Fathers Day Saturday Heats Up on the Dallas Tour

Scott R Chilcutt,  Keller, TX (June 20, 2015)  On the Saturday of the Father's Day weekend, the US Open weekend and also coinciding with the official start of Summer on the next day, Dallas Tour Members made the start in Keller, TX.  Sky Creek Ranch Golf Club, home to the annual Tarrant County Open on the Dallas Tour schedule, held true to form with delays off the starting time.  Similar to years past, the morning split tee play delayed the start, but unlike previous events at the venue, we weren't relegated to the heat of the patio.   Bent greens can be smooth like no others, but south of optimum growing regions in North Texas, also takes great care to keep them alive in the heat. Players got to see that with the constant watering, not for moisture, but to simply keep the grass cool. 

David Hickman (Sarazen Flight) and George Peddy (Senior Sarazen Flight)  were "Up for the Srixon Challenge", winning their flights playing a Srixon ball and will get a dozen sent to them for the win.  Scott Harris collected the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving, as most players in his flight were calling for a promotion.


RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  Local, Southlake, TX, player Kevin Schmuhl went out in one under par, with the help of three birdies, and the front nine proved to be just enough after adding a pair of birdies on the back for his first win, in his first year on tour.  Houston Tour traveler, Jordan Wagner and Watauga, TX, player Kade Konkle, made the turn four strokes back. Konkle started his back nine with a birdie on the par 4 - 10th and Wagner ended his round with a birdie on the par 5 - 18th to finish just one stroke shy of the win, sharing the runner up honors.

Palmer Flight:  67 year old, Dave Hanson of Granbury, TX, proved that length was not the only component to winning.  Starting the day on the tenth hole, Hanson was two strokes back, with a birdie on the par 4 - 16th, but kept the pedal to the floor, picking up his fourth win on tour and first of the season by two strokes.  Book ended between Senior Palmer players, Bekim Ramadani of Arlington, TX, carded his best finish in his first year on tour, with consecutive birdies on the par 3 - 17th and par 5 - 18th.  Fresh off a heat stroke at the Arkansas Championship Major in Hot Springs Village, J.D. Price of  Whitney, TX held it together to round out the top three.

Hogan Flight:  With the help of birdies on the par 4 - 6th and par 5 - 7, Navakiran Chitturi of McKinney, TX, made the turn two strokes back of  Dallas, TX, resident Cody Wright.  Wright, with three birdies on the day, stumbled on the back, but used that two stroke advantage to force extra holes with Chitturi.  Heading back out for the sudden death, both would par the 10th and then headed to 11, where Wright would put the 172 yard tee shot to within 4' for the victory.  It was Wright's fifth win on tour and fourth of the season, garnering a sure promotion with his stellar scores of late.  Zoey DaneshFar of Trophy Club, TX, with a birdie out of the gate on the par 4 - 1st, and Lewisville, TX, player Caleb Brown swapped front nine / back nine scores to share the third place finish.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Fort Worth, TX, player Scott Harris, carded his best finish on tour to pick up his second win in as many attempts.  Harris, with three birdies on the day, was down by two strokes making the turn, but used the back nine to snare the victory.  Completing his 2,000th hole on tour, Steve Killion of Sanger, TX, a three time winner on the season, finished in the runner up spot, one stroke clear of a pair tied for third.  Visiting, Algiers, LA, player Jim Webb with two birdies on the day, and Bob Mulligan of Dallas, TX, with his son on the bag, and a birdie on the par 4 - 16th, rounded out the top three.

Sarazen Flight:  Six days removed from a playoff at Bridlewood, Sven Bock of Richardson,TX, and Fort Worth, TX, player Willie Carr couldn't settle it in eighteen holes once again.  This time, was different, enter David Hickman of Rockwall, TX.  The trio headed back to the par 4 - 10th to decide the championship and Hickman would make par, just good enough to pick up his sixth win on tour and second of the season, while Bock and Carr were relegated to sharing the runner up honors.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Long time Dallas Tour player, George Peddy now residing in San Antonio, TX, made the move with new found skills.  Peddy, with two birdies on the day, notched his second win on the season and eighth on tour, the first since late in the 2012 season.  With two wins on the season and now a pair of runner up finishes,  Mark Donohue of Lewisville, TX, grabbed the second place finish, two strokes ahead of Haslet, TX standout, Burnie Rodgers rounding out the top three.

