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