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.

Creeks Rising but Skies Turn Clear - Fort Worth Championship

Scott R Chilcutt, Fort Worth, TX (May 17, 2015)  The full field of Golf Channel AM Tour members, made the call for the Fort Worth Championship at Waterchase Golf Club after torrential rains preceded them to the course, early Sunday morning.  Relegated to the cart paths, with bunkers unplayable, the course actually drained very well.  Problems really only arose after some of the streams came out of the banks, leaving the players with a feeling the "water was chasing them".

At the end of the day, nine champions were crowned, with four of the nine flights taking extra holes to finalize the awards.  Jeremy Nolan (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.  Burnie Rodgers, after coming off a hole in one his last tournament, went on to win the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving, by three strokes.

RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  First time Rockwall, TX, player Ari Rogers matched his six bogies with six birdies for an even par 72 to take home the hardware.  One stroke back, Kevin Schmuhl of Southlake, TX, and McKinney, TX, resident, Tim Williams shared the runner up honors.  Both players made the turn one stroke back of the lead,  Schmul would make a birdie on the par 5 - 13th,  Williams would then answer at the par 4 -17th, to stay knotted up in second. 

Palmer Flight:  Todd Arnold of Fort Worth, TX, playing in his first year on tour, carded a birdie on his final hole of the day, the par 5 - 18th to snatch the win.  Arnold, one stroke back after sixteen holes, got to even after second place finisher, David Wright of Flower Mound, TX, faltered on seventeen to open the door.  It makes the third win in five attempts for Arnold, jumping into second place in the points behind Wright.  Grandbury, TX, player William Hall, recorded his second, third place finish in as many attempts, one stroke back of second.

Senior Palmer Flight:  Starting on the tenth hole, Granbury, TX, member, Dave Hanson took a one stroke lead to the back, with the help of two birdies.  Adding two more at the par 3 - 2nd and par 4 - 4th, Hanson would go up by three over Alan Luedke of Fort Worth.  Luedke would stay steady, matching his front nine score, when Hanson struggled over four of his final five holes to force the first playoff of the day.   Back out to the par 4 - 1st, Luedke, would prevail for his first win in only two attempts on tour.  Whitney, TX, four time winner on the season, John Price just narrowly missed the playoff with a double on his final hole, rounding out the third place finish, one stroke back.

Hogan Flight:  Cody Wright, of Dallas, TX and Killeen, TX member,  Derrick Matthews would continue a playoff trend on the day.  Both made the turn even, but each had his own story to tell coming to the clubhouse.  Matthews, would record two bogies to go with seven pars, including the final four, while Wright would have to use two birdies, just enough to overcome his bogie on the final hole.  Back out to the 1st hole, Wright would prevail with a par, to pick up his fourth win on tour and his third in as many tries.  One stroke back of the leaders, Brian Cox of Killeen, TX, in his first event since taking over assistant duties on the Hill Country Tour, would play the back nine with 9 pars, to lock up a tie with Bedford, TX, three time winner on the season, Darren Bufton.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Continuing in the third of four playoffs,  Manuel Martinez of Cisco, TX, and Trophy Club, TX, resident, Jalil Daneshfar matched nines to require extra holes.  Three holes to be exact, before Martinez would finally pick up his third win on the season, with a par on the par 5 - 3rd. Leading the pack after his first nine holes of the day,  Michael Starks of Cleburne, TX, would struggle over four of his last six, to lock up the third place honors with Sanger, TX, member Steve Killion.

