Scott R Chilcutt, Edmond, OK (August 26, 2012) The Dallas Tour on a slide from the prominence of one of the top tours in the country during the 2009-2010 seasons is BACK and in a BIG LEAGUE way.
From a tournament average in the 50's in 2010, the tour made some strides in 2011 to almost 80, but this season made its mark once again as one of the top in the country when we averaged right at the century mark. While many may wonder, "what's the big deal?". It's simple, better fields make for more prize money. This year the Dallas Tour players contributed to over $24,000 in gift cards and over $7,500 in trophies. Sponsors along with the local tour contributed in tour Championship trophies and Player of the Year awards to almost $4,000. But that's just part of it!
Equally as important, the tour now has clout when booking events and venues. Many of us remember the slow play with a double stacked shotgun start at the Tribute to go along with late in the day times on single tee starts. Some of that may continue in the future, but when we have courses like Heritage and Waterchase schedule us alone with split tees and events like TPC Craig Ranch where we have TWO waves, we now have buying power. And don't forget the competition, while that may be the bad news for some trying to qualify for the National Championships, it's the best news to get your game into the "BIGS".
On behalf of Sara Carlin, Dave Kirby, Jerrell Neely and myself we appreciate the opportunity to organize and manage a great deal of your free time this year.
Dallas Tour Statistics:
- 354 Players from 20 different tours across the country competed in 12 local events.
- 236 Dallas members (in good standing as of today) averaged 6.7 rounds on the year.
- 87 Dallas members played in 8 or more events during the points year.
- 40 Dallas Tour Players qualified for the National Championship through 2012 Major event finishes with two former National Champions (Stephen Cannon and Tim Williams)
- 50 players (2nd largest tour in the country) from the Dallas Tour will attend the National and Senior National Championships.
Players Per Event | Number of Rounds |
2011 | 2012 | % Increase | 2011 | 2012 | % Increase |
78 | 100 | 28% | 701 | 1200 | 71% |
Player of the Year Award Winners:
Order of Merit points winners from each flight receive a customized Bridgestone Staff Bag.
Championship Flight: When Terry Rice from Midland, TX last played the National Championship at TPC Sawgrass in 2010, he started the final day in the final pairing and ended up with a strong third place finish, four strokes out of the win, but two strokes clear of fourth. When this years site was announced, you knew he'd be in for the challenge to get back to that close call. Rice played in nine events on the year, four wins and only once out of the top four, with a sixth place finish to punch his ticket back to Sawgrass. Ahead of the field by almost 500 points at years end, Terry will be one to watch in Ponte Vedra.
Hogan Flight: 18 year old Daegan Blackwood from Midland, TX came to the Tour Championship in the third place points spot with an advantage of having only 5 events. Father, Jeff Blackwood looked at the journey to Tour 18 as one that gave them a two for one chance since the elder Blackwood was only 45 points behind Daegan. Both Blackwoods had qualified for the Nationals at the earlier Red River Shootout at WinStar Resort and then again at the Texas Masters at Barton Creek, but both came to Flower Mound for the Player of the Year Bag where the younger Blackwood, Daegan, covered the field for the prize. Four Blackwoods are qualified for the event at TPC Sawgrass, but only three will make the trip, look for them in the winners circle.
Senior Hogan Flight: Two bag winner, Gregory Stairs from Mansfield, TX followed up on his 2011 Callaway Tour Player of the Year bag with one from Bridgestone. Stairs won three events on the year, including the important double points Dallas Tour Championship @ Tour 18 to solidify the top spot. Eleven events, with nine in the top five, makes the trip to the famed TPC Sawgrass one to look forward to.
Sarazen Flight: In a hotly contested Sarazen Flight, Nancy Geihl from Grand Prairie, TX showed the boys who could manage the points. Nancy competed in fifteen events on the year, with two wins. The big win came at the Red River Shootout at WinStar Resort with automatic National Championship qualification, but more would come her way with a T-3 at the Texas Masters at Barton Creek to make it more than official. Geihl would finish in the top five twelve times in 2012 and has to have the odds as a top female finisher at the 2012 National Championship.