Jones Flight: Luis Dayer of nearby North Richland Hills, TX walked away with his seventh win on tour and second of the season with a five stroke advantage. Midland, TX, commuter, Mike Jones, with birdie on the par 5 - 15th took home the second place honors.  Two strokes back, Jeremy Nolan of Rockwall, TX, proved to be at home in the Jones Flight, with Amarillo, TX player Curtis Sinclair sharing the third place finish.

Snead Flight:  With a last minute withdrawal, the Snead Flight had two players going head to head for the Championship.  In the end, Don Freitag of Arlington, TX took home the trophy, his ninth on tour and first of the season, with Michael Caruso of The Colony, TX getting the second place points.




SKINS:

Giant SKINS:  ($100/each)  2 -- Andrew Morsinkhoff, Rockwall, TX. 1 -- Kevin Schmuhl, Southlake, TX; Willie Carr, Fort Worth, TX; Jeff Gandy, Ft Worth, TX; David Wright, Flower Mound, TX.

Championship:  ($24/each)  3 -- Andrew Morsinkhoff, Rockwall, TX; Kevin Schmuhl, Southlake, TX. 1 -- Dallas Webster, Wylie, TX; Guy Nickels, Keller, TX; Ken Dyke, Keller, TX.

Palmer:  ($33/each)  1 -- Bruce Beakley, Houston, TX; Frank Short, Paradise, TX; Duane Dunton, Burleson, TX; Alan Luedke, Fort Worth, TX; Bart Slaughter, Dallas, TX; Dave Hanson, Granbury, TX.

Hogan:  ($50/each)  3 -- Cody Wright, Dallas, TX. 1 -- Gareth Ducray, Plano, TX; Zoey DaneshFar, Trophy Club, TX; Jeff Workman, Fort Worth, TX.

Senior Hogan:  ($70/each)  1 -- Jim Webb, Algiers, LA; Scott Harris, Fort Worth, TX; Bob Mulligan, Dallas, TX; Jeff Gandy, Ft Worth, TX.

Sarazen:  ($25/each)  2 -- Willie Carr, Fort Worth, TX. 1 -- Jeremy Fox, Midland, TX; Phil Anderson, Murphy, TX; David Hickman, Rockwall, TX; Sven Bock, Richardson, TX; Scott Leavelle, Colleyville, TX; John Lopez, Saginaw, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($55/each)  2 -- George Peddy, Bedford, TX. 1 -- Jon Neff, Frisco, TX; Jim Wright, Azle, TX.

Jones / Snead:  ($25/each)  2 -- Mike Jones, Midland, TX. 1 -- Terry Everts, Eastland, TX; Pete Partain, Bedford, TX; Luis Dayer, North Richland Hills, TX; Andy Eldridge, Fort Worth, TX; Curtis Sinclair, Amarillo, TX.

CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

($150/each)  #6 - David Wright - 6' 9";  #8 - Steve Killion - 0' 16";  #11 - Patricio Gonzalez  - 8' 9"; #14 - Andy Eldridge - 4' 0".

Upcoming Texas Events:

Players from around the country head to San Antonio for the sold out Srixon Championship at La Cantera on June 27th and June 28th.

The Dallas tour makes it's first stop at Southern Oaks Golf Club for the Battle at Burleson on Sunday, July 5th.  Registration closes, Friday, June 26th at 11:59PM EST.

On tap in The Hill Country, the Austin - Nicklaus Open at the Hill Country Club, Flintrock Falls layout on July 11th.  Entry deadline is Friday, July 3 at 11:59PM EST. 

