2009 August/September Issue of South Central Golf

109th U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

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109th U.S. Amateur Championship Preview Talented field comes to Tulsa. ....................6 Scott Verplank relives ‘84 Amateur............10 Cedar Ridge stands out as sister course......12 Extra club derailed Bob Dickson in ‘65.......13 Jerry Cozby eyes retirement.......................14 P&G Beauty attracts top field..................19 Moe Norman movie moves forward. ..........21 Oak Tree National rating soars................22 Destinations Audubon Golf Trail................................25 Raven Three Peaks. ..................................27 PGA Tour not just a day job for Days. .....29 Woody Austin found love in Wichita. .......30 OU golf course wows Public Links field....32

Ken MacLeod Derek Hillman Craig Raguse Jenk Jones Jr.

Contributing Writers Mal Elliot Barry Lewis Beck Cross John Rohde James McAfee Contributing Photographers Rip Stell Mike Klemme South Central Golf, Inc. 6218 S. Lewis Ave., Suite 200 • Tulsa, Okla. 74136 918-280-0787 • Fax - 918-280-0797 www.southcentralgolf.com • ken@southcentralgolf.com South Central Golf is distributed free at golf courses in Oklahoma, Arkansas, southern Kansas, north Texas, and southwest Missouri.

The magazine is endorsed by the PGA South Central Section, PGA Midwest Section, and the Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Kansas state golf associations. South Central Golf is published five times annually, including our annual course directory. Subscriptions are $18 and are available by calling 918-280-0787 or on the website.

We also welcome your letters and comments via e-mail.

Columns 33 Steve Eckroat - OGA 34 Gene Mortensen - Rules 35 Barry Thompson - PGA 35 Dan Robinson - GCSAA 36 Instruction Zone 37 Kim Richey - KGA 37 Jay Fox - ASGA

Departments 38 Schedules and Results On the Cover Jerry and Karole Cozby, on the 11th hole at Hillcrest Country Club. Photo by Rip Stell.

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the 2009 U.s. Amateur Championship

Best of the best

Tulsa welcomes the top amateur golfers from around the globe

By Ron Balicki Rarely does the USGA hold two of its men’s amateur championships in the same state in the same year.

It’s a rare distinction and in 2009 it goes to Oklahoma.

In July, the Sooner State was host to the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship at the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club in Norman.

The USGA returns Aug. 24-30 to stage what is arguably the world’s leading amateur event. More than 300 golfers will converge at famed Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa for the 109th U.S. Amateur Championship.

One player -- Brad Benjamin of Rockford,

Ill., -- will be trying to make it his own USGA Oklahoma sweep, adding the U.S. Amateur title to his U.S. Amateur Public Links crown.

The 22-year-old recent graduate of the University of Memphis was pretty much an unknown in amateur circles until July 18 when he upset heavily favored Nick Taylor of Canada, 7 and 6, in the APL’s scheduled 36-hole final match at Jimmie Austin.

Now he will have the opportunity to join an elite club of two as the only players to win both championships in the same year.

Ryan Moore did it in 2004 and Colt Knost in 2007.

“I’m looking forward to coming back to Oklahoma next month and hopefully win another (USGA) championship,” an emo-

tional Benjamin said after his victory in Norman. “I know there’s going to be a lot of great players there so it will be a big challenge.”

One of those players is the one he defeated in the final. Taylor was qualifying medalist by four shots at the APL and breezed through his first five matches before going up against Benjamin.

A first-team All-America as a junior at Washington last season, Taylor has proven to be a world-class performer, tying for second at last year’s World Amateur Team Championship, finishing tied for 36th and being low amateur at this year’s U.S. Open and winning the Sahalee Players Championship the first week in July.

A quarterfinalist at the 2007 U.S. Ama-

South Central Golf Magazine

The 2009 U.S. Amateur Championship teur, Taylor will be trying to become only the third Canadian to win this title, joining Gary Cowan, who won it in 1966 and 1971, and 1932 champion C. Ross Somerville.

