Championship Saturday – Part ONE - Tournament Results

Rescheduled Venue Proves a Great Facility for the Tour Championship

Scott R Chilcutt, Shawnee, OK (August 28, 2010) When we first met with Brad Fulton, PGA Professional at Shawnee Country Club he welcomed us with open arms. Originally scheduled for a spring tournament, Brad would later suggest we delay the tournament since they were in transition with course superintendants and wanted to make sure the course was ready. We opted for the Tour Championship.

Little did any of us know the 100+ degree days would have all the courses in Oklahoma scrambling to keep the Bent Grass alive and smooth? What didn’t change was Shawnees commitment make it a great event, from the staff to the facilities it proved to be a great choice. 22 players took to the course for practice rounds specially set up for tournament members was the beginning of the hospitality that extended to Closest to the Pin sponsorship, all the way to the menu designed for the awards ceremony.

On a day that was 15 degrees cooler than our last event at River Oaks, Brad Cooper picked up his first Tournament Champion trophy, presented by Labor Finders, shooting a net -5 par.

This wasn’t the first time that Cooper was in the hunt for the trophy, he waited around an extended time at The Open @ Coffee Creek in April to find he was locked in a 4 way tie, ultimately losing the glass vase in a score card playoff to G. Bob Fraley. Cooper, in the first group to finish (in 3:40 minutes) watched the updated scoring on the screen as entered from the 13th hole and looked like his wait might have a similar fate. But in the end, that gross 73, net 66 and bettered the field with a 4 shot cushion over Gary Chrisman, the only other player under par with a net 70.

Results:

Championship Flight – Brad Kerr from Claremore was in the clubhouse with the lead, but prior to ordering his sandwich stated, “If Fowler pars in we are in a playoff”. Checotah’s James Fowler didn’t listen. After double hitting a wedge out of the rough on the par 4 11th hole taking a triple 7, there was no quit in Fowler instead he finished 1 under over the last 5 holes with birdies on 17 and 18 to earn his 5th win of the year. Fowlers 77 relegated Kerr to his 4th runner up spot of the year by 1 stroke with Sapulpa’s Curt Howard rounding out the top three.

Palmer Flight – Brad Cooper from Lawton shot a tournament low round of 1 over par 73 taking his 2nd victory of the year over Tulsa's Brook Lister and Oklahoma City’s Darren Montgomery .

Senior Palmer Flight - Tulsa’s Roland Lewis started out slow but finished the last 10 holes in 2 over par to take his 5th top spot of the year over Texhoma, TX’s Mel Yates by one stroke. David McDaniel from Broken Arrow rounded out the top 3. All three players are eligible and registered for the Senior National Championship starting the 21st of September.

Hogan Flight – Chris Blankenship from Stigler, edged out first time Hogan player and Sarazen graduate, Kirby Rogers from Muldrow and Piedmont’s Jason Conner for his 5th win of the year. Conner would take the 2nd place prize over the Kirby the Arkansas Tour visitor in a score card playoff with Moore’s Michael Coleman taking the 4th spot. Arkansas Tour Director, Paul Gomez and last tournament 1st time winner, Lon Norton tied for 4th.

Senior Hogan Flight – Tahlequah’s Jim Crawford picked up the first win of his Golf Channel Am Tour career, firing a 9 over par 80 besting 7 time winner Tulsa’s Bill Copeland by 3 strokes. Despite a triple on the first hole Crawford kept his mind in the game finishing the last 14 holes in 4 over. Fellow Tahlequah resident, Mike Johnson was one back of Copeland firing an 84 with a birdie skin on the par 4 5th hole.

Sarazen Flight – Alan Barnett from Cheyenne picked up his 3rd win of year despite his absence from the tour this summer with family obligations. Alan shot an 81 to get the win over DFW Tour invader Willie Dozier from Garland, TX. Dozier qualified for the National Championship last weekend with a win at the DFW Tour Championship edged out Stillwater’s Ryan Cummings and points leader Scott Word from Bethany. Second time player Scott Bacci from Wichita, KS and Van Buren, AR visitor Jay Williams rounded out the field.

Jones Flight – Yukon’s Jerry Hardin, on a roll since this win at the Summer Classic at Kicking Bird in late July would take another DFW visitor, Ricky Gates from Arlington, TX. On the first hole of the playoff, Hardin found the sand on his tee shot and Gates would finish with the win. Gates also a National Championship qualifier from the DFW tour and Hardin edged out Ron Walker from Crescent and Oklahoma City’s Gary Chrisman by a stroke. Jimmy Smethers from Stigler rounded out the field, with Shug Shuggart withdrawing after an accident doing yard work on Friday.

Snead Flight – Starting with a front nine 38, Tulsa’s Scott Bundrick came back to the field on the back nine but hung on to the win over 2nd place K.C. Montgomery from Fairview for his 3rd win of the year. Montgomery traveling back and forth from Amarillo where he’s working a horse show for the next 10 days hung on to finish just ahead of Yukon’s Rick Henthorn. After nursing a bum elbow, Ardmore’s John Moore finished 4th with Curt McPherson from Canadian, TX finishing in the 5th spot.









CLOSEST TO THE HOLE:

Lon Norton – Curt Howard – Alan Barnett -


SKINS:

Championship/Palmer – James Fowler – 2: Brad Cooper – 1: David McDaniel – 1: Mel Yates -1:

Hogan / Senior Hogan / Sarazen – Bill Copeland -2: Michael Coleman -1: Jason Conner – 1: Ryan Cummings – 1: Mike Johnson – 1: Kirby Rogers – 1: Scott Word – 1:

Jones /Snead – Scott Bundrick – 2: Jerry Hardin – 2: Ricky Gates – 1: Jimmy Smethers – 1:



For pictures – CLICK HERE


NEXT UP, YEAR END SUMMARY TO BE POSTED ON Wednesday.


For more information:

Scott R Chilcutt
schilcutt@gcamtour.com
405-513-1467