Scott R Chilcutt, Mont Belvieu, TX (July 22, 2017) Eagle Pointe Golf Club, back on the Houston Tour schedule after a few year hiatus, hosted the Mont Belvieu Open. Mont Belvieu, built amongst a large contingency of pipelines and petrochemical plants was actually relocated in 1985 after a series of explosions threatened the salt dome the community was built on which was used to store LP Gas.
Storms and with it, brought quite a light show to the south bay area while setting up for the event in the morning darkness. Those storms seemed to rain themselves out and never caused an issue.
What did come with it, thankfully so, was a few clouds and breezes to keep the day somewhat comfortable for the time of year. A tough course, with great greens, helped to keep the scores reasonable.
The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $360, bringing the Texas Tour local events total to $15,180 in contributions to the Foundation in 2017.
RESULTS:
Championship Flight: After a tough outing at The Woodlands on Wednesday, Blake Wilson of League City, TX, bounced back for the Championship. With two birdies on the day, Wilson picked up his third and National Championship qualifying win of the season. Four strokes back, first-time player Timoty Gushanas of Pearland, TX, with two birdies on his round, finished in the runner-up spot with late arriving, Richmond, TX, Thomas Cruickshank, rounding out the top three.
Palmer Flight: What started the week as a full field of six players, dwindled down to only four finishing the event, but the four stayed close to make it a competitive flight. Sharing the lead at the turn, Mike Karlin of Houston, TX, made the best of two birdies coming to the club house to pick up his second win of the season. Sugar Land, TX, player Roger Masek, nearly became a member of the hole in one club on the par 3 - 8th with the ball finishing just 3" past the cup, it was his third runner-up of the season and sixth top three finish. The final two players, Jon Colvard of Friendswood, TX, and Port Arthur, TX, member Darien Duhon shared the third place finish.
Senior Palmer Flight: Nederland, TX, member Price Youngs, had a one stroke lead on the field making the turn, but Ernie Dyer of Orange, TX, wasn't finished. With a birdie on the par 3 - 12th, Dyer played the back nine in +1 to force extra holes with Youngs. Back to the course, the tough par 4 - 18th, Youngs would prevail on the first sudden death hole for his first win on tour. One stroke back, Houston, TX, resident, Bob Hayward rounded out the top three.
Hogan Flight: In a large combined Open / Senior Hogan flight, the Seniors took seven of the top ten spots, but it took extra holes to see which would take the championship. Local Mont Belvieu, TX, player Colton Pitkin, took four strokes off his front nine score to finish in a tie for the top spot with Jeff Greene of Coldspring, TX. Back out to the par 5 - 1st, the pair would only take one hole to finalize the Championship with Greene taking his first win on tour. For Pitkin, playing in his first year on tour, it was his best finish, with Cypress, TX, player David Anthony, taking home the final podium spot in third.
Sarazen Flight: The Woodlands, TX, long time member Patrick Richardson, was down as much as three strokes making the turn after starting the day on the tenth hole. Richardson, cleaned up a double bogie train, on the second, then finished his final two holes of the day -1 with a birdie on the par 3 - 8th. With enthusiastic cheers from his competitors, Richardson picked up his thirteenth win on tour and first since the October 2014 Cypress Open. James Hebert finished in the runner-up spot with the help of a birdie on the par 4-5th, while Houston, TX, player Massimo Passini, a winner his last time out, rounded out the top three, with a birdie of his own on the par 3-12th.
Senior Sarazen Flight: Greg Faubion of Richmond, TX, would have to overcome a quad nine on the par 5-17th. After starting the round on the par 4 - 10th, Faubion would make the turn, string together four pars and finish the back nine in +4 for his second win of the week after winning on Wednesday at The Woodlands. It was his third and Senior National Championship qualifying win of the year. Houston, TX, player David Sipe finished just one stroke back, with a pair of Orange, TX, residents, Gregory Wolfford and David Cox, splitting the third place finish.
Jones Flight: League City, TX, player Don Martino, made the best of a birdie on the par 5 - 17th to command his first victory, in his third year on tour. Four strokes back, Neil Macdonald of Huntsville, TX, with a birdie of his own at the par 3 - 3rd, finished in the second place spot. First-year Newton, TX, player Bryan Adams rounded out the top three, with a birdie on the par 4 - 14th.
Snead Flight: Javier Quintero of Houston, TX, starting the day on the par 4 - 10th, had a big five stroke deficit to overcome after taking a nine on the par 4 - 18th. Quintero, took six strokes off his first nine on the back to pick up his second win of the season. Two strokes back, Alan Gumpenberger of Conroe, TX, also a two-time winner of the year, finished in the runner-up spot, with Sugar Land, TX, player Stephen Satar and Pasadena, TX, resident Robert Vespa, sharing the third place honors.
SKINS:
Giant SKINS: ($230/each) 1 -- Will Whitley, Cypress, TX; Rick Houchins, Houston, TX.
Championship / Palmer: ($8/each) 4 -- Timothy Gushanas, Pearland, TX. 3 -- Thomas Cruickshank, Richmond, TX. 2 -- Mike Karlin, Houston, TX. 1 -- Roger Masek, Sugar Land, TX
Senior Palmer: ($20/each) 3 -- Price Youngs, Nederland, TX. 2 -- Michael Weber, Magnolia, TX. 1 -- Ernie Dyer, Orange, TX; Bo Kirkwood, Pasadena, TX.
Hogan / Sarazen: ($120/each) 1 -- Will Whitley, Cypress, TX; Rick Houchins, Houston, TX; Jeff Green, Coldspring, TX; George Smith, Magnolia, TX.
Senior Sarazen: ($24/each) 3 -- Jeffry Holmes, Houston, TX. 2 -- Gregory Wolfford, Orange, TX. 1 -- Gordon Davenport Jr, Friendswood, TX; Dennis Don, Houston, TX; David Cox, Orange, TX; William Criss, Houston, TX.
Jones / Snead: ($25/each) 2 -- Carl Eaton, Conroe, TX; Don Martino, League City, TX. 1 -- Javier Quintero, Houston, TX; Scott Sammons, Katy, TX; Neil Macdonald, Huntsville, TX; Bert Hood, League City, TX.
CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:
$110/each
#3 - Micheal Webber - 5' 11"; #8 - Roger Masek - 3"; #12 - Timothy Gushanas - 1' 10"; #15 - Jeffry Holmes - 4' 1 1/2".
NEXT UP:
Tour members from around the country compete at the Final Major Championship weekend in Texas; First at the Championship at Falconhead - Prelude to the Texas Classic on Friday, July 28th, then off to the Texas Classic - Barton Creek on Saturday, July 29th, and Sunday, July 30th.
The Houston Tour gets back into action on Saturday, August 5th at the Mongomery Championship at Woodforest Golf Club. Registration closes, Friday, July 28th.
DFW Tour members, visit for the first time, the Fazio Course for the Stonebriar Championship - Fazio course on August 7th. Entries close, Friday, July 28th.
For More Information:
Scott R Chilcutt
Director - Texas Tours
Dallas Tour - Hill Country Tour - Houston Tour
GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour
405.513.1467
