Gem South of Canton - Canton Classic - Recap

Scott R Chilcutt, Canton, TX (July 30, 2011)  Canton, TX the home of the First Monday Trade Days the world's largest outdoor trade days takes place Thursday through Sunday before the first Monday of each month.

While many vendors sell jewelry at the First Monday we found our true gem south of town.  Located some 8 miles south of Canton is home to the Twin Lakes Nursery and Twin Lakes Golf Course.  Established in 1990 on 55 acres, the Nursery has grown to over 1,000 acres with 800 acres under tree production of specimen container-grown trees from 30 gallon to 72" boxes.  Crape Myrtles, Cypress, Elm, Holly, Magnolia, Oak, Pear, Pistachio, Red Bud and Wax Myrtle line the country side around the golf course.

Designed, with minimal changes to the natural contours, the golf course is drawn together in and around two sparkling lakes used for water reserves.  When we arrived at the club house after winding our way along the outskirts of the tree farm and through much of the golf course it became apparent that these people know how to grow things.  Only sparse burnt areas on the edge of some of the fairways would show evidence of the harsh drought conditions in the state but, the majority of the facility looked like normal rain conditions for East Texas.   Arguably the best greens the Dallas Tour has played on this year, the Bermuda greens, rolled and mowed early in the morning would challenge the players used to playing on Bent grass but the health of the grass was welcome to all.

Fransico Vazquez from Waco, TX would take home the Tournament Champion Trophy over Darrin Howard of Longview and Gregory Stairs from Mansfield.

RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  When the scores from the 16th hole were displayed on the TV screens it appeared we were in for a playoff between Andrew Morsinkhoff from Rockwall, TX and Midland, TX player Terry Rice .  The pair both bogied the par 4 - 17th to take it to the final hole where Morsinkhoff would par and take his 2nd win in a row after Rice doubled.

Palmer Flight:  Austin/San Antonio Tour member Chris Wadle from Coupland , TX shot his season best 7 over par 79 for his first win on tour over Fort Worth, TX member Sean Fenton by three strokes.  Fenton trying to get back to winning ways after taking the Challenge at the Cliffs event in May played steady to stay one stroke ahead of  Steven Rice from Midland, TX and Lewisville, TX player Randy Sellers.

Hogan Flight:  Gregory Stairs from Mansfield, TX birdied the 16th and 18th holes to shoot a 38 on the back for his first win on tour.  New tour member Les Stone from Huntsville, TX would hang on to 2nd place over Todd Barfield from Dallas and Greg Sheppard of Carrolton, TX.

Sarazen Flight:  Ranger, TX member Scott Harper grabbed his first win in two years on tour by three strokes over Joseph Roy from Rockwall, TX and Fort Worth's Preston Miller.  In the largest flight of the day, George Peddy from Bedford, TX, Garland, TX Willie Dozier and Ricky Gates from Arlington tied for the fourth spot just one stroke back.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Azle, TX player Jim Wright picked up his first win, by two strokes, since 2009 when he won on his home town course at the The Azle Open.  Jerry Gallemore from Fort Stockton, TX stayed four strokes ahead of  Frisco, TX Jamie Sansom. 

Jones Flight:  Darrin Howard from Longview, TX birdied his final two holes to secure his third win on tour by 4 strokes over Houston Tour member Lee Isham.  Garland, TX player Bob Eustice rounded out the top three. 

Snead Flight:  Lale Esquivel of Southlake, TX and Fort Worth's Douglas Pritchett finished early and had to wait in anticpation for a potential playoff after both shooting 94.    But in the final group, Francisco Vazquez from Waco, TX turned in a career best, 87 for his first win in two years on the tour.



SKINS:

Championship /Palmer:  2 -- Terry Rice, Midland, TX.  1 -- Tony Peppler, Southlake, TX; John Anderson, Lake Worth, TX; Sean Fenton, Fort Worth, TX; Brack Blackwood, Granbury, TX.

Hogan:  3 -- Gregory Stairs, Mansfield, TX. 2 -- Les Stone, Huntsville, TX.  1 -- Todd Barfield, Dallas, TX; Greg Sheppard, Carrollton, TX.

Sarazen/SR Sarazen:  1 -- Nancy Geihl, Grand Prairie, TX; Scott Harper, Ranger, TX; Ricky Gates, Arlington, TX; Drew Brooks, Azle, TX; Jim Wright, Azle, TX.

Jones / Snead: 4 -- Darrin Howard, Longview, TX.

  


Next Up - Dallas Tour finishes off the year with a special Monday event @ TPC Craig Ranch on August 15th and the Tour Championship at Cowboy on August 28th.  The Oklahoma Tour returns to the private River Oaks Golf Club for the River Oaks Classic on August 13th and finishes off the points season at the Tour Championship at Jimmie Austin on August 20th.

For more information:

Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director

Dallas / Fort Worth - Oklahoma

GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour

405.513.1467 - 972.302.9478

schilcutt@gcamtour.com

www.gcamtour.com

Visit the Tour Blogs:  

Dallas -  gcatdallas.blogspot.com - Oklahoma - gcatoklahoma.blogspot.com