Woodforest Hosts Houston Tour Championship - 2018

Scott R Chilcutt, Montgomery, TX (August 19,2018)  Woodforest Golf Club, showed once again why it's claimed to have one of the best course conditions on the tour rotation.  The full field of players from the Houston Tour, along with some points travelers from the DFW area, competed for the final awards of the 2018 season in South Texas.

While we've looked at potential rains in the past at the course, this year the theme was simply hot, humid and calm.  With thick and constantly growing rough, added to the super fast greens, it was a true test leading up to the National Championships, at Mission Hills, later in September.



RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  With an eagle and a birdie on Saturday, Thomas Cruickshank, of Richmond, TX, found himself three strokes back of League City, TX, member Blake Wilson.  Wilson, with four birdies on his first day, and a -1 - 71, just couldn't keep the pace on Sunday after Cruickshank, went -2 - 70 with three birdies to pick up his third win of the season, all two-day events relegating Wilson to the runner-up spot.  College Station, TX, member Andrew Willams, took seven strokes off his Saturday total, to round out the top three.

Palmer Flight:  With a lack of Senior Palmer Flight players to split the field, the Tour Championship and the points came down to the final day to crown two Flight Champions.  Traveling DFW Tour member, Gabriel Brisco of Mesquite, TX, led the first round and looked to be a spoiler in those year-end awards, but faded on Sunday and was out of the picture.  One-stroke back after Saturdays, round the pair of Rick Keszeg of Orange, TX, and Deer Park, TX, member Al Campo, would finish 36 holes knotted in the top spot, requiring more holes.  After the sudden death, Keszeg would prevail for the Championship, for his sixth win of the season. Michael Van Swol of Sugar Land, TX, would take nine strokes off his first round to round out the top three.

Hogan Flight:  The Woodlands, TX, player Rafa Rivero, would lead the field wire to wire, with two birdies on the weekend to pick up his third win of the season.  Eight strokes back, Steve Nagy of Sugar Land, TX, with three birdies on Sunday, would jump into the runner-up spot, equaling Houston, TX, resident John Harcrow to share second place.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Playing in his first year on tour, Bob Goodside of Montgomery, TX, took a big lead to the Sunday round and was able to hold off the field for his second win of the season.  Two strokes back, Cypress, TX, member Will Whitley carded the low Sunday round in the flight, with the help of three birdies to finish in the second place spot, with Daryl Epperson of Houston, TX, rounding out the top three.

Sarazen Flight:  Bringing a big lead to the final eighteen holes, Joe Michetti of Montgomery, TX, thought he had blown the chance for a victory making the turn, but held on for his third win of the season and eleventh on tour.  Three strokes back, Garrett Dick of Houston, TX, took home the runner-up spot, with Dallas, TX, resident Donovan Ackerson carding the final podium spot.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Taking a six-stroke lead to the final round, Richmond, TX, player Greg Faubion, all but gave it back on his front nine on Sunday.  After making the turn, Faubion righted the ship, with a final nine +1 - 38 to pick up his first win of the season, and ninth on tour.  With the help of three birdies on the weekend, Mike Young of The Woodlands, TX, grabbed the runner-up spot, with Beaumont, TX, member John Reynolds rounding out the top three.

Jones Flight:  Allen Gumpenberger of Conroe, TX, commanded a fifteen stroke win for his fourth on tour and first of the season.  Bryan, TX, member Robert Haddon, held the runner-up spot, from wire to wire, with Kevin Montague of Spring, TX, taking home the third-place finish.

Senior Jones Flight:  Steady as she goes, Magnolia, TX player Carl Eaton, took one stroke off his Saturday finish, just enough to edge out the first-round leader, Marcy Glidden of Brookshire, TX, by a single stroke.  For Eaton, it was his tenth win on tour and first of the season.  Four strokes back of Glidden, Neil Macdonald of Huntsville, TX, rounded out the top three.

Snead Flight:  Benjamin Gaddy of Princeton, TX, took seven strokes off his first round on Sunday, with the help of a birdie on the par 4 - 11th, to pick up his first win on tour. Three strokes back, Javier Quintero, of Houston, TX, with a birdie of his own on the par 4 - 1st, took home the second place prize, with Corrigan, TX, member Mike Murphy, grabbing third place.






SKINS:

Round 1:

Giant SKINS:  ($120/each)  1 -- Kevin Hobbs, Spring, TX; Ronnie White, College Station, TX; Bryan Caillier, Orange, TX; Thomas Cruickshank, Richmond, TX; Gabriel Brisco, Mesquite, TX; Andrew Williams, College Station, TX.