Senior Sarazen Flight: Former Player Advisory Board Member John Cox, from Mansfield, TX made the best of his retirement. With fourteen events under his belt, Cox would grab a win at the Classic @ The Creek - Indian Creek Golf Club to go with his second place, National Championship qualifying finish at The Texas Masters at Barton Creek. John came into the tour championship with the Player of the Year Points lead and ended ahead of anyone close with his third place soggy finish. John will sit out the 2012 Senior National Championship.
Jones Flight: Wichita, KS native Brandon Litzner now from Coppell, TX picked up the trophy two times on the year with nine out of nine top fives to make the Player of the Year happen. Litzner came into the tour championship with a one hundred point lead and left with a ninety point lead after finishing T2 at the tour finisher. Brandon will bypass the National Championship in Ponte Vedra, but we look forward to his winning ways in 2013.
Senior Jones Flight: Many of you know that Carlisle Engraving of Lewisville, TX supply the tournament trophies for the Dallas Tour. Some of you know that Ron Hardy is the proprietor of that firm. While supplying great trophies might make for a preferred status, those trophies don't make the putt's. Hardy competed in nineteen events on the season. Four wins in a matter of six weeks starting in April with the Lake of the Ozarks Classic set the POY year points in stone. Hardy will complete against the best in Florida in early September.
Snead Flight: Dion Casto of Parker, TX made short order of a tall task! Casto with thirteen events on the year took the top honors at The Open @ The Tribute and finished with a T-2 at the Red River Shootout at WinStar Resort for his National Championship qualifications. With eight of thirteen events in the top three, Casto will bypass the Nationals for a trip to Scotland, who would have thunk it!
Senior Snead Flight: Larry Tolson from McKinney, TX finished the year with one of the most sportsmanlike gestures of the year. Sure to not finish the Tour Championship with daylight, the group allowed the leader to pick the way they finished. Two hours later in the dark and drenched with rain the pairing finished. Tolson picked up a win at the Championship @ TPC Craig Ranch and finished in the top ten each time he tee'd it up. Look for Mr. Tolson in Ponte Vedra to prove, The Dallas Tour IS BACK!
Next Up: After a fall break for the Senior National Championship and National Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, FL the tour will resume play in early October in the Dallas area. Look for details on the fall schedule soon.
For More Information:
Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Hill Country / Oklahoma Tours
405.513.1467
schilcutt@gcamtour.com
Scott R Chilcutt, Flower Mound, TX (August 18, 2012) The Dallas Tour wrapped up the 2012 season and for some players in a very similar way to the start of the calendar year. After torrential rains at the February Grand Prairie Classic @ Tangle Ridge the tour schedule seemed to fast forward directly into hot weather. With days over the summer in excess of 100 degrees it took all the members could muster to outlast mother nature. We suppose it seemed only appropriate that we would end the year like we started when the skies opened up for about half of the players to make for a soggy finish.
Players from 7 Tours and 5 states looked for the last chance for National Championship qualification, National Championship eligibility, Player of the Year awards to go with the trophies and gift cards.
Enduring the elements, the field all finished at the famed Tour 18 Dallas. The course crafted after some of the greatest golf courses in America would welcome the players to a beautiful morning and mid day before the rain shot through the Flower Mound, TX complex. Unlike the earlier Grand Prairie event the participants were able to finish what they started, the last event before the National Championships.
RESULTS:
Championship Flight: Midland, TX player Terry Rice struggled on the par-5 sixth hole, but bounced back with a birdie on the seventh and went the final twelve holes in one under par to record his fourth win on the season and eighth on tour. Needing his fifth event of the year for National Championship eligibility, visiting Birmingham Tour member Marcus House from Olive Branch, MS finished his last six holes in one under to edge out first time tour player Mike Klem from Flower Mound, TX by one stroke.
Palmer Flight: 42 year old John Bohling from Highland Village, TX took twenty three strokes off his fifteenth place finish during his last outing at the Bobcat Open at Texas Star to command a ten stroke win. Ben Burney from Amarillo, TX solidified his National Championship qualification going one over par on the back nine to tie the second place spot with Randy McGinnis from San Antonio, TX. McGinnis started his travels in the early morning from San Antonino to record a messy scorecard, with five birdies and four doubles and four bogie's to stay out front of the fourth place finish by two strokes.