Sarazen Flight:  David Hickman of Rockwall, TX, became a five time winner on tour, first since the 2010 The Spring Championship at Waterchase, becoming the only repeat winner of the event at the Fort Worth Club. Hickman, one stroke back, making the turn, finished the final nine, just good enough for a two stroke win.  Back on tour after taking 2014 off, Higinio Sustaita of Fort Worth finished in the runner up spot, with recent Red River Shootout at WinStar Resort & Casino, Major Champion,  Preston Miller of Fort Worth rounding out the top three.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  Making the start on the tenth hole, both Burnie Rodgers of Haslet, TX, and Wichita Falls, TX, traveler Derek Drake would make their front nines look silly.  Both, two under par at the turn, Rodgers, with three birdies and Drake with two would come to some semblance of reality on the back. Burnie would add three more birdies, and Derek added on another, but both ended the day all square setting the stage for the fourth and final playoff of the day.  Both remounted and headed back out to the par 4 -1st, where Rodgers would make bogey, picking up his third win of the season and fifteenth on tour.  Chris Howl of Arlington, TX, finished just two strokes back for the third place honors.

Jones Flight:  Coming off his playoff win at the Red River Shootout at WinStar Resort & Casino in a playoff, Lott, TX, first year player, Randy Helcel made it two for two.  Helcel, with a birdie on the par 3 - 16th, made it look easy with an eleven stroke advantage.  Andy Eldridge of Fort Worth, TX, made par on six consecutive holes in the middle of his round for his best finish on tour, one stroke clear of North Richland Hills, TX, member  Luis Dayer. 

Snead Flight:  Following in his fathers AM Tour winning footsteps, Jeremy Nolan of Rockwall, TX, commanded his first win on tour.  Nine strokes back, Arlington, TX member, Thomas Rauch notched his fourth runner up on the season, to go with two wins, four strokes ahead of Stan Harper of Lake Leon, TX, rounding out the top three.  






SKINS:

Giant SKINS: ($330/each)  1 -- Kevin Evans, Springtown, TX; Burnie Rodgers, Haslet, TX.

Championship / Palmer:  ($45/each) 3 -- Kevin Schmuhl, Southlake, TX. 1 -- Eric Anderson, Granbury, TX; Dallas Webster, Wylie, TX; Kevin Evans, Springtown, TX.

Senior Palmer:  ($16/each)  4 -- Dave Hanson, Granbury, TX. 1 -- Alan Luedke, Fort Worth, TX; Frank Spina, Keller, TX.

Hogan / Senior Hogan:  ($130/each) 1 -- Steve Lamb, Garland, TX; Darren Bufton, Bedford, TX; John Heintz, San Antonio, TX.

Sarazen:  ($40/each)  3 -- Willie Carr, Fort Worth, TX. 1 -- Phil Anderson, Murphy, TX; John Lopez, Saginaw, TX.

Senior Sarazen:  ($70/each)  3 -- Burnie Rodgers, Haslet, TX. 1 -- Davis Noble, Lake Kiowa, TX; Jamie Sansom, Plano, TX; Rodney Wren, Dallas, TX.


Jones / Snead:  ($22/each)  2 -- Zane Latham, Valley View, TX; Randy Helcel, Lott, TX. 1 -- Douglas Taylor, San Angelo, TX; Andy Eldridge, Fort Worth, TX; Don Watson, Wichita Falls, TX; Jason Jenniges, Weatherford, TX; Thomas Rauch, Arlington, TX.

CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

($200/each)  #2 - John Neff - 3' 3";  #7 - Scott Harris - 4' 7";  #12 - No Qualified Shot;  #14 - Jason Jenniges - 11' 5".

Upcoming Texas Events:

The Hill Country Tour makes its Memorial Day Weekend visit to Vaaler Creek Golf Club for the Battle at Blanco on Saturday, May 22nd.  Then on to a special Monday event for the Cedar Park Challenge, at Twin Creeks on June 15th.  Entry deadline is Friday, June 5th. 

Back to the popular Heritage Ranch, the Dallas Tour competes at the Fairview Classic on May 31st. Registration closes on Friday May 22nd.

Houston Tour heads south for the Missouri City Championship at Quail Valley Golf Club on May 30th, entry deadline is Friday, May 22nd.