Houston area players make a return visit to The Woodlands, this round at the Tournament Course for The Woodlands Open on Monday, July 6th.  The event field has been expanded and will include two waves.  Be sure to join us, registration closes, Friday, June 26th at 11:59PM EST.

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

www.gcamtour.com

Bridlewood and Weather the Stars at the Flower Mound Open

Scott R Chilcutt, Flower Mound, TX (June 14, 2015)  Bridlewood Golf Club, located in the north central part of the DFW Metroplex, played host to the third installment of the Flower Mound Open on the Dallas Tour.

One year removed from the 2014 version, this years event would show how opposite and changing conditions can be in Texas.  2014, in the midst of a drought, brought rain, heavy at times during the entire day.  2015, in the midst of record flooding in the area, had players driving to the ball on the fairways, and while the green complexes were softened up from previous years, the course played relatively fast.  While holes #9 and #18 remained the toughest two of three holes, the remainder of the comparative stats were like shuffling a deck of cards comparing the two seasons.  Despite playing the Championship flight from nearly 500 yards longer this round, the field played the course just over two strokes easier, likely because of the conditions.

Stan Harper (Snead Flight) was "Up for the Srixon Challenge", winning his flight playing a Srixon ball and will get a dozen sent to him for the win.  Steve Kemp grabbed the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving, in a scorecard playoff over Gabriel Brisco, besting him on the final 6 holes.

RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  After a front nine one stroke deficit, Andrew Braun of Trophy Club, TX, played the final three holes of the day -1 to force a playoff with Rockwall, TX player Andrew Morsinkhoff.  Back to #1 for the sudden death, the pair would both birdie the first hole, went to #2 where Morsinkhoff would double up with another birdie for his seventh win on tour and first of the points season.  With birdies on the par 4 - 1st and par 5 - 6th, Tim Williams of McKinney, TX, rounded out the top three, five strokes back.

Palmer Flight:  East Texas player, Keith Childress of Diana, TX, used a birdie on the par 5 - 2nd, that would prove to be just enough for his second win in as many attempts after his Championship at the Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay in March.  One stroke back, local Flower Mound, TX, points leader, David Wright, with birdie on the par 4 - 11th would take the runner up spot, one stroke ahead of a pair knotted in third.  Stephen Fitzgerald of Dallas, TX, and Arlington, TX first year player, Bekim Ramadani matched front nine / back nine scores to split the third and fourth place points.

Hogan Flight:  After finishing in the tenth place spot when the tour first visited Bridlewood in 2013, Mesquite, TX player, Gabriel Brisco hasn't lost yet.  Brisco, a two stroke winner in 2014, took six strokes off his last time out at the track for another two stroke win, his tenth on tour and second of the season.  Two strokes back, Zoey DaneshFar of Trophy Club, TX, playing in her first year on tour, made birdies at the par 4 - 10th and par - 4 15th to grab the runner up finish.  Ali Gazi of Flower Mound, TX, and McKinney, TX, player Navakiran Chitturi split the third place honors.

Senior Hogan Flight:  First year tour player, Scott Harris of Fort Worth, TX followed up his third place Senior National Championship qualification, his last time out, at the Arkansas Championship at Hot Springs Village with his first win on tour.  Starting the day on the par 4 - 10th, Local Flower Mound, TX, player Mark Rainwater matched Harris, at +2 on the first nine, but just couldn't keep the momentum, falling into the runner up spot after winning his last time at Bridlewood, during the 2013 edition of the Flower Mound Open @ Bridlewood.  Jalil Daneshfar of Trophy Club, TX, and first time Fort Worth, TX, player Sal Torres split the final podium finish.