“It would definitely be a cool thing to do, to be in the same company as Gary Cowan,” Taylor said. “I’m really looking forward to it because the U.S. Amateur is considered one of the biggest amateur tournaments in the world. Heck, if you make it to match play, it’s a feat in itself.”

Each participant in the starting field will play one round of stroke play at Southern Hills and one at Cedar Ridge Country Club on Monday and Tuesday. From there, the low 64 advance into match play, all taking place at Southern Hills. The first round of match play takes place on Wednesday with the second and third rounds following on Thursday. Quarterfinal matches are set for Friday and the semifinals for Saturday -- all matches being 18 holes. The 36-hole championship match is Sunday.

In addition to the winner receiving the gold medal, custody of the Havenmeyer Trophy for the ensuing year and a host of exemptions for various USGA events, the champion and runner-up land the traditional invitation to compete in next year’s Masters Tournament at Augusta (Ga.) National Golf Club.

And you can bet Taylor and Benjamin will

South Central Golf Magazine

have plenty of competition in hopes of adding their name to the trophy that includes the likes of Bobby Jones, Francis Ouimet, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson, Justin Leonard and Tiger Woods, who won the title three years in a row from 199496.

Among those to keep an eye on are Brian Harman, winner of this year’s Dogwood Invitational; Dan Woltman, who captured the Northeast Amateur in June; Players Amateur champion Bud Cauley; Southern Amateur winner Gregor Main; Brendan Gielow, the 2007 Northeast and 2008 Porter Cup champ; All-America first-teamers Mike Van Sickle and Cameron Tringale, along with 2008 U.S. Am runner-up Drew Kittleson and semifinalists Adam Mitchell and Patrick Reed.

Then there’s 2008 U.S. Amateur Public Links champion Jack Newman, former U.S. Junior winner Cameron Peck, former British Amateur champ Drew Weaver, Erik Flores, the ‘08 Western Amateur runnerup, and Bronson Burgoon, the hero of this year’s NCAA Championship while leading Texas A&M to the national title.

This list goes on and on. And it’s hardly just a showcase for American talent.

Consider that four of the last six winners have been foreigners, including defending champion Danny Lee, Korean born and residing in New Zealand. Lee, however,

Above: Oklahoma State’s Morgan Hoffmann.

Below: From left, Public Links runnerup Nick Taylor, champion Brad Benjamin, OSU’s Kevin Tway and OSU’s Rickie Fowler.

the 2009 U.s. Amateur Championship

Nicolas Geyger of the University of Tulsa is exempt for the U.S. Amateur Championship. Courtesy University of Tulsa turned professional after competing in the Masters.

Taylor is not the only Canadian who has what it takes to go all the way. There are the Hill brothers, Graham and younger brother Matt.

Graham was a quarterfinalist at last year’s U.S. Amateur while Matt just completed one of the most outstanding seasons in college golf history, posting eight firstplaces, including seven during the spring, and capping it off by winning the Atlantic

Coast Conference, NCAA Central Regional and NCAA Championship. He joins Tiger Woods (Stanford 1996) as the only players to pull off that hat trick. He won both the Jack Nicklaus and Haskins awards as college player of the year.

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And let us not forget a talented group of players with Oklahoma ties, in particular those who were leading Oklahoma State to a No. 1 ranking this past college season.

Expect the Cowboys to be well represented this year when the Amateur is staged about an hour’s drive from the OSU campus at Southern Hills Country Club.

Heading that list is Rickie Fowler, a firstteam All-America in his initial two seasons and winner of the 2008 Ben Hogan Award.

He has already indicated his intention of turning professional following this year’s Walker Cup in September.

“Winning the U.S. Amateur would be the highlight of my amateur career and with it being held so close to school, it would make it extra special,” said Fowler, a member of the U.S. Walker Cup squad in 2007 and U.S. World Amateur Team lineup in 2008. “I think we’ll get a lot of Cowboy fans out there that week so I’m hoping we have a good showing from the Cowboys who compete.”

Another Oklahoma State sophomore last season, Kevin Tway, who grew up not far away in Edmond, goes even beyond the closeness of Southern Hills.

