Sunday January 26, 2020

La Cantera Resort Course

 

 

The day started out brisk and foggy on Sunday for the Resort Classic at La Cantera, but the day quickly turned unseasonably pleasant. It seems the course won this round, however, as the temperature was the only thing in the mid-70s...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Joshua Lim has played two events on the Am Tour, and hasn't had his A or even B game at either. Thanks to some challenging venues and limited competition however, Lim is now two for two on the year and well on his way to qualification for the National Vhampionship in September. Lim made no birdies on Sunday, but a clutch par at the last earned him a one-stroke win. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

     Generally, starting out a round with 8-7-4-6 would be irredeemable in the Palmer flight. As Brad Kendrick showed on Sunday, however, it's not how you start, but how you finish, that matters. Kendrick was able to fire a solid back-nine 40 and earn his first Tour win after the nightmare start. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

     

 

 

 

 

     The low round of the day came from the Hogan flight on Sunday. Locked in a battle on the front nine, Mackie Crossan was able to get his nose in front with pars to Kevin Fontenot's double bogeys on eight and nine. That proved to be all the cushion Crossan needed, as the two tied in 38 on the back and Crossan's 78 took home the trophy, his second consecutive win on Tour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     The Sarazen flight came right down to the wire...and beyond, as Tony Smith and Kevin Montague were close most of the day and required 19 holes to crow a winner. When Montague was able to eek out a lead with three to play, Smith responded with three closing pars to force a playoff at 86.  Montague was able to close out Smith on the first extra hole and earn his first Tour win since last June.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Sr. Sarazen was close as well, as the entire flight was separated by only five shots at the turn on Sunday. Tournament golf is frequently about who closes best, and at the Resort Course it was Houston's Philip Sumang. His birdie on 15 picked up a minimum of two strokes on each of his competitiors, and he held on to win for the first time since last July's Texas Classic at Barton Creek.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Michael Grant got out of the gate quickly on Sunday, firing a rare 39 in the Jones flight on the first nine. While he eventually came down to earth, Grant's 86 was enough to edge Norman Gosselin, who shot 90. Grant notched his first win since last March, largely on the strength of those six front-nine pars. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      After a somewhat pedestrian start and middle to his 2018-19 season, Archie Smith has been on an absolute tear. He won the season-ending Tour Championship, and after his 89 in the Snead flight Sunday has won his first three starts of 2019-20. Smith was entirely too much for the flight at La Cantera, winning by 13 and making six pars along the way. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Bill Russell was the model of consistency at the Resort Course, and in the Sr. Snead flight that can be a great recipe for success. Russell posted matching nines of 50, and his 100 total was enough to clear the field by three. He picked up his first win since April of last year and took one big step toward qualifying for Sr. Nationals.