Sarazen Flight:  Despite a triple on the par 5 - 16th, Fort Worth, TX player, Willie Carr was able to play the final two holes in bogey golf to force extra holes with Sven Bock of Richardson, TX.  The last flight to finish the day, the pair went back to #1 and then took it to the fourth hole, where Bock would make par to pick up his second win on tour and first of the season.  John Lopez of Saginaw, TX, made birdies on the par 4 - 10th and par 5 - 16th for his best finish of the year, rounding out the top three.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Starting play on the tenth hole, Oklahoma Tour invader, Stan Wilson of Jones, OK made the turn three strokes out of the lead with a triple on the par 4 - 18th.   Dallas, TX, resident, Steve Kemp was five out of the lead.  Kemp then turned on the after burners, making consecutive birdies on the par 4 - 1st and par 5 - 2nd to get back into contention.  After the field came back to the leaders, Wilson and Kemp would turn in scorecards, tied at the top.  On the first hole of the playoff, Stan Wilson would prevail for his second win on the weekend after winning in Northern Oklahoma on Saturday, it was his fifteenth win on tour and fourth of the season. Michael Hardegree of Wichita Falls, TX would finish one stroke back of the pair with a birdie on the par 4 - 4th in the largest field of the day.

Jones Flight:  Out of action for over 7 months over the winter, Dallas, TX member,  Lloyd C Reid Jr looks to be back in fighting form.  Reid, a winner at the special Friday, Hot Springs Village Classic at Cortez, picked up his fifth win on tour and second of the season, carding a consistent round of 41/42.  Three strokes back, North Richland Hills, TX resident Luis Dayer and Andy Eldridge of Fort Worth, TX, shared the runner up honors.

Snead Flight:  Lake Leon, TX player, Stan Harper picked up his eighth win on tour and fourth of the points season. Thomas Rauch of Arlington, TX, a two time winner on the season with five runner up finishes took the second place finish with Buffalo Tour transplant, Michael Caruso now residing in The Colony, TX rounding out the top three.





SKINS:

Giant SKINS:  ($160/each)  1 -- Ken Dyke, Keller, TX; Dallas Webster, Wylie, TX; Tim Williams, McKinney, TX; Nicky Baugh, Alto, TX.

Championship:  ($22/each)  2 -- Ken Dyke, Keller, TX; Tim Williams, McKinney, TX. 1 -- Andrew Braun, Trophy Club, TX; Andrew Morsinkhoff, Rockwall, TX; Dallas Webster, Wylie, TX; Jeremy Frenzel, Fort Worth, TX.

Palmer:  ($44/each)  1 -- Clay Johnston, Lewisville, TX; Brannon Smith, Midland, TX; Stephen Fitzgerald, Dallas, TX; Bekim Ramadani, Arligton, TX; Landon Hulcy, Joshua, TX.

Hogan:  ($34/each)  2 -- Ali Gazi, Flower Mound, TX. 1 -- Gabriel Brisco, Mesquite, TX; Nancy Geihl, Grand Prairie, TX; Cody Wright, Dallas, TX; Zoey DaneshFar, Trophy Club, TX; Nick Easen, Keller, TX.

Senior Hogan:  ($70/each)  2 -- Manuel Martinez, Cisco, TX. 1 -- Dave Ducray, Plano, TX.

Sarazen:  ($35/each)  2 -- John Lopez, Saginaw, TX; Higinio Sustaita, Fort Worth, TX. 1 -- Jason Shuffield, Frisco, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($90/each)  1 -- James McKee, Abilene, TX; Nicky Baugh, Alto, TX; Davis Noble, Lake Kiowa, TX; Jamie Sansom, Plano, TX.

Jones / Snead:  ($70/each)  2 -- Steve Pearson, Plano, TX. 1 -- Mike Jones, Midland, TX; Ray Tyczki, McKinney, TX.

CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

($150/each)  #3 - Willie Carr - 10' 9";  #8 - Gabriel Brisco - 1' 0";  #12 - Andrew Morsinkhoff  - 5' 2"; #17 - Derek Drake - 5' 6".

Upcoming Texas Events:

Players from around the country head to San Antonio for the sold out Srixon Championship at La Cantera on June 27th and June 28th.

