston.

Senior Sarazen:  ($37/each)  2 -- Rick Halprin, Houston, TX; Jeffry Holmes, Houston, TX. 1 -- John Reynolds, Beaumont, TX; Johnny Vayon, Houston, TX; Larry Viktorin, Wharton, TX; Gregory Wolfford, Orange.


Jones/Snead:  ($50/each)  1 -- Carl Eaton, Magnolia, TX; Antone Sanchez, Sealy, TX; John Epstein, Bryan, TX; Javier Quintero, Houston, TX; Richard Schram, Bryan, TX; Mike Murphy, Corrigan, TX.

CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

$120/each:  #6 - Doug Sparkes - 2' 8";  #12 - Bill Criss - 4' 8 1/2";  #17 - Bob Goodside - 10' 9".


NEXT UP:

Houston Tour -  Making our way to Meadowbrook Farms Golf Club on Sunday, July 22nd for the Katy Open Championship, CLOSED.  Next up, the Houston Tour Championship at Woodforest on August 18th and 19th.  Entry closes on Friday, August 10th. 
Dallas Tour -   DFW Open Championship @ The Tribute on Saturday, July 21st, CLOSED and SOLD OUT.  Back in action after the Texas Classic at Barton Creek, the DFW Tour will head back to Tierra Verde for the Arlington Championship on Sunday, August 5th.  Registration closes on Friday, July 27th, with only a few spots available.

Hill Country Tour -   Back in action at Falconhead Golf Club for the Championship at Falconhead leading up to the Texas Classic at Barton Creek, to be held on Friday, July 27th.  Currently SOLD OUT, with waiting list spots available.  



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

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

schilcutt@gcamtour.com