Texas Tour Players Take On The Duel in the Desert

Scott R Chilcutt, Texas Tours (January 26, 2017)  SuperBowl LI, heads back to Texas, visiting Houston for the third time (1974,2004) on February 5th while Texas Tour players head to Las Vegas for a warm up at the 2017 Duel in the Desert.

37 Texas Tour members from the Golf Channel AM Tour, contributing to 26 teams will meet players from around the US and Canada for the annual event that sells out each year with 432 players.
  
Unlike other events on the Golf Channel Amateur Tour, this tournament is open to BOTH Golf Channel Am Tour Members and Non-Members and is a two-person team championship! The 54-hole, two-person team tournaments consist of a scramble, modified alternate shot and best ball on three of Las Vegas’ finest golf courses – Paiute’s Snow Mountain, Wolf and Sun Mountain.

2017 Texas Member Preview:

FLIGHT 1:

Team Desilets/Morgan: Daniel Desilets, Kermit, TX, Hill Country Tour, and Marshall Morgan, Odessa, TX, DFW Tour. This pair of Senior Championship Flight players on the GC AM Tour proved they could compete with the top flight. Taking home the Flight Championship in 2016 after finishing third in 2015, they look for the repeat.


FLIGHT 2:

Team Childress/Viernes: Keith Childress, Diana, TX, DFW Tour, and Nathaniel Viernes, Waipahu, Hawaii Tour. Childress is back on the Duel schedule for the first time since he played in the 2013 event, finishing T5.

TEAM Brown/Vansau: Kevin Vansau-Crawford, TX, DFW Tou, and Mitch Brown, Spring, TX.  First-time players at the Duel in the Desert.

TEAM Finnerty/Miller: Ron Finnerty, San Antonio, TX, Hill Country Tour, and Mark Miller, Spring Branch, TX, Hill Country Tour.  Winners in 2012, the pair followed with runner-up finishes in 2013 and 2014 and look to get back to the top spot on the podium.


FLIGHT 3:

TEAM Harkings/Perez: Mike Harkins-Cedar Park, TX, Hill Country Tour, and Servando Perez, Cedar Park, TX, Hill Country Tour.  Unable to play in the scheduled 2013 Duel, this will be Harkins first attempt, with a new tour member, Servando Perez.  Look out for them, they both took home trophies last weekend at Port Aransas.

TEAM Smith/Smith: Al Smith, San Angelo, TX, Hill Country Tour, and Jeffrey Smith, Boerne, TX, Hill Country Tour.  2015 Senior Palmer National Champion, Al Smith, and partner will take on the Duel for the first time.

TEAM Wilson/Wilson: Blake Wilson, League City, TX, Houston Tour, and Darwin Wilson, League City, TX, Houston Tour.  Father / Son duo make the trip to Las Vegas for their first Duel in the Desert competition.


FLIGHT 4:

TEAM Adcock/Moore: Mike Adcock, River Oaks, TX, DFW Tour, and Randy Moore, Fresno, CA, Sacremento Tour. Adcock, Texas Tour assistant teams up with Sacremento Tour assistant Randy Moore. It's not a first for Moore to pair up with a Texan, in 2015 he teamed with Joe Urqiduez of Austin, TX just missing out on the win after coming up short in a playoff.

TEAM Adams/Swann: George Adams, Houston, TX, Houston Tour, and
Gio Swann-Lauderhill, FL, Miami Tour.  Adams, made his first showing at the 2016 event, picking up a 3rd place 2016 National Championship exemption, with partner Jim Penn.  Scheduled to play again, Penn had to back out due to health issues, in steps Gio Swann, available on the waiting list.

TEAM Kuester/Zils: Ben Zils, Spring, TX, Houston Tour, and Ben Kuester, San Francisco, CA.  Zils, a member of the Golf Channel AM Tour for just under a year teams up with a guest of the tour for his first Duel.


FLIGHT 6:

TEAM Lessnau/Tran: Trung Tran, Southlake, TX, DFW Tour, and Ronald Lessnau, Englewood, CO.  This team will make their third attempt at a flight championship after a middle of the pack run in 2015.


FLIGHT 7:

TEAM Douglas/Puckett: Joshua Douglas, Leander, TX, Hill Country Tour, and Jim Puckett, Leander, TX, Hill Country Tour.  With a T6 finish in 2015, the Leander duo look to make the third time the charm.

