Cherry Springs Challenge - Recap

Beautiful Weather - Tight Races

Paul C. Gomez, Tahlequah, OK (May 12, 2012)  Eyes were glued to radars in anticipation of rain and storms, but the AM Tour was spared downpours and instead enjoyed near perfect conditions.  This joint event of the Oklahoma Tour and the Arkansas Tour brought players from four states to this eastern Oklahoma city to compete for eight trophies.  Out of eleven (11) Arkansas tour members, (31) Oklahoma tour members, and one (1) Dallas tour member, Arkansas won three trophies, and Oklahoma won five trophies.  Congratulations to all our winners.

Flight Winners:

Championship Flight (0-3.9) – It was a back and forth battle all day between Michael Dryer of Bella Vista, AR and Curt Howard of Sapulpa, OK.   After 9 holes, Howard was even par leading Dryer by one even after a double-bogey start.  Dryer bounced back and brought it back to a dead heat through 15 holes.  It came down to the last putt on hole 18 when Howard missed the putt to save par and send the match to a sudden death playoff.  The victory is Dryer's third consecutive of the 2012 season.

Allen Sawvel

Palmer Flight (4.0-7.9) – The Palmer flight came down to a sudden death playoff between Allen Sawvel of Broken Arrow, OK and Chris Blankenship of Stigler, OK.  Blanenship put on a impressive display of scoring being one under par after 14 holes.  One brief stumble on #'s 15 and 16 gave Sawvel the opportunity to make up the 3 strokes necessary to force a playoff.  It only took the first hole for Sawvel to take advantage of his momentum and win his first victory of the 2012 season.



Jim Crawford

Senior Palmer Flight (4.0-7.9) – For Jim Crawford of Tahlequah, OK the clear advantage of “local knowledge” saved him the one stroke he needed to win his first victory of the 2012 season.  Both Clayton Badger of and Darren Montgomery of had an opportunity to send the Senior Palmer's to a sudden death playoff, but neither parred the hole. Crawford's one point victory was a testament to the tight race among the Senior Palmer's.

Mitch Day

Hogan Flight (8.0-11.9) – “Hitting a lot of greens” was what gave Mitch Day his first victory on the AM tour.  Day's 78 was four strokes better than Gary Hayes of Chickasha, OK who came in second.  Days' consistent play of +2 and +4 on the front and back gave him some breathing room.  

 

 



Allan Barnett

Senior Hogan Flight (8.0-11.9) – Ten Senior Hogans competed in a very tough and hard fought contest that separated each place by one stroke through the top 9 finishers! Three Senior Hogans tied for second at 82 - Mike Johnson of Tahlequah, OK,  Jimmy Roe of Neosho, MO, and Tim Mathis of Edmond, OK. In the end, however, it was Allan Barnett of Cheyenne, OK who held on to win with an 81 even with a bogey on the final hole.  Barnett gave credit to his putter for the victory.  A 40 foot putt for bogey on the final hole kept him from being in a playoff and gave him his first victory of 2012! 

Jay Williams

Sarazen Flight (12.0-15.9) – Danny Neal of West Fork, AR made a valiant effort to catch Jay Williams of Van Buren, AR one under par in the last six holes, but it wasn't enough.  Williams' three three birdies and better than average GIR's gave him a two stroke victory with an 83.  David Price of Pawhuska, OK also had a chance in the flight up until the final hole.  Price finished third.



Loyd Welch

Jones Flight (16.0-19.9) – Loyd Welch of McAlester, OK shot his second best score on the AM tour to claim his fourth victory of the 2012 season!  Welch missed his first ace on tour and only his second ever by mere inches on the par 3 #4.  It was his second birdie of the day!  Brandon Walters of Springdale, AR placed second.

Chris Smith

Snead Flight (20.0 +) – Chris Smith of Fort Smith, AR gave all the credit to his dependable and safe 3 wood for his two stroke victory over Dion Casto of Parker, TX.  Casto had a very consistent bogey free round of golf going and really only one big number on the final hole.  Smith was a bit more streaky, but six pars were enough to give him the cushion he needed to win his second event in 2012.