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

Dallas Tour Players Take Four Flights at Red River Shootout

Scott R Chilcutt, Thackerville, OK (May 3, 2015)  The Golf Channel AM Tour returned for the third Red River Shootout and first since 2013 along the Red River. Just a little over an hour north of the Dallas / Ft Worth metroplex on the Oklahoma side of the border sits, WinStar Golf Club, part of the WinStar World Casino complex that played host to the event.  

Moderate winds, along with what some players noted, "diabolical greens", kept low scores at bay, with no sub par rounds on the weekend. The field recorded 5 eagles, and 241 birdies and the course played to just over 15 over.  36 National Championship and Senior National Championship invitations were given to the top three and ties, with eight of eleven flights seeing first time Major Champions.

It was no coincidence that the field was made up of a majority of Dallas Tour players, but the surprise came from Hill Country Tour, the smallest in the state, and it's five victories, including the top three flights that went home to members working at Fort Hood.  Dallas Tour members took four Championships, one went to the Houston area and a single trophy traveled back to Missouri. 

Michael Campbell of New Braunfels, TX, padded his pockets and the Golf Channel AM Tour will send another $500 to the Troops First Foundation with his first career hole in one on the par 3 - 5th on Saturday with a 7 iron from 148 yards.  Additionally, over $1,300 was raised for David Feherty's Troops First Foundation.through the 50/50 raffle.

RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  First round leader, Marco Palacios of Austin, TX, ran into trouble on his Sunday round opening the door for Killeen, TX, resident, Jordan Massey.  Massey, with eight birdies on the weekend, including the final hole, par 5 - 18th picked up his second win in three attempts on tour and first Major Championship.  Plano, TX, first year player Gant Bills, playing to a combined total +3 in four rounds on tour, finished two strokes back for the runner up spot.  Second year tour player, Jared Taylor of Edmond, OK, a six time winner on tour during two seasons, rounded out the top three grabbing the final National Championship Qualification of the flight.

Palmer Flight:  In his final hurrah as a Fort Hood, TX, resident, Jacob Morton, would pick up his second Red River Shootout victory, his tenth win on tour and fourth Major Championship.  But, it wouldn't come without extra work.  Morton, on his way to the Beltway with his new position at the Pentagon, birdied his 36th hole of the weekend to draw a tie with Ron Finnerty of San Antonio, TX.  Finnerty, with three birdies on the weekend, got even with Morton after 27 holes, but could only match him on the final nine.  Both back out to the par 4 - 1st hole for the sudden death playoff, Morton would get up and down for the Championship.  Two strokes back of the pair,  David Wright of Flower Mound, TX, made eagle three on the par 5 - 18th, his final hole of the weekend, to snatch a share of the third place honors with San Antonio, TX member Dave Davlin for the National Championship invites.

Senior Palmer Flight:  Robert Lippert of Copperas Cove, TX, made it a trio of Fort Hood members to take home the crystal.  Lippert, with three birdies on his opening round, built a seven stroke advantage on Saturday and was able to cruise on Sunday for his ninth win on tour, second major and fourth win of the season.  Playing along side of Lippert in the final pairing, Traylor Sells of Cypress, TX, the 2013 Red River Shootout at WinStar Resort Champion and Midland, TX, player Al Smith matched scores on both rounds to share the runner up finish.

