Fast and Firm?

Scott R Chilcutt, Blanchard, OK (June 26, 2010) Less than a week after the USGA touted its new “FAST and FIRM” initiative we wondered if Winter Creek Golf Club had a head start on the process when the Tour Committee hit the course on Friday for our normal reconnaissance round. That thought was short lived once we arrived at the first green. On Friday they didn’t have a lot of play before we went out so it seemed that, even though the greens were spongy, they would be very receptive to approach shots and although slow, rolled well.


Saturday would prove to be a little different. The course sold out of carts before our first 11:00 tee time and was an indication of things to come. They called in rentals by a local supplier when we refused to combine our groups into foursomes as demanded by former Oklahoma Tour Director, Larry Merrick who works part time for the course.

While an impending cart disaster was averted, all the play they booked in front of us turned those spongy greens into spongy bumpy greens that proved to be a test of patience.

Apparently not lacking any patience, Texhoma, TX ace Mel Yates fired the tournament low gross round for the 2nd week in a row shooting a 3 over par 75. Mel also won the Tournament Championship Trophy, presented by Labor Finders for the 2nd time in three weeks. James Fowler from Checotah, mentioned “he doesn’t miss any fairways”. When asked how the round was going, Roland Lewis stated “I’m just having fun watching Mel play”.

The Oklahoma Tour, surpassed the entire 2009 year in rounds played with the 7th tournament of the year at Winter Creek.

Results:

Championship Flight – Shooting a 4 over par 76, Checotah’s James Fowler took the Championship fight over 30 year old Brandon Henry from Pauls Valley. Fowler birdied the par 4 – 7th for a skin.

Palmer Flight – Mel Yates shot 1 over on the back nine and had 4 birdies and two skins to stay clear of 2nd place Brook Lister. Lister from Tulsa had his best finish since his win early in the year at Fianna Hills and besting 3rd place finishing Roland Lewis, also from Tulsa by 1 stroke. Lewis who played the last 8 holes in one under par couldn’t overcome a tough stretch of holes in the middle of his round.

Hogan Flight – In his 3rd win of the year, Stigler’s Chris Blankenship edged out Lawton’s Jeff Banner and Tulsa’s Bill Copeland by a stroke. Banner ‘s best finish of the year birdied 17 and was “half a roll away from chipping in”, stated Blankenship, but settled for a par and took 2nd place in a scorecard playoff. Jason Conner from Piedmont, Tim Mathis from Edmond and Elk City’s Craig Phelps were two strokes back and tied for 4th.

Sarazen Flight – Bethany’s Scott Word won his first tournament since March 2009 and subsequent shoulder surgery over Sayre’s Robert Lakey and Ryan Cummings from Stillwater.  Word shot a net 3 under 69 for 2nd in the Tournament Champion award.

Jones Flight – Burneyville’s, Shug Shugart was a first time winner on the tour, besting Jerry Hardin from Yukon by a stroke and two strokes over Oklahoma City’s, Gary Chrisman. Chrisman finished the last 3 holes at even par with a birdie but couldn’t outscore a tough run at the 14th and 15th holes.

Snead Flight – Tulsa’s, Scott Bundrick took home his first trophy of the year beating Ron Walker from Crescent in the first hole of a playoff.
That was Walkers 2nd runner up spot in as many attempts.






SKINS:

Championship/Palmer – Brook Lister – 3: Mel Yates – 2: James Folwer – 1:

Hogan / Sarazen – Chris Blankenship -1: Todd Chapman- 1: Tim Mathis – 1:

Jones /Snead – Scott Bundrick – 2: Antonio Phillips – 2: Ron Walker – 2: Gary Chrisman – 1: Shug Shuggart- 1:


For a complete list of results and pictures click - HERE -



For more information:
Scott R Chilcutt
schilcutt@gcamtour.com
405-513-1467