TEAM Barnes/Casella:  Blake Barnes, Deer Park, TX, Houston Tour, and Brandon Casella, Winter Springs, FL-Orlando Tour.  Second time Duel attendee, Barnes swaps partners to make a go of it with his Florida partner in crime.


FLIGHT 8:

TEAM Faubion/Kirby:  Greg Faubion, Richmond, TX, Houston Tour, and Mark Kirby, Bridge City, TX, Houston Tour.  This Houston pair, will tee it up for the first time at the Duel.  

TEAM Johns/Purgahn:  Matt Purgahn, Orange, TX, Houston Tour, and Shane Johns, Orange, TX.  This will be the pairs, fourth go as partners for the dual.  Progressively better finishes each year, the duo will head to Paiute in 2017 as defending Champions looking to go back to back.


FLIGHT 9:

TEAM Brown/Donohue:  Tim Brown, Richland Hills, TX, DFW Tour, and Mark Donohue, Lewisville, TX, DFW Tour.  First time out for the Duel, the pair plays plenty of golf together, most of it competing.  With over 120 rounds of AM Tour golf between the team, they'll look to convert some of that knowledge to team play.

TEAM Lamb/Wilson:  Stephen Lamb, Garland, TX, DFW Tour, and Stan Wilson-Jones, OK-Oklahoma Tour.  Stephen Lamb teams up with Oklahoma Tour traveler, Stan Wilson, nearly a Texas Tour regular, for the second year, and another shot at the prize.


TEAM Hill/Skinner:  Marvin Hill, San Angelo, TX, Hill Country Tour, and Donald Skinner, Grand Blanc, MI, Detriot Tour.  This team has competed with the Duel as long as online records will show.  They look to beat their best finishes, 3rd in 2015 and 4th in 2016


FLIGHT 10:

TEAM Graham/Graham:  Michael Graham, Burkburnett, TX, DFW Tour, and Matthew Graham, Keller, TX, DFW Tour.  This will be the Grahams, first time to compete in the team play event.

TEAM Allison/Rayburn:  Steve Allison, Spring, TX, Houston Tour, and Mike Rayburn, Montgomery, TX, Houston Tour.  This will be the fourth Duel in the Desert for this pair, and they'll be working to beat their midfield finishes.


FLIGHT 11:

TEAM Neild/Lambert:  Charles Lambert, Richardson, TX, DFW Tour, and RJ Neild, El Centro, CA, Palm Springs Tour.  First timers in Las Vegas for the Duel in the Desert.

TEAM Benge/Viktorin: Olan Benge, Wharton, TX, Houston Tour, and Larry Viktorin, Wharton, TX, Houston Tour.  This formidable Texas pair has four runner-up finishes with one third place finish in the last five appearances, and they're looking for the top spot in 2017.

TEAM Freeman/Severson:  Judson Severson, College Station, TX, Houston Tour, and Billy Freeman, Wharton, TX.  Looking to transfer some of his AM Tour event success to team play, this will be the pair's first run at the Duel.


FLIGHT: 13:

TEAM Reed/Wendel:  Delynn Reed, Austin, TX, Hill Country Tour, and Jacob Wendel, Midland, TX.  This pair makes the trip for the third consecutive year and looks to build on the 8th place finish in 2016.

TEAM Macha/Pekar:  Gene Macha, Hungerford, TX, Houston Tour, and Freddie Pekar, Wharton, TX. First time team at the event.


FLIGHT 14:

TEAM Colen/Taylor: Ramon Colen, San Antonio, TX, Hill Country Tour, and Noah Taylor, Evansville, IN, St Louis Tour.  Colen a Champion in 2014 with Hill Country Tour player, Charles Mielak, looks to get back in the winners circle with a new partner.



Best of luck to all the players for a safe trip and wonderful golf experience.

Upcoming Texas Events:

Houston and the Hill Country will continue the 2017 year with a doubleheader on the second weekend of February.  Houston with the Golf Club of Houston - Redstone Classic, on Saturday, February 11th (sold out but waiting list spots are available) with the Briggs Ranch Classic at the Golf Club of Texas in San Antonio on Sunday, February 12th.  Entry deadline for both events is Friday, February 3rd at midnight.

   

The DFW Tour will start the year at the DFW Winter Challenge on Sunday, February 26th at The Golf Club at Fossil Creek in Forth Worth.  Registration closes on Friday, February 17th. 