“My dad (PGA Tour player and former PGA Championship winner, Bob) will probably caddy for me again this year. With that and it being so close to home and school, winning would be very special for me,” said Tway, the 2005 U.S. Junior Amateur champion. “I’ve probably played (Southern Hills) 10 to 15 times and it’s a great golf course. It should be perfect for match play.”

Last summer, just prior to entering his freshman year at Oklahoma State, Morgan Hoffmann advanced to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst. And he knows the expectations this year, not only on himself but all his Cowboy teammates, will be much greater.

“It’s going to be really special this year because all of us should have a lot of our friends out there watching,” said Hoffmann, a first-team All-America and winner of the Phil Mickelson Award as the country’s top freshman. “We’re all playing well this year so it’s going to be fun to see who makes it the farthest. There’s probably going to be a little more pressure this year, but it should be fun having a bunch of people out there cheering for us.”

Also keep an eye on Trent Whitekiller, who lives in Sallisaw, Okla., Tulsa’s own Mark Johnson, and incoming sophomore Peter Uihlein, a two-time national junior player of the year.

A great golf course and one of the strongest amateur fields in the world should no doubt add up to an exciting and intense week of golf. It definitely will be one worth watching.

Tickets for the championship are available at www.2009usamateur.com.

South Central Golf Magazine

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the 2009 U.s. Amateur Championship

Moment in the sun Verplank has fond memories of 1984 Amateur win at Oak Tree

BY JOHN ROHDE

This year marks the 25th anniversary of former Oklahoma State standout Scott Verplank winning the U.S. Amateur at Oak Tree Golf Club in Edmond, Okla.

“When you’re my age,” said Verplank, now 45, “it’s pretty hard to remember yesterday, much less 25 years ago. But I remember a good deal of it.”

The 109th U.S. Amateur will be held at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa on Aug. 24-30.

There are plenty of good memories for Verplank from a quarter-century ago.

One of the greatest amateur golfers in history — and that includes the likes of Bobby Jones, Charlie Coe, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and the rest — Verplank was 20 years old and entering his junior season at Oklahoma State when the USGA’s most prestigious amateur event was held at the

course recently renamed Oak Tree National.

Prior to capturing the U.S. Amateur, Verplank already had won the Texas State Amateur, the Sunnehanna Amateur and the La Jet Amateur in the summer of ‘84.

The summer of ‘85 would be even more impressive for Verplank, who won every amateur tournament he entered except one.

He also won that year’s Western Open, becoming the first amateur since Doug Sanders in 1956 to win a PGA Tour event.

In 1984, Oak Tree Golf Club had the nation’s highest course rating (76.9) and highest slope rating (150.0).

Jay Sigel was going for an unprecedented third straight U.S. Amateur title (Woods has since won three straight from 1994-96).

The 40-year-old Sigel was an insurance salesman from Berwyn, Pa., who didn’t turn professional until he turned 50. He had dismantled his opponents in the previous U.S.

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Scott Verplank weathered heat, wind and rain to win the 1984 U.S. Amateur. Photo courtesy USGA Amateur championship matches by identical 8 and 7 scores, defeating David Tolley in 1982 and Chris Perry in 1983.

As dominant as Sigel was in the amateur ranks, he viewed Verplank as the player to beat in the 1984 Amateur, as did everyone in the field.

Perhaps the biggest misnomer the entire week was labeling Oak Tree Golf Club as Verplank’s “home course.”

While it’s true Verplank was roughly 50 miles from his college campus and he was the primary drawing card, Oak Tree Golf Club hardly qualified as home.

“I hated the place,” recalled Verplank, who became an Oak Tree resident once he turned pro. “I didn’t like the course much because it had always been too hard on me.

“Prior to that tournament, I don’t ever remember playing Oak Tree when it wasn’t January or February, with the wind blowing 20 or 30 mph and the temperature about 40 or 50 degrees. Those were the days when we’d get out of class and coach (Mike) Holder would say, ‘Get dressed. We’re going over to Oak Tree today to have (team) qualifying.’ And if you broke 80, you qualified.”

