Scott R Chilcutt, Richmond, TX (March 8, 2019) Pecan Grove Plantation Country Club, hosted the Prelude - Houston Open Sweetwater on the Golf Channel AM Tour, Houston Tour schedule. Players from 23 different tours, traveling from throughout the country, used the event as a warmup, to the Major Championship at Sweetwater Country Club, over the weekend.
The club, back on the schedule for the second consecutive season, was wet. Rains over the past month, have wreaked havoc on Houston courses, but the lack of sun has caused more problems, than the rainfall. The tight track, meanders through the homes of Pecan Grove, in Richmond, TX. And on this Friday, the winds swirling and deceptive winds, seemed to cause as much damage to the scorecard as the wet conditions.
RESULTS:
Championship Flight: An even par - 72, couldn't hold on for the win, our last time at the club, but Thomas Cruickshank, of nearby Richmond, TX, made his +5 works this time around. Cruickshank, with two birdies on the front side, edged out Spring, TX, member David Ortego, and Ron Finnerty, of San Antonio, TX, by a single stroke. Ortego with a single birdie on the round, and Finnerty, with a pair, shared the runner-up finish.
Palmer Flight: Stating that he hasn't been able to adjust his game to a lower weight class, Albuquerque, NM, traveler Dan Frampton, sure didn't show it. Frampton, with a pair of birdies on the round, played his final nine holes, in even par, to pick up the Championship, three strokes clear. Beaumont, TX, player Scott Mays with a birdie of his own. Three strokes out of second, the pair of Terrance Ream, of Reno, NV, and Houston, TX, member Rafael Rivero, split the third place honors.
Hogan Flight: Down two strokes making the turn, Tony Thibodeaux of Port Arthur, TX, bested the field on the back nine for his first win on tour. Thibodeaux, with a birdie on the par 5-4th, finished two strokes clear of Corpus Christi, TX, member Kevin Fontenot. Fontenot with a birdie of his own on the round, finished two strokes clear of Paul Atkinson of Bryan, TX, rounding out the top three.
Sarazen Flight: Starting the day on the par 4 - 10th hole, Spring Hill, TN, member Cliff Austin, and John Moyle of Oakdale, CA, made the turn even up, but that would be the end of the tie. On the par 4 - 1st, Austin took the lead and never looked back, making the most of a pair of birdies on the day for the win. Moyle would finish the round, twelve strokes out of the lead, in second place, with Montgomery, TX, member Joe Michetti, taking the third place finish.
Senior Sarazen Flight: Three players, finished the day knotted in the top spot, send the trio back to the course for extra holes. Sudden death, wouldn't take long, when Naperville, IL, traveler Stanley Mitchell, would pick up his first win of the season, on the first extra hole. Olan Benge, of Wharton, TX, with two birdies on his day, and Missouri City, TX, player Dale Fuhr, would be relegated to sharing the runner up finish.
Jones Flight: Beginning the round, on the tenth hole, Pete Partain of Bedford, TX, and Houston, TX, member Blake Barnes, would make the turn even up. Both with birdies on the par 4 - 1at, then would swap the lead a couple of times before Partain would solidify the championship on the final hole. Barnes, finished in the runner-up spot, with Jackson, TN, player Louis Ralph, rounding out the top three.
Snead Flight: Down a stroke at the turn, making most of a birdie on the par 3 - 12th, Denis Corleto of Waller, TX, would make up four strokes coming to the clubhouse to win the event. Three strokes back, Akron, OH, traveler John Casady recorded the runner-up finish with Palm Springs Tour member, Larry Polete, of Banning, CA, taking home the final podium spot.
SKINS:
Giant SKINS: ($63/each) Cliff Austin (1) Birdie on 16. Dan Frampton (1) Birdie on 11. Charles Ackerman (1) Birdie on 15. Denis Corleto (1) Birdie on 12. John Gollwitzer (1) Birdie on 3. Tom Stockton (1) Birdie on 6. Al Swanson (1) Birdie on 8. Jon Wendt (1) Birdie on 9.
Championship/Palmer: ($48/each) Al Swanson (2) Birdie on 4, Birdie on 8. Dan Frampton (1) Birdie on 11. Scott Mayes (1) Birdie on 10. John Gollwitzer (1) Birdie on 3.
Sarazen/Hogan: ($60/each) Leo Chmielewski (1) Par on 13. Robert McCabe (1) Birdie on 10. Cliff Austin (1) Birdie on 16. Kevin Fontenot (1) Birdie on 2. Tony Thibodeaux (1) Birdie on 4. Rod McCasland (1) Birdie on 7.
Senior Sarazen: ($56/each) Andre Fitzpatrick (1) Birdie on 1. Olan Benge (1) Birdie on 14. Charles Ackerman (1) Birdie on 15. Tom Stockton (1) Birdie on 6. Jon Wendt (1) Birdie on 9.
Jones/Snead: ($40/each) Denis Corleto (2) Birdie on 12, Par on 8. Ernest Parker (2) Par on 11, Par on 5. Steve DiPaola (2) Par on 10, Par on 18. Pete Partain (1) Par on 9.
CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:
$135/each: #3 - John Gollwitzer - 6' 3"; #6 - John Mauck - 5' 7"; #12 - Denis Corleto - 10' 8"; #17 - Stan Mitchell - 3' 3".
UP NEXT:
| CLOSED FOR REGISTRATION | |
| 16-Mar | Classic at the Springs |
| Hill Country | Delaware Springs Golf Course |
| Burnet, TX | |
| CLOSED FOR REGISTRATION | |
| 17-Mar | St Paddy's Day Championship |
| DFW | Woodbridge Golf Club |
| Wylie, TX | |
| CLOSES - Friday, March 15th | |
| 23-Mar | Cypress Lakes Challenge |
| Houston | Cypress Lakes Golf Course |
| Cypress, TX | |
| CLOSES - Friday, March 15th | |
| 24-Mar | Silverhorn Challenge |
| Hill country | Silverhorn Golf Club |
| San Antonio, TX | |
| 30/31-Mar | Red River Shootout |
| Major | Winstar Golf Club |
| Thackerville, OK |
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Director - Texas Tours
Dallas Tour - Hill Country Tour - Houston Tour
GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour
405.513.1467