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

Historic Golf Club of Dallas Doesn't Disappoint

Scott R Chilcutt, Dallas, TX (November 13, 2016)  The Golf Club of Dallas, originally operated as Oak Cliff Country Club, was the last Perry Maxwell course design before he passed away in late 1952.  Maxwell, with his mark on famed courses such as Colonial in Fort Worth, Southern Hills in Tulsa and countless others, loved to use the existing natural topography, add in undulating greens and swells around the course, to create a truly strategic round of golf.  

Home to the Dallas Open, now known as the Byron Nelson, from 1958-1967, the truly historic track, played host to the Fall Championship on the Dallas/Fort Worth, Golf Channel AM Tour for the first time on Sunday.  Super slick, postage stamp greens, gave some of the players fits, but with the ability to move strategically through the park like setting, the Champions kept the numbers down on the greens.  

Mark Tylenda (Sarazen Flight) was "Up for the Srixon Challenge."   Winning his own flight playing a Srixon ball, Mark will get a dozen sent to him for the win. In a four-way tie for the Tournament Champion trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving, Joesph Roy, wins the scorecard playoff over the Father / Son duo of Jeff Ackerman, Senior and Junior and Steve Pearson. The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $380, bringing the year to date total from the Texas Tour local events to $14,890 contributed to the Foundation in 2016.

RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  Grand Prairie, TX, player Larry Vannatta became a three-time champion on tour.  Vannatta, steady going out, hit a wall at the par 4 - 10th, but rebounded with three birdies on the back nine for a three-stroke victory.  First-time tour player, Michael Debono of Dallas, TX, was able to secure the runner-up spot with three birdies on the round to maintain a two-stroke advantage over a trio of players knotted in the third place finish.  Edmond, OK, member Al Swanson, Jack Whitling of Wylie, TX, and Dallas, TX, player Collin Gibson all had single birdies on the round to share the show place finish.

Palmer Flight:  Making the start with a heavy heart, Rockwall, TX, resident Joesph Roy picked up an emotional, first time win as a Palmer Flight Player on tour.  Roy, who lost his mother to an extended illness the previous Wednesday, was able to fight back those emotions after a rocky front nine start.  Roy battled back to post a +2 coming to the clubhouse for the bittersweet one-stroke victory and the Championship. Michael Barr of Lewisville, TX, coming off a runner-up finish at the PGA National Championship Major in Florida, settled for the second place finish, with Diana, TX, member Keith Childress rounding out the top three.

Hogan Flight:  Dallas, TX, first-time player Andrew Aiken burst on the scene with a strong three-stroke victory.  Front nine jitters didn't kick in until the par 3 - 3rd, but Aiken was able to right the ship coming to the clubhouse, with three birdies and a +1 back nine.  Travelers from College Station, TX, Rick Smalley, and Jared Swopes of Lubbock, TX, shared the runner-up honors.

Senior Hogan Flight:  In his second season on tour, Ken Johnson of Carrollton, TX, grabbed his second win on tour.  Johnson, finishing his front nine with a triple, righted the ship to take three strokes off his back nine, for a three-stroke victory. Stuck in the middle of the win and three players just two strokes back, Jones, OK, resident, Stan Wilson recorded the runner-up spot.  Dave Hanson of Granbury, TX, Wichita Falls, TX, player Michael Hardegree and Michael Starks of Cleburne, TX, split the third place finish.

Sarazen Flight:  After going 0 for 29 in his first year on tour in 2016, Mark Tylenda of Dallas, TX, stated, "I finally learned how to putt", but we think he learned how to win.  Tylenda, became a two-time winner in as many attempts, with a birdie on the tough par 5 - 2nd, and built on the progress, with a two-stroke victory.  Always in the hunt, with over a dozen runner-up finishes and five wins on tour, Fort Worth, TX, member Preston Miller snatched the second place gift card in a scorecard playoff and shared the runner-up finish with Jason Shuffield of Frisco, TX.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Rick Allaire, of Dallas, TX, continues a strong streak, picking up his fifth win on tour.  So hot, Allaire will likely gain a Performance Promotion on December, 2nd.  Allaire, with two birdies on the day, edged out third-time player, James Pace of Burleson, TX, with an eagle on the par 4 - 6th, by a single stroke.  Richland Hills, TX, resident, Tim Brown, bettered his T4 finish his last time out to grab the third place honors.