Hogan Flight:   Dallas Tour member, Cory Welch of Fort Worth, TX, used birdies on the par 3 - 5th and par 3 - 14th on Sunday to take seven strokes off his opening round to win it by one.  Welch, a winner his last time out at the Myrtle Beach Classic Major, picked up his eighth win on tour and third Major Championship.  Michael Campbell of New Braunfels, TX, added five birdies on the weekend to his hole in one on Saturday to jump into the second place finish with first round leader, Derrick Matthews of Killeen, TX and Sapulpa, OK player Tams Howard. Howard added four birdies on Sunday to one carded on Saturday for his first National Championship Qualification.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Bob Hunter of Lees Summit, MO, led wire to wire to become the only out of Texas winner on the weekend.  Hunter, a six time winner on tour, three time winner on the season, picked up his first Major Championship in thirty two Major starts on his AM Tour career.  One stroke back, Magnolia, TX resident, George Smith, a four time winner on tour, carded his eighth runner up finish taking three strokes off his first round total.  Two strokes back, Dallas Tour member, Jalil Daneshfar of Trophy Club, TX, and Wentzville, MO, player Michael Quesenberry, with two birdies on his final round split the final Senior National Championship qualification spots.

Sarazen Flight:  Fort Worth, TX, player Preston Miller used two birdies on Saturday to stay within one stroke of the lead.  Sunday, Miller would play the front nine in +3, but ran into trouble on the back, starting with a triple on the 10th hole, but did just what he needed to do to pick up his fourth win on tour and first Major Championship by a single stroke.  Oklahoma City, OK native, Kevin Stevens,  now residing in Wesley Chapel, FL, and son Mitch Stevens of Valrico, FL, finished National Championship qualifications, in second and third respectively.

Senior Sarazen Flight:  With caddie in tow,  Mark Donohue of Lewisville, TX made a walk along the Red River work to his first Major Championship and fourth win on tour. Donohue matched +9 - 81's on both days for a two stroke lead over, 2013 Red River Shootout at WinStar Resort playoff Champion, Stan Wilson of Jones, OK and St Charles, MO, member, Thomas Pryor splitting the runner up finish.  It was Pryor's best finish at a Major Championship in six attempts.

Jones Flight:  Stuck in a three way tie for second after the Saturday round, Larry Atchley of Kyle, TX, shot a flight low round on Sunday to become a Major Champion and four time winner on tour. First round leader, Portland, TX, resident, James Price finished four strokes back, for the runner up spot, his best finish in a Major.  Two strokes back of Price, Brandon Walters of Springdale, AR matched his best finish at a Major with a third place finish at the 2014 The Sooner State Showdown.

Senior Jones Flight: In a hotly contested 24 player flight, where the top seven players were only separated by four strokes, first round leader, Randy Helcel of Lott, TX, was surprised to learn he was tied in the top spot after a mediocre Sunday Round.  When Lakeway, TX member Donald Bebout, was not available for the extra holes playoff, Helcel would pick up his first win on tour.  Bebout will take home the runner up finish, with Terry Collins of Spring, TX, carding birdie on the eighteenth hole on Sunday for the final Senior National Championship qualification.

Snead Flight:   Tulsa, OK, resident, William Hughes became a first time winner in three years on tour at the April,  Dallas Tour, Castle Hills Masters and hasn't stopped yet.  With his final round 93 it was just enough to pick up his first Major Championship and third win in as many attempts. Corpus Christi, TX, resident William Speck, took seven strokes off his Saturday round on Sunday to finish two shots back, with Houston Tour player Javier Quintero rounding out the top three.

Senior Snead Flight:  Long Island, NY, native, Robert Vespa now living in Pasadena, TX, kept on his winning track.  After his first victory on tour his last time out, Vespa overcame a three stroke deficit starting the day Sunday to finish with a one stroke advantage. First round leaders, Hal Wychopen of  Magnolia, TX, and Lombard, IL, member, John Pacheco finished second and third respectively, punching their ticket to the Senior National Championships in September.

Upcoming Texas Events:

Hill Country Members are back to River Crossing Club on May 9th for the Spring Branch Classic.

Dallas Tour members get back into action at the Fort Worth Championship at Waterchase Golf Club, entry deadline is Friday, May 8th.

Houston Tour players tee it up for the special Player Championship @ The Woodlands on Tuesday, May 19th. Registration closes on Friday, May 8th.  The event is sold out but waiting list spots are available.

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