Holder knew all that previous torture at Oak Tree Golf Club would come in handy, particularly when the U.S. Amateur rolled around.

It was vintage Oklahoma weather the week of the ‘84 Amateur, with scorching temperatures, wind and rain.

The temperature reached 107 degrees and the wind gusted to 30-plus mph during the semifinals. The next day, rain fell throughout the championship final with a cool north breeze and temperatures in the mid-70s.

South Central Golf Magazine

the 2009 U.s. Amateur Championship “I think it really helped me that we had always played it in those terrible conditions,” Verplank said. “I had never played there in the summer. I went down there for a practice round (in preparation for the U.S. Amateur), it was warm weather and I thought, ‘Hmmm, this place is not so bad.’ I hated it before. I had never busted 40 on the front nine until the U.S. Amateur.”

In his semifinal match, Verplank made the turn in 33 to take a four-hole lead.

An estimated 4,000 fans watched Verplank’s semifinal match and 2,000 were on hand the following day for the 36-hole final, despite a persistent rain that fell.

Verplank was 36-hole medalist, shooting 71-66 — 137 to secure the top seed for match play.

Earlier that summer at the Western Amateur, Verplank had won the 72-hole medalist crown by 10 shots while setting a scoring record of 270. He then lost in the quarterfinals to Rocco Mediate.

“When that happened, I thought, ‘Man, this is not right. I’m clearly playing better than everybody else,’ “ Verplank said.

“That’s why I asked coach Holder to caddy for me at the Amateur, and he said, ‘We’ll figure out a way for you to win.’

“I always had a lot of respect for coach, plus he was probably intimidating for all the

South Central Golf Magazine

other college guys who were playing.”

With Verplank playing as well as ever and Holder carrying the clubs, Verplank went through an impressive list of opponents in match play.

In the opening round, Verplank defeated Dillard Pruitt, a longtime friend who eventually would become an in-law.

It was at the ‘84 Amateur where Verplank met Dillard’s future wife, Fran. Verplank would eventually marry Fran’s younger sister, Kim. “Fran didn’t like me that week because I beat Dillard,” Verplank said.

After dispensing of Pruitt 3 and 2, Verplank then defeated Bob Estes 3 and 1.

Verplank’s third-round match was a Bedlam duel against Oklahoma’s Greg Turner, who hailed from New Zealand.

“I remember that was a big deal to coach Holder,” Verplank said. “Before the match, coach said, ‘You better win this thing. You better wear this guy out.’ “ Verplank beat Turner 5 and 4, which wasn’t convincing enough to Holder. “When the match was over, coach told me, ‘You should have beaten him 8 and 7,’ “ Verplank said with a chuckle.

Verplank won 1-up in the quarterfinals against Peter Persons, overcoming a 2-down deficit through 10 holes.

In the semifinals, Verplank defeated 35-

year-old airline pilot Randy Sonnier, who had advanced by beating Davis Love III in the quarterfinals.

Sonnier was the only golfer Verplank faced who did not go on to join the PGA Tour.

“I played against a pretty good crew,” Verplank said of his six match-play opponents.

In the championship match against Southern California junior Sam Randolph, Verplank was 2-down when he strung together five birdies in a span of eight holes.

“I’ve gone six months on this course where I didn’t make five birdies, much less in eight holes,” Verplank said that day 25 years ago.

Verplank buried birdie putts from 10, 15, 15, 12 and 30 feet to take control and eventually won 4 and 3.

“For that period of time, I’ve never seen putting like that,” Randolph said at the time.

“I couldn’t keep up with that.”

Randolph returned to the U.S. Amateur championship match the following year and defeated Persons 1-up to win the crown.

Other prominent players to qualify for match play in the ‘84 Amateur included Mediate, Jeff Maggert, Jerry Haas, Stan Utley, Clark Burroughs, 1998 British Open runner-up Brian Watts of OSU and 2004 British Open champion Todd Hamilton of OU.