Jones Flight:  Jeffrey Ackerman, JR. of Celina, TX, led the way to a big finish for the Ackerman father / son duo.  Jeffrey, with birdies on the par 3 - 3rd and par 4 - 11th, proved to be just enough for a two-stroke victory, his first in two attempts on tour.  Plano, TX, member Steve Pearson, started out hot, with a +4 going out, faltered on the back nine, which proved to be plenty to outrun, third place traveler, Jeremy Parker of Blanchard, OK. 

Senior Jones Flight:  Wylie, TX, player Jeff Ackerman, SR, made it two in a row, picking up both Fall Championship wins on the Dallas / Fort Worth Tour.  Ackerman, made the best of two birdies on the day to stay clear of second place finisher, Tommy Templin of Euless, TX, with a birdie of his own.  McKinney, TX, resident, Ray Tyczki, picked up the third place finish, with a birdie on the par 4 - 5th.

Snead Flight:  Cello lessons have evidently put Fort Worth, TX, member Douglas Pritchett in the right frame of mind.  Since starting the extracurricular activity, Pritchett has won his last two events and his twelfth on tour. One stroke back, Logan Chapman of San Antonio, TX, finished with a birdie on the par 3 - 17th for the second place spot, his best on tour.  Lewisville, TX, member Ron Hardy, rounded out the top three two strokes out of second.

SKINS:

Giant SKINS:  ($96/each)  1 -- Joseph Roy, Rockwall, TX; Tony Peppler, Dallas, TX; Michael Debono, Dallas, TX; Phillip Holt, Haslet, TX; Dale McFarland, Crowley, TX; James Pace, Burleson, TX.

Championship / Palmer:  ($45/each)  1 -- Joseph Roy, Rockwall, TX; David York, Graham, TX; Gabriel Brisco, Mesquite, TX; Mark Colangelo, Coppell, TX; Tony Peppler, Dallas, TX; Roger Lee, Plano, TX; Michael Debono, Dallas, TX.

Hogan / Senior Hogan:  ($60/each)  1 -- Matthew Sands, Plano, TX; Nick Easen, Keller, TX; Phillip Holt, Haslet, TX; David Jackson, McKinney, TX; Michael Starks, Cleburne, TX; Stan Wilson, Jones, OK.

Sarazen:  ($26/each)  2 -- Mark Tylenda, Dallas, TX. 1 -- Heston Krumnow, Granbury, TX; Douglas Key, Natchitoches, LA; Chunwei Wang, Roanoke, TX; Jason Shuffield, Frisco, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($40/each)  2 -- Charles Lambert, Richardson, TX. 1 -- Dale McFarland, Crowley, TX; Ted Weldon, Granbury, TX; Scott Lane, Plano, TX; James Pace, Burleson, TX.


Jones / Senior Jones / Snead:  ($60/each)  2 -- Jeffrey Ackerman Jr, Celina, TX. 1 -- Jeff Ackerman Sr., Wylie, TX; Ray Tyczki, McKinney, TX; Tommy Templin, Euless, TX; Steve Pearson, Plano, TX.

CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:


($130/each)  #3 - Jeff Ackerman, SR - 9' 4";  #7  - Tommy Templin - 6' 5";   #13 - Tommy Templin - 2' 9";  #17 - Jeff Ackerman, SR - 3' 11".

Upcoming Texas Events:

The Texas Tours will finish off the 2016 calendar with a special Ryder Cup, Texas-style event at Rayburn Country in Southeast Texas on December 3rd and 4th for the South Texas Winter Championship.  REGISTRATION CLOSES on Friday, November 25th at 11:59PM CST.

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

Fort Worth Fall Championship - Golf Club at Champions Circle

Scott R Chilcutt, Fort Worth, TX (October 16, 2016)  The Golf Club at Champions Circle, wedged between Texas Motor Speedway on the North and Alliance Airport on the South played host to the Fort Worth Fall Championship to open the DFW Tour 2017 points season.

Off the tour since the fall of 2013, the event was plagued with weather issues, most recently as the north wind that brought freezing rain upon the competitors.  With its location, there is nothing to slow the winds down and on Sunday the southerly was in play.  Greens in better shape than in recent memory gave way to some scoring possibilities, but low overall scores were at a premium. 

