Hard Rock Open - Cherokee Hills - 2014

Am Tour Staff, Catoosa, OK ( June 7, 2014)  The Hard Rock Open, took a hiatus from the Oklahoma Tour in 2013, and returned to remind players of what they missed.  Cherokee Hills Golf Club, opened the tee boxes in 1924, designed by Perry Maxwell and originally called Indian Hills Golf Club.  When the Cherokee Nation purchased the course with plans to build a casino and hotel complex they hired Tripp Davis to modify the layout.  Tweaking a few holes, rerouting some others, while trying to keep the original feel of the Maxwell design, Davis created a challenge like not many others.

High chances of rain from the meteorological world helped the skies clear up on Saturday morning, led to warm muggy conditions that didn't help the scores on the devilish layout.   Clayton Badger, a Palmer Flight player,  picked up the Tournament Champion Trophy, presented by Carlisle's Engraving.


RESULTS:

Championship Flight:     20 year old, Tanner Hughes of Tulsa, OK got off to a rough start. Finally starting to get a feel for the greens on the back nine, Huges birdies the par 4 - 10th to finish the back nine in + 3 for his first win on tour.  Fellow Tulsa, OK resident, Charles Bassett made par on his final three holes to finish four strokes back.

Palmer Flight:   Clayton Badger of Drumright, OK led most of the round, when Holiday Island, AR player Allen Huffman got back to within one shot with the help of birdies on the par 4 - 10th and par 3 - 16th.  Huffman would end up three putting the final hole to match Badgers bogie on 18 finishing one stroke out of the lead.   The win was Badgers's third on tour and first since the August 2012 Cowboy Classic - Stillwater Country Club.  Brandon McCool of Edmond, OK, a winner in his last time out, rounded out the top three.

Hogan Flight:    Catoosa, OK local, Joe Deere made the best of his many trips around the Cherokee Hills layout to pick up his fourth win on tour and second of the season.  Deere took eight strokes off his front nine score on the back to finish four strokes up on Rod Haddock of Claremore, OK.  Visiting Arkansas Tour member, Ron Stratton of Bella Vista, AR finished in the third spot.

Sarazen Flight:   Kerry Greer of Oklahoma City, OK birdied the par 4 - 18th to force an extra hole sudden death playoff with fellow Oklahoma City resident, Eddie Bennifield.  Back to the course, Greer prevailed with a bogie on the first extra hole for his second win on tour. Bennifield, relegated to the runner up finish, his best on his first year on tour, finished two strokes clear of Jerime Parker of Blanchard, OK.

Jones Flight:  Course management, while staying away from the three putts, put Scott Brown of Oklahoma City, OK in the winners circle for the second time in as many attempts.  Rogers, AR player Carl Imhof made par on his final hole to bring it to within one for his fourth runner up finish on the season.  Glenpool, OK native, Bobby Deaton now residing in Holiday Island, AR birdied the par 5 - 6th hole to round out the top three.





SKINS:

Giant Skins:   2 -- Rick Olson, Tulsa, OK. 1 -- Allen Huffman, Holiday Island, AR; Clayton Badger, Drumright, OK; Kerry Greer, Oklahoma City, OK; Jerime Parker, Blanchard, OK; Steve Nufer, Dodge City, KS.

Championship / Palmer / Hogan:   2 -- Rick Olson, Tulsa, OK. 1 -- Brandon McCool, Edmond, OK; Allen Huffman, Holiday Island, AR; Clayton Badger, Drumright, OK.

Sarazen / Jones:   3 -- Steve Nufer, Dodge City, KS. 1 -- Kerry Greer, Oklahoma City, OK; Harry Smith, Independence, KS; Bobby Deaton, Holiday Island, AR.






NEXT UP:

The Summer Series Points schedule continues at the Cowboy Classic - Lakeside on June 21st, registration deadline is Friday, June 13th.  Our area Major schedule moves to La Cantera for the San Antonio Open at La Cantera on June 28th and 29th.

Be sure to review the Fall Major schedule recently released, The Fall Classic at Dancing Rabbit is a new venue added to the schedule in Choctaw, MS on Oct 25th and 26th.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Scott R Chilcutt
Tour Director
Dallas / Hill Country / Oklahoma Tours
405.513.1467
schilcutt@gcamtour.com