Back To The Bigs! - Dallas Tour Review - 2012
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
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