Mark Tylenda (Sarazen Flight) was "Up for the Srixon Challenge."   Winning his own flight playing a Srixon ball, will get a dozen sent to him for the win. Jeff Ackerman, SR picked up the Tournament Champion, presented by Carlisle's Engraving with a -5 - 67. The winner of the Feherty's Troops First Foundation 50/50 raffle, took home $380, bringing the year to date total from the Texas Tour local events to $13,860 contributed to the Foundation.


RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  Flower Mound, TX, member David Wright, put up a colorful scorecard, including four birdies on the day to pick up his second win as a Championship Flight player, and ninth win on tour.  With a birdie on the par 4 - 14th, Wright played the final five holes in -1 to edge out, first time player Carl Myers of McKinney, TX, by one stroke.  Myers, even-par on the front nine, got on a bogey train on the back but finished with a birdie on the par 5 - 18th.  Fort Worth, TX, player Ryan Timmons, rounded out the third place finish.

Palmer Flight:  Tony Peppler of Dallas, TX, picked up his eighth win in just under ninety attempts on tour.  Peppler, with four birdies in his first ten holes, cleared the runner-up finisher, Greg Digby of Lewisville, TX, by four strokes.  Digby, off the tour since 2014, carded his best finish, with the help of a birdie on the par 4 - 10th.  Graham, TX, member, David York, in only his second outing on tour, birdied the par 5 - 18th to pick up the show place finish.

Hogan Flight:  Taking the top spot in six events on the 2016 points season, Jeff Workman of Fort Worth, TX, maintained his winning ways with a five-stroke advantage over the field. Spring, TX, Houston Tour Member, Gus Aldana, with two birdies on the round, and Deon Barber of Frisco, TX, with two of his own shared the runner-up finish.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Bob Mulligan, of Dallas, TX, picked up his third win on tour and first since the November 2015 Frisco Lakes Challenge.  With a birdie on the par 4 - 17th that proved to be just enough, Mulligan, edged out, Carrollton, TX, player Rick Swanson and David Jackson of McKinney, TX, by a stroke for the victory.

Sarazen Flight:  In a battle of Dallas vs. Fort Worth, Fort Worth, TX, player Preston Miller, took it to extra holes with Dallas, TX, resident Mark Tylenda, both taking advantage of single birdies on the day.  Back to the 10th hole for the sudden death playoff, Tylenda would prevail, with a birdie on the par 4 - 10th, getting to the winners circle for the first time on tour.  Three strokes back of the pair, Darren Bufton of Bedford, TX, rounded out the top three.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Scott Lane of Plano, TX, became another first-time winner on the day, using a birdie on the par 4 - 4th to edge out a pair of players locked in the runner-up finish.  Red Oak, TX, player David McCasland, with two birdies on his round and 2016 Flight Champion, Mark Donohue from Lewisville, TX, shared the runner-up honors.

Jones Flight:  Continuing a first-time winner theme, Burleson, TX, resident, Aaron Shehan, with a birdie on the par 3 - 13th, edged out Joshua Tankersley, by a single stroke for his first win in his first time out.  Dean Doty of Allen, TX, another first time player on tour, grabbed the third place finish, one stroke back of Tankersley.

Senior Jones Flight:  Jeff Ackerman, SR, with a propensity to pick up 50/50 raffle wins, added another victory to the tour for his second, in as many years.  With a birdie on the par 4 - 4th, Ackerman maintained plenty of strokes, for a four-stroke edge over, nearby Haslet, TX, resident Doyle Fleming, in the runner-up spot.  Fellow Haslet, TX, neighbor, Bernie Rodgers, picked up the third place finish.

Snead Flight:  Hill Country traveling member, Ethan Blase of San Antonio, TX, carded a Giant Skin, winning birdie on the par 4 - 7th for his second win on tour.  Arlington, TX, member Thomas Rauch got the second place points, with Ron Hardy of Lewisville, TX, rounding out the top three.







SKINS:

Giant SKINS:  ($206/each)  1 -- Ethan Blase, San Antonio, TX; Charles Lambert, Highlands Ranch, CO; Scott Striegel, Southlake, TX.

Championship / Palmer:  ($106/each)  2 -- Dallas Webster, Wylie, TX. 1 -- Billy Weaver, Woodway, TX.

Hogan:  ($44/each)  1 -- Tim Edwards, Amarillo, TX; Jeff Workman, Fort Worth, TX; Gus Aldana, Spring, TX; Mel Goss, Terrell TX; Scott Striegel, Southlake, TX.