11

the 2009 U.s. Amateur Championship

Contestants beware: Don’t overlook Cedar Ridge Any U.S. Amateur Championship contestants who overlook Cedar Ridge in their tournament preparations do so at their own peril.

Most likely, they’ll be heading home after qualifying, probably with a big fat 80 or worse on their Cedar Ridge card.

To reach match play at Southern Hills, they have to play one round at Cedar Ridge.

That’s 50 percent of the qualifying score.

What is more, Cedar Ridge will likely play at least a stroke harder. It is 7,336 yards at par 70, while Southern Hills is 7,093, also at 70. Both courses should be in excellent condition, with 2.5-inch rough in the first cut and deeper, nastier stuff to the sides and under the trees which line most holes. Both will have firm greens running at near 12 on the stimpmeter with plenty of movement and subtle breaks. It’s probably harder to make a putt at Southern Hills, but not by much.

“I’ve been doing this for 20 years and we’ve had some excellent sister courses in that time, like the second courses at Winged Foot and Oakmont,” said Mike Davis, senior director of rules and competitions for the USGA. “But I’m hard pressed to think of a sister course that is quite this test. Cedar Ridge is a really great test of golf and this is going to be a wonderful one-two punch with Cedar Ridge and Southern Hills.

Cedar Ridge, which hosted the 1983 U.S. Women’s Open and was the site of a topflight LPGA event for the past five years, has installed three new tees for the championship. A new tee on the par-5 14th hole From top to bottom, Cedar Ridge No. 5, Cedar Ridge No. 18, Southern Hills No. 9 and Southern Hills No. 6

12

has pushed that hole to 585 yards. The par-4 17th will now be 498 yards and will require a drive of 300 yards just to crest the hill on the dogleg right. The par-4 18th had 60 yards added to push it to 485 and bring the fairway bunkers back into play for the long hitters who previously would just drive over them and have a wedge into the green.

“There will be some under-par scores, but the field is not going to light it up,” said Buddy Phillips, director of golf at Cedar Ridge.

“The 17th and 18th holes will be much more difficult with the new tees.”

As for Southern Hills, superintendent Russ Myers was experimenting with a street sweeper to fluff up the Bermuda rough, giving a shorter ruff a more vertical growing pattern, with devastating effect.

“If they are in the rough, par will be a great score,” Myers said.

Davis reviewed every hole with Myers and Cedar Ridge superintendent Mike Wooten and requested few changes. At Southern Hills, the areas around the green on the par4 17th have been shaved down and the tees will be moved up in match play to entice golfers to try to drive the green, at considerable risk.

NOTES: Southern Hills solved any problems with volunteer numbers by offering a free round to all volunteers. More than 440 signed up within the next week, bringing volunteer totals in excess of the 750 needed.

It will take at least two play dates on Mondays to accommodate all the volunteers.

Various ticket packages are available on www.2009usamateur.com. The West Nine at Southern Hills will be utilized for parking.

Concessions will be available at the course.

South Central Golf Magazine

The 2009 U.S. Amateur Championship

Straight shooter

Dickson overcame extra club to nearly win 1965 Amateur

Bob Dickson en route to winning the 1967 U.S. Amateur Championship at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. Photo courtesy USGA Archives

By Jenk Jones Jr. Bob Dickson displayed three outstanding traits at the 1965 U.S. Amateur Championship at Tulsa’s Southern Hills Country Club.

First, the All-American from Oklahoma State University displayed the integrity golf is famous for by immediately announcing he had found an extra club in his bag during the second round of the stroke-play event.

That unhappy discovery on the second hole cost him a crippling four-stroke penalty.

Second, Dickson took full blame for having the 15th club – the rules permit just 14.

He didn’t try to palm it off on his caddy or anyone else.

Third, like a true champion, he rallied from that disaster to capture the lead on the fourth and final day. But poor approaches on the final two holes cost him bogeys and allowed steady Bob Murphy to slip past Dickson with closing pars and win by one stroke.

Memories of that happening will lurk in the shadows when this year’s Amateur returns to the same site, Southern Hills Country Club, Aug. 24-30.