Dallas members take on the Tarrant County Open at Sky Creek Ranch on June 20th before a South Central Region Major Championship the following weekend.  Then the tour makes it's first stop at Southern Oaks Golf Club for the Battle at Burleson on Sunday, July 5th.  Registration closes, Friday, June 26th at 11:59PM EST.

On tap in The Hill Country, the Austin - Nicklaus Open at the Hill Country Club, Flintrock Falls layout on July 11th.  Entry deadline is Friday, July 3 at 11:59PM EST. 

Houston area players make a return visit to The Woodlands, this round at the Tournament Course for The Woodlands Open on Monday, July 6th.  While the event is currently on a waiting list we may be able to expand the field for an afternoon wave.  Be sure to put yourself on the list if you'd like to play.  Registration closes, Friday, June 26th at 11:59PM EST.

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

www.gcamtour.com

Arkansas Championship - Hot Springs Village

AM Tour Staff, Hot Springs Village, AR (June 7, 2015)  Situated in Southwest Arkansas, in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains and the Ouachita National Forest, sits Hot Springs and the Hot Springs Village.  

Hot Springs, known for its therapeutic spas and thoroughbred racing is the home of Oaklawn Park.  It seemed only fitting, on this weekend, that just minutes from the site, that Saturdays historic Triple Crown winning American Pharoah jump started his 2015 campaign winning the Arkansas Derby that the Golf Channel AM Tour would host over 180 players from around the country vying for National Championship and Senior National Championship qualifications.

Without near as much media coverage, Hot Springs Village, with eleven courses in the gated community, has been hammered with the same rains that hit Oklahoma and Texas in May.  Course maintenance crews did a wonderful job preparing the tracks, with little time, for a fair and challenging competition.  While arguably the tougher of the two courses, Granada Golf Course, played just under one stroke better than the Ponce de Leon site, primarily because of the soggy conditions, over the weekend. 39 Players from the event picked up National Championship or Senior National Championship invitations while  $1,260 was raised for David Feherty's Troops First Foundation through the contributions to the 50/50 raffle.

RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  21 year old, Cory Montgomery led an all Oklahoma Tour sweep of the podium finishes.  Montgomery, four under after his first round at Granada, with four birdies, hung in there on Sunday with another four birdies to pick up his fifth win in his first season on tour and first Major Championship.  Five strokes back, Edmond, OK, traveler, Al Swanson, carded five birdies on the weekend for the runner up spot, his best finish in eight Major attempts on the season.  Rounding out the top three and final National Championship qualification, Clinton Beaird, also from Edmond, OK, made seven birdies and an eagle on the weekend for the third place finish in his first year on tour.

Senior Championship Flight:  2013 Senior National Champion, Bob Brooks of Bella Vista, AR, recorded five birdies on the weekend to lead the field at minus 1 over the 36 hole event.  It was Brooks' eleventh win on tour, with four Major Championship titles and fifth of the points season.  Houston Tour member, Gordon Wagner of Sugar Land, TX, made the best of the up and down layout on his first round, close to an Albatross with a kick in  eagle at the par 5 - 8th, added another eagle on the par 5 - 11th to go with five birdies on the weekend, equaling his runner up finish at the 2013 - Texas Masters at Barton Creek Major.   Playing in his first year on tour, Rick Guptil of Bella Vista, AR, grabbed the final Senior National Championship qualification with a couple of birdies on the weekend.

Palmer Flight:  Overcoming a three stroke deficit after the first round, Brian Taylor of Kansas City, KS, carded four birdies on Sunday to finish with a +1 - 73 for his eighth win on tour, third of the points season and first Major Championship.  First round leader, Kyle Koop of Coronado, CA, recorded three birdies on the weekend for his best finish at a Major Championship.  One stroke back of Koop, San Antonio, TX, player, Dave Davlin, notched his third, third place finish at a Major this year.