Senior Hogan:  ($45/each)  2 -- Casey Williams, Haslet, TX. 1 -- Ivan Boggs, Midlothian, TX; Ken Johnson, Carrollton, TX; Bob Mulligan, Dallas, TX; Steve Killion, Sanger, TX.

Sarazen:  ($20/each)  4 -- Preston Miller, Fort Worth, TX. 1 -- A.J. Englerth, Killeen, TX; Jason Nava, Frisco, TX; John Robinson, Hurst, TX; Darren Bufton, Bedford, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($35/each)  1 -- David Day, McClendon-Chisholm, TX; Charles Lambert, Highlands Ranch, CO; James Pace, Burleson, TX; David McCasland, Red Oak, TX; Scott Lane, Plano, TX; Bob Moreau, Rockwall, TX.

Jones / Senior Jones / Snead:  ($43/each)  1 -- Ethan Blase, San Antonio, TX; Jeff Ackerman Sr., Wylie, TX; Mike Lee, Dallas, TX; Scott Sears, Carrollton, TX; Joshua Tankersley, Fort Worth, TX; Jeffrey Ackerman Jr, Celina, TX.



CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

($210/each)  #5 - Tim Edwards - 2' 10" ;  #12 - Gus Aldana - 5' 8";  #15 - Walter White - 8' 6 1/4".

Upcoming Texas Events:

Players from around the country will converge on Lake Charles, LA for the Golden Nugget Classic at Lake Charles, on Saturday and Sunday, November 5th and 6th with a special Friday event at Gray Plantation for the Southen Classic on November 4th.  Registration closes on October 28th.

The DFW Tour will pick back up at the Dallas Fall Championship at the Golf Club of Dallas on Sunday, November 13th, with an entry deadline of November 4th.   

The Texas Tours will finish off the 2016 calendar with a special Ryder Cup, Texas-style event at Rayburn Country in Southeast Texas on December 3rd and 4th for the South Texas Winter Championship.

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

Flight Champions Honored - Dallas Tour

Scott R Chilcutt, Edmond, OK (September , 2016)  Bringing a close to the year, setting up for National and Senior National Championship bids later this month, marks another chapter with the Golf Channel AM Tour on the Dallas Tour. Beginning the points season on November 15th at Hawks Creek after a rain out at Frisco Lakes, the tour contested 15 rounds on the  local schedule where over 1,500 members from around the country competed.

Vying for year end awards, this year concluded with a customized and personalized staff bag from Club Glove to the Champions, and we continued the special 2016 of the Player of the Year Award, presented by Higginbotham.

Championship Flight:  Trailing Gant Bills for most of the points season, Nick Quast of Trophy Club, TX, came to the Tour Championship at Bridlewood to make a statement and ended it with an explanation point.  Quast, would end up winning the points title by a mere 70 points, but did it in fine fashion  Seven events on the season, five wins, with a combined total +10 over eight rounds to finish out with Flight Championship honors.

Senior Championship Flight:  Midland, TX, member Terry Rice, picked up his fifth Flight Champion honors, dating back to 2010 as an Open Championship Flight player.  Competing in five Major Championships on the year, with two runner up finishes to go with two wins on the local level.  Rice will travel to the Senior National Championship in Innisbrook, looking to better his third place finish at the 2010 National Championship at Sawgrass.

Palmer Flight:  Lewisville, TX, player Clay Johnston has been just outside the Flight Champion awards for the past few years.  A three time winner on the season before June 1st, Johnston, was in a cruise mode for the summer, but it would take a strong finish at the Tour Championship to grab the title.  In sixth place after the Saturday round, Clay would better his first day score by three to jump one spot, just enough points to win the Flight Championship by 110 points over Scott Harper of Ranger, TX.

Senior Palmer Flight:  With three wins on the season, including two major championships at The Southern California Open and the Streamsong Amateur in Florida, Tony Peppler of Dallas, TX, picked up his second Flight Championship Award.  The first coming in the Championship Flight in 2011, Tony heads to the Senior National Championship for his fifth time on tour.