Senior Palmer Flight: A birdie on the final hole put Overland Park, KS traveler Thomas Kass into a three way playoff with Jimmy Westfall from Oklahoma City, OK and Fort Worth, TX points leader Sean Fenton. Westfall fell out on the second extra hole, but the other two took a total of five to untie the knot when Kass took home the glass for his second win on tour this year and Westfall and Fenton shared the runner up honors.
Hogan Flight: With his sights set on the Player of the Year honors, Daegan Blackwood from Midland, TX came out firing with a birdie on the first, shooting one over par for his first ten holes. Minor troubles coming to the club house inched the door open, but he finished with a stroke advantage for his second win of the season. Chad Maynard from Frisco, TX and first year Dallas, TX member Jimi Clark would split the second place finish.
Senior Hogan Flight: Gregory Stairs from Mansfield, TX put the hammer down early, with birdies on the first and third holes, he went out in two over to finish the round with a +5 - 77 to command a ten stroke advantage over a pair tied in the second place position. Greg Sheppard from Carrollton, TX made a run with a back nine three over par, but front nine woes would only get him into a runner up tie with Argyle, TX member Paul Burleson.
Sarazen Flight: With the reality and pressure of a last chance attempt for National Championship qualification, George Peddy of Bedford, TX put the heaviness of the situation to work, firing his best round of the year and first win on tour since the March 2011 Champions Circle Classic. Two strokes back, Grand Prairie, TX player Nancy Geihl used an eagle on the par five fourteenth hole to stay one stroke clear of Gary Lee from Tyler, TX rounding out the top three.
Senior Sarazen Flight: John Rogers from Waco, TX picked up his second win of the season and third on tour after rain forced a scorecard playoff for the top spot. Oklahoma Tour player Stan Wilson played his way into the top spot early on in his round, but the back nine tie breaker went Rogers direction. Mansfield, TX resident John Cox finished off his rain drenched round to take the show position, his seventh top five of the year.
Jones Flight: Gerardo Garza from Lewisville, TX outlasted the flight to pick up his second win on tour. Three strokes back the pair of Brandon Litzner from Coppell, TX and Dallas, TX resident Melvin Wilson III made a mess of the par three seventeenth in the pouring rain, but held on to share the second place honors. Litzner eagled the par five fourth hole to go with a birdie on the thirteenth while Wilson picked up a pair of birdies on the four and twelve.
Senior Jones Flight: The steady play of Garland, TX member Bob Eustice weathered the storm to card his third victory of the year and second in as many attempts. Six strokes back, Paul Vessels from Mesquite, TX and Lewisville, TX trophy maker Ron Hardy knotted up the runner up spot. Going out in +6 on the front nine, Hardy couldn't keep up with the rain and wind, but finished ahead in the points standings with his finish.
Snead Flight: Recently eligible to move back to the Snead flight after a promotion last fall, Don Freitag from Arlington, TX was another player that needed the win to get his invitation to the National Championship. With a bogey on the final hole, Freitag wrapped up his second win in as many attempts one stroke clear of Parker, TX standout, Dion Casto. Mike Adcock from Saginaw, TX finished just another stroke back to firm up the third place finish.
Senior Snead Flight: Faced with the opportunity to call it a nine hole event after the rain delay, the foursome left in the flight, Dwain Smith of Cedar Park, TX, Yukon, OK member Rick Henthorn, Doyle Fleming of Haslet, TX and McKinney, TX player Larry Tolson let Smith make the call. Dwain had traveled from the Hill Country and with a birdie in the rain on the 9th hole, wanted to try to finish. And finish they did, through the wind, rain, darkness and nearby lightening, Smith picked up his 2nd win on tour ahead of the pair of Henthorn and Fleming.
SKINS:
Championship: 1 -- Dallas Webster, Wylie, TX; Andrew Braun, Trophy Club, TX; Andrew Morsinkhoff, Rockwall, TX; Terry Rice, Midland, TX; Anthony Peppler, Dallas, TX.
