Soggy Cowboy Classic - Lakeside

Scott R Chilcutt, Stillwater, OK (April 13, 2013)   Home to nearly 25,000 students, Oklahoma State University and its Stillwater Campus sprawls just south of Lakeside Golf Course.  OSU Athletics and its formidable golf program developed by Labron Harris from 1947 - 1973.  Harris was the architect of Lakeside, home of  OSU Cowboys Golf for nearly 50 years. 

On this Masters weekend, where two former Cowboy Golfers made the cut at Augusta, the Oklahoma Tour and visitors from surrounding states gathered for the Cowboy Classic with soggy and windy conditions.  With over 3 tenths of an inch of early morning rain, a closed range and carts relegated to the paths only, it took players out of there comfort zone and put a premium on mental and physical flexibility.

Augusta, KS member, Ernest DeBruler took home the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving of Lewisville, TX, two strokes clear of the Kickingbird Challenge trophy winner Tim Mathis of Edmond, OK and Dallas Tour visitor, Scott Sears.



RESULTS:

Championship Flight:  Playing the par three's and four's in +3 each,  James Fowler of Checotah, OK took advantage of the par 5 - 13th to set up his first of two birdies on the day to pick up his first win on the year.  Three strokes back, first year Boston, MA native, Bill Robinson now residing in Tulsa, OK recorded his second runner up finish in three tries.  Another three strokes back, 2012 Championship Flight Player of the Year, Steve Lusk of Ponca City, OK rounded out the top three in his first outing of 2013.

Palmer Flight:  Four players finished within two strokes, where Jimmy Westfall of Oklahoma City, OK collected his tenth win on tour and first of the season.  Westfall used a birdie on the par 3 - 8th and stayed away from the big numbers to win by one stroke over Edmond, OK first year player Dave Kirby.  Kirby finished the back nine in +3 to edge out a pair locked in the third spot.   Curt Howard of Sapulpa, OK and Norman, OK resident Bill McConnell shared the third place honors.  McConnell, opting out of the Giant Skins, left two on the table including an eagle on the par 5 - 13th.

Hogan Flight:  With only two starts on tour in 2012,  Tony Miller of Edmond, OK made the best of his winter golf.  Despite a double on the final, uphill par three, Miller carded his first win on tour five strokes clear at +9 - 79.  In the second spot, the winner at the Forest Ridge Classic, first year player Joe Deere of Catoosa, OK finished one stroke clear of third place Jason Thomas of Yukon, OK.

Senior Hogan Flight:  Low trajectory, wind piercing ball flight vaulted Tim Mathis of Edmond, OK to his second win in as many tries.  For the second sub 80 round on a par 70 course, Mathis ran out front of Tulsa native, Dallas Tour member Randy Sellers now from Lewisville, TX by four strokes.  Sellers birdie on the par 4 -9th hole righted early woes to finish four strokes clear of third place finisher James Surber of Edmond, OK.

Sarazen Flight:   Ernest DeBruler of Augusta, KS had a run from the fifth to eleventh holes in three under par to card his third win on tour, six strokes clear of a trio knotted up in the second spot.  Christian Williamson of Edmond, OK played his last eight holes in minus one to catch up with traveling Dallas Tour member Scott Sears of Carrollton, TX and Arkansas Tour member Jay Williams of Van Buren, AR.  

Jones Flight:  Oklahoma City native, Brian Putnam now residing in Edmond started his Am Tour career playing out of Virginia.  Set to play with the Oklahoma group during the summer of 2012, Putnam was transferred home just in time to be deployed to Afghanistan, thus setting back his debut in this part of the country to 2013. Putnam took the front nine to warm up, coming back to the club house in +4 to record his second win on tour.  Five strokes back, Gary Chrisman of Yukon, OK and first year Oklahoma City member Jeff Ebbs shared the second place finish.

Senior Jones Flight:  Ron Walker of Crescent, OK made it five.  Walker's fifth win on tour and second of the season, Ron stayed two strokes ahead of Dallas Tour traveler Lloyd C Reid Jr.  Reid managed his runner up finish by a stroke over another trio tied in the third place finish.  Forced to play with the Senior Jones due to a lack of Snead participants,  Rick Henthorn of Yukon split the third place honors with Terry Saxon of Norman, OK and visiting Belle Vista, AR member Dennis Baxter.
   


SKINS:

Giant Skins:  2 -- Ernest DeBruler, Augusta, KS. 1 -- James Fowler, Checotah, OK; Curt Howard, Sapulpa, OK; James Surber, Edmond, OK; Art Wiles, Oklahoma City, OK.

Championship /Palmer:  1 -- James Fowler, Checotah, OK; Roland Lewis, Tulsa, OK; Curt Howard, Sapulpa, OK; Bill McConnell, Norman, OK.

Hogan / Senior Hogan:  2 -- James Surber, Edmond, OK. 1 -- John Kang, Enid, OK; Tony Miller, Edmond, OK; Randy Sellers, Lewisville, TX; Art Wiles, Oklahoma City, OK.

Sarazen:  3 -- Ernest DeBruler, Augusta, KS. 2 -- Jay Williams, Van Buren, AR. 1 -- Christian Williamson, Edmond, OK.

Jones / Senior Jones:  1 -- Gary Chrisman, Yukon, OK; Kyle Kuykendall, Yukon, OK; Chris Manahan, Oklahoma City, OK; Rick Henthorn, Yukon, OK; Jeff Ebbs, Oklahoma City, OK.


Next Up:  After a break for the Missouri Valley Championship, the Oklahoma Tour will resume play on May 11th at the Valley View Invitational in Farmington, AR.  Hill Country Tour visits Vaaler Creek Golf Club for the first time at the Battle at Blanco on April 20th.  The Dallas Tour makes introduces another new course for the Arlington Championship at Tierra Verde on Sunday April, 21st.  

Scott R Chilcutt

Tour Director
Dallas / Fort Worth Tour - Hill Country Tour - Oklahoma Tour
GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour
405.513.1467 - 972.302.9478
schilcutt@gcamtour.com