Championship/Palmer:  ($42/each)  2 -- Aaron Pickering, Vidor, TX. 1 -- Walter Menuet, Houston, TX; Scott Mayes, Beaumont, TX; Thomas Cruickshank, Richmond, TX; Blake Wilson, League City, TX; Gabriel Brisco, Mesquite, TX; Andrew Williams, College Station, TX.

Hogan:  ($31/each)  2 -- Ronnie White, College Station, TX. 1 -- John Harcrow, Houston, TX; Steve Nagy, Sugar Land, TX; Tony Thibodeaux, Port Arthur, TX; Rafa Rivero, The Woodlands, TX; Jeff Burke, Houston, TX.

Senior Hogan:  ($50/each)  2 -- Jeff Green, Coldspring, TX; Steve Kirchhoff, Houston, TX. 1 -- Scott Striegel, Southlake, TX; Tim Kozlowski, Conroe, TX; Jeff Shaffer, Spring, TX.

Sarazen:  ($28/each)  2 -- Joe Michetti, Montgomery, TX. 1 -- Matt Larson, Spring, TX; Kendall Hisey, Cedar Park, TX; Bryan Caillier, Orange, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($80/each)  1 -- Kevin Hobbs, Spring, TX; Charles Ackerman, New Caney, TX; George Carlisle, Houston, TX.

Jones/Senior Jones:  ($22/each)  2 -- Carl Eaton, Magnolia, TX; Allen Gumpenberger, Conroe, TX. 1 -- Neil Macdonald, Huntsville, TX; Kevin Montague, Spring, TX; David Liggett Jr, LaPorte, TX.


Snead:  ($30/eqach)  2 -- Stephen Sater, Sugar Land, TX; Ron McGinty, Humble, TX. 1 -- John Epstein, Bryan, TX; Orval Miller, Timpson, TX.



Round 2:

Giant SKINS:  ($90/each)  1 -- Thomas Cruickshank, Richmond, TX; Andrew Williams, College Station, TX; Robert Corbello, Vidor, TX; Mike Karlin, Houston, TX; Kendall Hisey, Cedar Park, TX; Will Whitley, Cypress, TX; Tim Kozlowski, Conroe, TX; George Carlisle, Houston, TX.

Championship/Palmer:  ($40/each)  2 -- Thomas Cruickshank, Richmond, TX. 1 -- Kyle Haddox, Houston, TX; Andrew Williams, College Station, TX; Michael Van Swol, Sugar Land, TX; Robert Corbello, Vidor, TX; Mike Karlin, Houston, TX; Scott Mayes, Beaumont, TX.

Hogan:  ($70/each)  2 -- Steve Nagy, Sugar Land, TX. 1 -- Rafa Rivero, The Woodlands, TX.

Senior Hogan:  ($72/each)  2 -- Robert Hayter, Houston, TX. 1 -- Will Whitley, Cypress, TX; Tim Kozlowski, Conroe, TX; Paul Cornwell, Dickinson, TX.

Sarazen:  ($14/each)  3 -- Michael Betzale, Live Oak, TX; Kendall Hisey, Cedar Park, TX. 2 -- Adam Bray, Katy, TX. 1 -- Matt Larson, Spring, TX; Garrett Dick, Houston, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($30/each)  2 -- George Carlisle, Houston, TX; Greg Faubion, Richmond, TX. 1 -- Marty Hodges, Richmond, TX; Mike Young, The Woodlands, TX; Kevin Hobbs, Spring, TX.

Jones/Senior Jones:  ($22/each)  2 -- Bert Hood, League City, TX. 1 -- Nicholas Bailey, The Woodlands, TX; Allen Gumpenberger, Conroe, TX; Kevin Montague, Spring, TX; Terry Collins, Spring, TX; Neil Macdonald, Huntsville, TX.


Snead:  ($25/each)  3 -- Javier Quintero, Houston, TX. 1 -- Ron McGinty, Humble, TX; Mike Lane, Katy, TX; Benjamin Gaddy, Princeton, TX; John Epstein, Bryan, TX.



CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

Round 1 - $160/each:  #3 - Charles Ackerman - 4' 7 5/8".  #7 - Kendall Hisey - 2' 3 7/8".  #12 - Greg Faubion - 9' 4".  #16 - Joe Michetti - 8' 1".

Round 2 - $160/each:  #3 - George Carlisle - 2 1/2".  #7 - Robert Hayter - 3' 7".  #12 - John Harvell - 4' 9".  #16 - Darren Bufton - 4'.



NEXT UP:

Texas Tour Season Closes With Tour Championship Month!


Dallas Tour -   Back to Bridlewood in Flower Mound for the DFW Tour Championship, on Saturday, August 25th and Sunday, August 25th.  SOLD OUT with waiting list spots available.  

National and Senior National Championships coming up in September in California.

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