Palmer / Senior Palmer: 1 -- Jimmy Westfall, Oklahoma City, OK; Lance Berland, Salina, Kansas; John Bohling, Highland Village, TX; Adrian DelaGarza, Coppell, TX; Randy McGinnis, San Antonio, TX.
Hogan / Senior Hogan: 1 -- Michael Garrett, Mt. Vernon, TX; Jeff Blackwood, Midland, TX; Mike Davis, Carrollton, TX; Greg Sheppard, Carrollton, TX; Gregory Stairs, Mansfield, TX.
Sarazen: 3 -- George Peddy, Bedford, TX. 1 -- Preston Miller, Fort Worth, TX; Nancy Geihl, Grand Prairie, TX.
Senior Sarazen: 2 -- John Cox, Mansfield, TX. 1 -- Ken Benjamin, Grand Prairie, TX; Stephen Killion, Sanger, TX.
Jones / Senior Jones: 3 -- Brandon Litzner, Coppell, TX. 2 -- Keith Bruce, Gordonville, TX. 1 -- Imran Siddiqi, Edmond, OK; Melvin Wilson III, Dallas, TX; Gerardo Garza, Lewesville, TX; Tom Stockton, Euless, TX; Ron Hardy, Lewisville, TX.
Snead / Senior Snead: 2 -- Mike Adcock, Saginaw, TX; Don Freitag, Arlington, TX; Rick Henthorn, Yukon, OK. 1 -- Jerry Rayborn, Palestine, TX; Dwain Smith, Cedar Park, TX; Doyle Fleming, Haslet, TX.
Next Up: After a fall break for the Senior National Championship and National Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, FL the tour will resume play in early October on the Dallas Tour. Look for details on the fall schedule soon.
For More Information:
Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Hill Country / Oklahoma Tours
405.513.1467
schilcutt@gcamtour.com
Scott R Chilcutt, Fort Worth, TX (August 5, 2012) Located on the east side of Fort Worth and just minutes west of the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, and Dallas Cowboys Stadium sits the Waterchase Golf Club. What the facility lacks in clubhouse amenities it more than makes up for the on course experience. Carved out of the local terrain with an abundance of native areas and water hazards, along with plush conditions and carpet like greens, the course, under the extreme heat conditions, made for a historic Fort Worth Championship challenge to remember.
Rachel Smith from Mansfield, TX, made history by being the first woman to win a Golf Channel Am Tour event in the Championship Flight. On a roll after finishing as the low amateur at the Texas Women's Open at the Lakes at Castle Hills the Winthrop University standout bested the field of 12 Championship Flight players carding a two under par 70.
Shooting his way into a most certain flight promotion to the Senior Hogan group, Stephen Killion took home the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Labor Finders.
RESULTS:
Championship Flight: Mansfield, TX player Rachel Smith had only one blemish on her round, a double bogey on the par five tenth hole was more than made up for with four birdies and the remaining pars that led to her first victory, two strokes ahead of Chad Johnson from Cleburne, TX. An eagle three on the par five sixth hole was enough for Andrew Braun from Trophy Club, TX to solidify his third place finish just one stroke back of second place finisher Johnson.
Palmer Flight: John Anderson from Lake Worth, TX birdied the final hole to force what would have been a playoff with Amarillo, TX member Ben Burney. After Burney was not available for the extra holes, Anderson was awarded his fifth win on tour and first on the year. The pair of players, Chad Netherton from Midlothian, VA and Dallas, TX member Ivan Zweig rounded out the top three position two strokes back.
Senior Palmer Flight: James Galbraith from Prosper, TX played the back nine in one over par to force a playoff with Fort Worth, TX member Sean Fenton. After 1/2 of the first hole of the playoff had to be abandoned because of greens maintenance, Fenton birdied the 18th to pick up his third win on the season. Four strokes back, Terry Wooten from Grapevine, TX finished in the show position.
Hogan Flight: Dallas, TX resident, Jimi Clark righted the ship after a tough fifth through ninth holes to pick up his second win on tour and first since his promotion from the Sarazen Flight. Scott Harper from Ranger, TX recorded three birdies on the day to finish in the second spot and stay four strokes ahead of Chad Maynard from Frisco, TX and Mesquite, TX player Gabriel Brisco.