Hogan Flight:  Only a matter of time and the Journey to Better Flight promotion would catch up with Mesquite, TX, Gabe Brisco.  In his case, it happened at the year end, so Brisco will head to the National Championship competing with the Palmer Flight.  Gabe started the year with a win in his first time out, added two more during the season, including a Major Championship in Hot Springs, AR, he finished out the year with seven of eight sub 80 rounds.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Sanger, TX, 2015 Dallas Tour Player of the Year recipient, Steve Killion hit the trail for 21 events on the season.  Killion, with three wins, made the rounds to all of the Texas Tournament Championships and ended the season with a a slim 55 point lead.  Steve will be making his sixth start at the Senior National Championship in seven years on tour.

Sarazen Flight:  Sven Bock of Richardson, TX, started the points season with a win at Hawks Creek in November, then went on to compete in 29 events, including five Major Championships.  On the year, Bock picked up five wins, but the Flight Championship would take final event heroics if he was going to take the points lead.  Sven would start the final event, 40 points behind Wadsworth Jarrell, but a win, with two sub 80 rounds, would be just enough to grab a 55 point lead.  Bock, won't be competing at the National Championship, but we look forward to seeing him in the Hogan Flight, with a Journey to Better Flight Promotion at the end of the season.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Mark Donohue of Lewisville, TX, started his career on the Golf Channel AM Tour the fall of 2012 at Champions Circle, for the 2013 points season.   With an initial handicap of 7.5, Donohue grabbed a Senior Palmer Flight spot, and with that, his first start might have been a deal breaker for most.  Fifteen on the par 4 - 2nd, fast forward .... and he has now picked up his second Flight Championship award in the last two seasons.  Playing in 25 events on the year, Donohue carded five wins on the season, including four of his first five starts.  It will be his third go of the Senior National Championship, and we look forward to seeing his continued growth in the Journey to Better.

Jones Flight:  Starting his tour career with a few events in 2014, Joshua Tankersly of Fort Worth, TX, took the next year off, and then came back with his game in shape. Tankersly, played in ten events on the season, the first five as a Snead Player before getting the Journey to Better Flight Promotion in early June.  Despite the points adjustment that comes with that promotion,  Joshua cleared the field by over 500 points, with the help of four wins on the season.

Senior Jones Flight:  Lloyd C Reid, JR, became another first time Flight Champion award winner and he worked hard at it, real hard.  Reid, after missing the 2015 award by a scant few points, traveled and traveled a lot.  32 events, 11 Major Championships and two Texas Tour Championships.  One win on the season, seven runner up spots and three more top three finishes would put Lloyd in the top spot for the 2016 season.  Reid will be making his fourth start at the Senior National Championship at Innisbrook.

Snead Flight:  Three wins on the season, including the Major Championship at Winstar, along with the deal sealing Dallas Tour Championship, would put William Hughes of Tulsa, OK on the top spot for the third consecutive time. Hughes, a member since 2013, will make his first start at the National Championship in Florida.

Senior Snead Flight:  Douglas Pritchett of Fort Worth, TX, fought it out all year to get to and keep the top spot in the flight.  Pritchett, with three wins on the season, would become a two time Senior Snead Flight Champion on the Dallas Tour.

Hill Country Tour, PLAYER OF THE YEAR, presented by HIGGINBOTHAM: The special award was set up and presented by Higginbotham, a Business Insurance and Financial Services Company that services the state of Texas with home offices in Fort Worth.  The player from each tour in the state selected by the committee, with feedback from the membership that met a series of criteria, including having been promoted and continued The Journey to Better by excelling in the new flight, playing in the Tour Championship and attending the National / Senior National Championship in the new flight.

2016 Dallas TOUR Player of the Year:  With the sponsor mandate, we had a few players that were eligible and after much deliberation by the committee, Joseph Roy of Rockwall, TX was selected.  Roy, a member of the tour since 2011, sat out the 2015 year and came back with a vengeance.  A Hogan Flight member since 2013, Joe played in eighteen events on the season, fifteen as a Hogan.  With the points Championship looking to be in good order, with three wins, including two Major Championships, the Journey to Better Flight promotion came in August.  While probably not thrilled with the idea, Roy took to the task, playing in two Texas Tour Championships, he finished in a runner up spot at Bridlewood after the flight low round on Saturday.  We look forward to seeing his continued success at the National Championship at Innisbrook sporting his new Player of the Year bag.

Upcoming Texas Events:

Off to the National Championship from September 13th - 16th and Senior National Championship, contested September 19th - 22nd, many players from around the tour will compete for the top prize of the season.

Fall events and 2017 points schedule are being added now, look out for the opportunity to get a jump start on the next season. 

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