Hill Country Tour Opens Season in Round Rock
Scott R Chilcutt, Round Rock, TX (October 21, 2018) The Fall Challenge - Teravista ended a week, that saw torrential rains causing bridge and damn breaking floods in the Hill Country. The Hill Country Tour, started the 2019 Points season, high above the low lying areas, at Teravista Golf Club in Round Rock.
While the course, itself, hadn't seen a great deal of rain since the prior Monday, where over 4" was doled out, cloud cover didn't do a lot to dry up the facility during the ensuing days. The maintenance staff did a wonderful job, getting the course in shape to play, with smooth and fast greens, where really the only exception was the bunkers, too much water simply took them out of play.
RESULTS:
Palmer Flight: When his club championship was rescheduled, Mike Harkins of Cedar Park, TX, jumped into the field and made the most of it. With three birdies on the round, Harkins picked up his twelfth win on tour, with only a single stroke to spare. One back, Carrollton, TX, player Todd Arnold, with consecutive birdies on the par 3 - 15th and par 5 - 16th, picked up the runner-up spot. John Franklin, of San Antonio, TX, rounded out the top three, with a pair of birdies on the day.
Hogan Flight: San Antonio, TX, member Les Costales, had the field by four strokes making the turn with the help of three birdies, but couldn't hold up the pace, dropping back to finish third. Servando Perez, of Cedar Park, TX, five back coming to the clubhouse, would better his front nine performance to tie up the total with San Antonio, TX, member Allan Collier. Collier with two birdies on the back would use the momentum to win the sudden death playoff over Perez on the first extra hole, the par 4 - 18th. For Collier, it was his eight Championship on tour and first since the October 2017 Opener at Teravista.
Sarazen Flight: Traveling Houston Tour member, Kevin Hobbs of Spring, TX, made it look easy. Starting the day with a birdie and then finishing his last three holes at -1, Hobbs picked up his second win on tour. Six strokes back, Leander, TX, player Chris Byrant, with a birdie of his own on the par 5 - 16th, shared the runner-up finish, with Tommy Mobley of San Marcos, TX. Mobley, started his day strong with birdies on the first and third holes but fell back to Bryant on the back nine.
Jones Flight: Charles Watson of Llano, TX, where much of the flooding was wrecking havoc the past week, made the trek east to pick up his eighth win on tour. Watson, with two birdies on his day, holed out from the fairway on the par 4 - 17th for eagle to command a five-stroke advantage. Burnet, TX, player Michael Page, with a birdie on the par 5 - 16th, finished in the runner-up spot, with Terry Spencer of nearby Georgetown, TX, rounding out the top three, with consecutive birdies on 15 and 16.
Snead Flight: Competing on tour since 2009, Gene Hanley of San Antonio, TX, finally broke through to the winner circle. Hanley, with always a great attitude, made it one for 119, with clearly one of his best scores to date. Two strokes back, with a birdie on the par 4 9th, Bill Russel of San Antonio, TX, just missed out on the win, five strokes clear of Byran, TX, third place finisher, Richard Schram.
SKINS:
Giant SKINS: ($110/each) Grizzle, Gary - San Antonio, TX - 2 - Birdie on 4, Birdie on 18. Harkins, Mike - Cedar Park, TX - 1 - Birdie on 12.
Championship/Palmer: ($15/each) Grizzle, Gary - San Antonio, TX - 3 - Birdie on 4, Birdie on 7, Birdie on 18. Harkins, Mike - Cedar Park, TX - 2 - Birdie on 2, Birdie on 12. Arnold, Todd - Carrollton, TX - 1 - Birdie on 15. Means, Aaron - Belton, TX - 1 - Par on 3. Labay, Stephen - Austin, TX - 1 - Par on 8.
Hogan: ($35/each) Costales, Les - San Antonio, TX - 2 - Birdie on 1, Birdie on 2. Collier, Allan - San Antonio, TX - 1 - Birdie on 15. Zambrano, Jacinto - Kerrville, TX - 1 - Birdie on 7. Umstead, Edward - Boca Raton, FL - 1 - Par on 8.
Sarazen: ($80/each) Cobb, Chris - Austin, TX - 1 Par on 12. Mobley, Tommy - San Marcos, TX - 1 - Birdie on 3. Helcel, Randy - Lott, TX - 1 - Birdie on 9
Jones/Snead: ($50/each) Watson, Charles - Llano, TX - 2 - Birdie on 4, Eagle on 17. Spencer, Terry - Georgetown, TX - 1 - Birdie on 15. Huddleston, Keith - Fort Worth, TX - 1 - Birdie on 5. Quintero, Javier - Houston, TX - 1 - Birdie on 7. Russell, Bill - San Antonio, TX - 1 - Birdie on 9.
CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:
$100/each: #3 - Gene Hanley - 8' 11"; #7 - Sandy Perez - 12' 8 1/2"; #11 - Chris Cobb - 6' 8"; #15 - Todd Arnold - 4' 10".
NEXT UP:
FALL TEXAS TOURS SCHEDULE - click on the title to register
10/27/2018 - Fall Championship - Cypress Lakes - Closed.
10/28/2018 - Dallas Fall Championship - Golf Club of Dallas - Closed.
11/2/2018 - Prelude Austin Open - Onion Creek - Closes Friday, October 26th.
11/11/2018 - Veterans Day Championship - Hawks Creek - Closes Friday, November 2nd.
11/17/2018 - Fall Open - Canyon Springs - Closes Friday, November 9th.
11/18/2018 - Fall Challenge - Humble - Tour 18 - Closes Friday, November 9th.
11/24/2018 - Lakes Open - Squaw Valley - Closes Friday, November 16th.
11/25/2018 - North Texas Winter Championship - Apache Links - Closes Friday, November 16th.
For More Information:
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