Senior Hogan Flight: Greg Sheppard of Carrollton, TX landed his first win on tour since the 2011 Tour Championship @ Cowboy. Sheppard stayed two strokes clear of Trophy Club, TX player Jalil DaneshFar and one stroke back, Paul Burleson from Argyle, TX rounded out the top three.
Sarazen Flight: Denton, TX player Cory Womack started out with four birdies on the first six holes and looked to have run away with the field until a double, triple and final hole quad brought him back to the field. The early round barrage was enough for Womack to land his second win on the year and to stay ahead of the pair of Willie Dozier from Garland, TX and Hurst, TX member Patrick Gutridge tied up in the second spot.
Senior Sarazen Flight: Stephen Killion from Sanger, TX won his fourth event of the year and third on a round in the 70's. Three birdies to go with four bogeys and a double kept the lead to three strokes over Oklahoma Tour traveler, Hank Chang from Lawton, OK. Chang stayed three strokes clear of the 2011 Red River Shootout at WinStar Resort champion, Jim Wright from Azle, TX finishing in the third position.
Jones Flight: Tulsa, OK native Melvin Wilson III now from Dallas, TX punched his ticket to the National Champsionship with his third win on the season by two strokes over Imran Siddiqi from Edmond, OK. Siddiqi birdied the seventeenth to hold the second place finish on his own, two strokes ahead of Brian Glaser from Flower Mound, TX.
Senior Jones Flight: Bob Eustice from Garland, TX brought home the trophy for the second time this year, three strokes clear of a pair of players knotted up in the second spot. First year players Paul Vessels of Mesquite, TX and Euless, TX Tom Stockton shared the second place finish.
Snead Flight: Arlington, TX resident Don Freitag grabbed his fourth win on tour and first of the year with a four stroke advantage over Billy Hendrix from Flower Mound, TX. Just a single stroke back, partners in crime, Mike Adcock of Saginaw, TX and Parker, TX player Dion Casto split the third place finish.
SKINS:
Championship: 2 -- Chad Johnson, Cleburne, TX; Rachel Smith, Mansfield, TX; Tony Hogg, Fort Worth, TX. 1 -- Andrew Morsinkhoff, Rockwall, TX; Willie Roach, Fort Worth, TX; Andrew Braun, Trophy Club, TX; Jim Largent, Granbury, TX.
Palmer / Senior Palmer: 2 -- Terry Wooten, Grapevine, TX. 1 -- Ben Burney, Amarillo, TX; Steve Tucker, Durant, OK; Ivan Zweig, Dallas, TX; John Anderson, Lake Worth, TX.
Hogan / Senior Hogan: 3 -- Scott Harper, Ranger, TX. 2 -- Chad Maynard, Frisco, TX. 1 -- Shawn Whitaker, Lewisville, TX; Philip Mahony, New York, NY.
Sarazen: 1 -- Scott Lane, Plano, TX; Cory Womack, Denton, TX; George Peddy, Bedford, TX.
Senior Sarazen: 3 -- Hank Chang, Lawton, OK; Stephen Killion, Sanger, TX. 1 -- David McCasland, Red Oak, TX; Dale McFarland, Crowley, TX; Burnie Rodgers, Haslet, TX; Jerrell Neely, Richland Hills, TX; Jim Wright, Azle, TX.
Jones / Senior Jones: 2 -- Trecia Wood, Frisco, TX. 1 -- Imran Siddiqi, Edmond, OK; Mike Jones, Midland,TX; Ron Hardy, Lewisville, TX.
Snead: 2 -- Dion Casto, Parker, TX; Don Freitag, Arlington, TX. 1 -- Mike Adcock, Saginaw, TX; Joe Torrez, Midlothian TX; Billy Hendrix, Flower Mound, TX.
Next Up: Dallas Tour Championship at Tour 18 to be held on Saturday August 18th. Registration deadline is on Friday August 10th at 11:59 PM EST.
For More Information:
Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Hill Country / Oklahoma Tours
405.513.1467
schilcutt@gcamtour.com