Senior Palmer Flight:  Texas native,  Al Smith playing out of San Angelo, TX, spent a few years working in Arkansas and mentioned "it's a great place to visit".  And visit, he did, Smith, played an uneventful Sunday round picking up two birdies and five on the weekend for a 36 hole, +4 and his second Major Championship on the points season.  Two strokes back, playing in his first event of the season, Brad Garrett of Lake Saint Louis, TX, took the runner up spot, with Oklahoma City, OK, player Jimmy Westfall rounding out the top three and final Senior National Championship qualification.

Hogan Flight:  Making the trip from Palmer, MA, Robert Simpkiss is no stranger to travel.  Playing in sixteen tour events on the points season since October, Simpkiss didn't have a win before May 1st, but in the last 30 days has been able to rack up five victories including the Major Championship at Blackwolf Run in mid May. One stroke back, Michael Jackson of Brentwood, TX, a two time winner on the season, kept it close for his best finish at a Major Championship.  The pair of Hill Country Tour members, Jim Puckett of Leander, TX, with four birdies on the final round and New Braunfels, TX, player, Michael Campbell tied it up to share the third place finish and final National Championship qualifications.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Two strokes out of the lead heading to the Sunday round, Michael Quesenberry of Wentzville, MO, stepped on the gas to pick up his fifteenth win on tour and first Major Championship.  Quesenberry, with birdie on the par 3 -11th hole on Sunday finished one stroke clear of Ballwin, MO, resident, Les Edwards, with a pair of birdies on the weekend of his own and Scott Harris of Fort Worth, TX claimed the final Senior National Championship invitation.  

Sarazen Flight:  Wallace Stine of Lee's Summit, MO, needed all the lead he built after the Saturday round, a two bogie +2, to solidify his second consecutive Major Championship run.  Stine a winner his last time out at the mid May TRUE linkswear Classic at Blackwolf Run now has twelve wins on tour and five on the season.  One stroke back,  Alabaster, AL, player Chet Lovelace recorded his best finish at a Major Championship with a couple of birdies on the weekend.  Show place honors went to Raymore, MO, member, Nathan Holden, stamping his ticket to the Nationals in September.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Northwest Arkansas tour player, Tom Stephens of Bella Vista, AR, made it look easy, scratching out four birdies on the weekend for a five stroke advantage and his first Major Championship victory. Spring, TX, resident Chris Neelley grabbed the runner up finish, his best in a Major, just one stroke clear of three players tied in the show position.  Steve Adams of Montgomery, AL, Chicago, IL, player Mark Giebelhausen and Jamie Sansom of Plano, TX, shared the third place honors.

Jones Flight:  Bentonville, AR, player Steve Rutherford continued the Northwest Arkansas players  strangle hold of the event, with his third win on tour.  Rutherford took ten strokes off his Saturday round on Sunday to finish one stroke clear of Mascoutah, IL, player Dallas Dixon.  One stroke back of Dixon, Houston Tour member, Wayne Waldrep of Spring, TX, rebounded on Sunday from a dismal Saturday affair chopping off 14 strokes to grab the final National Championship qualification.

Senior Jones Flight:  In the only flight to require extra holes to solidify the Championship,  Rick Henthorn of Yukon, OK, and Bella Vista, AR, player Dennis Baxter took some late Sunday afternoon sudden death holes to decide the outcome.  On the third hole of the playoff, Baxter would finally get the advantage for his tenth win on tour and third Major Championship.  One stroke back of the pair, first round leader, Luis Dayer of North Richland Hills, TX, rounded out the top three.

Snead Flight:  Six of Ten players in the flight made the National Championship a reality.  Thirteen year old, Evan Taylor of Saint Cloud, FL, led the way with his first win on his first year on tour.  Forty years his senior Greenwood, MO, player Tim Bray grabbed the runner up spot, with six players tied in the final qualifying spot. Shane Dixon of Belleville, IL, with a pair of birdies on Sunday,  Joliet, IL, player Martin Yoemans,  Tulsa, OK, resident William Hughes and Andrew Lovelace of New Iberia, LA, shared the third place honors.