The 1965 championship was the first Amateur to be conducted in all stroke play. After using that format for eight years and returning to the original match play for another six, the United States Golf Association switched to 36 holes of stroke play for qualifying – re-

South Central Golf Magazine

ducing the field to 64 players – then match play to determine the champion. That’s what spectators will see this year.

On that ill-fated day in 1965, Dickson hit into a bunker on No. 2. When he reached into his bag for a sand wedge, there were two of them! “I had a feeling of shock; I literally did a double-take,” he recalls.

He says there was a nearly identical golf bag owned by one of the other participants, and that the club probably was put into his bag in club storage by mistake. “I only brought 14 clubs with me.”

Dickson adds, “It obviously was my fault.

I didn’t count ’em on the [practice] range.

“It always boils down to the player’s responsibility.” As part of the strict code of honesty in golf, he invoked the penalty on himself. “In golf, well over 90 percent of rulings [violations] are called by the golfers themselves.”

Dickson recovered from his shock with style. “I went on a rampage, birdied three of the next five holes.” He was leading the event on the final day until he flew the 17th green with his approach, then pushed a 5iron into a right-side bunker on the finishing hole. In neither case could he get up and down, and Murphy parred out for the title.

Winning the Amateur “was an incredible story for me,” Murphy recalls. “It led me to believe I could play a little bit.” And that gave him the courage to try the PGA Tour, which he joined in 1968 after a stellar career at the University of Florida, including medalist at the 1966 NCAA championship.

His dad pushed him to try the U.S. Amateur. Murphy says he had won a couple of local championships and the Florida Amateur, so he was game to seek broader pastures.

His trip to Tulsa was his first plane flight, and it was “rather rough. I was scared to death.”

Southern Hills, as its name indicates, had something Murphy was unfamiliar with – hills. He grew up on Florida’s flat links, and changes in elevation took getting used to.

“I remember the challenge of the golf course. The rough was incredible.” Instead of firing at the green even when in the shaggy stuff, Murphy remembers, “When you got in the rough [at Southern Hills] your first thought was ‘How do I get out of this and back on the fairway’?”

Murphy was a short but straight driver,

which helped him avoid some of Southern Hills’ trouble. Also, he studied the greens intensely. “My putting won it for me.”

Tulsa was hardly the last golfing stop for either man.

Dickson, a native of McAlester and a high-school star in Muskogee before his AllAmerican play at OSU, won two PGA and one Champions Tour events and later held major positions on the PGA, Champions and Nationwide Tours, including championship director of the last. Before that, he won that elusive U.S. Amateur crown (in 1967) and added the British Amateur (a 2-and-1 win over Rod Cerrudo at match play) the same year. Dickson is one of only four golfers to win both Amateurs in the same year.

He also was a member of the winning USA Walker Cup team that year – with Murphy a teammate.

At the U.S. Amateur that he won, Dickson again had a one-shot lead, this time on the last hole at the Broadmoor Golf Club’s West Course in Colorado Springs. And again he hit a bad shot and had to punch out into the fairway some 50 to 60 yards from the pin.

But his approach got him within 20 feet, and he sank his par putt. His closest rival, Vinnie Giles, missed a birdie putt of similar length that would have tied Dickson.

Now 65, retired in Florida, Dickson is proud of having won the 1968 USGA Bob Jones Award for sportsmanship. He’s not sure why, but thinks taking his rival Giles’ side in a ruling dispute may have been a factor.

Murphy won five PGA events, including the 1986 Canadian Open, and 11 more on the Champions Tour. His best year on the latter was in 1995 when he won four times, added three seconds and three thirds and was in the top 10 in 20 of 28 starts.

Murph, as he is commonly known, had his PGA career cut short by severe arthritis.

He eventually overcame his affliction well enough to win the 1996 Ben Hogan Award for comeback play.

Now 66 and living in his native Florida, Murphy has been a broadcast analyst for more than a quarter-century. Though more a phrasemaker than a shotmaker today, he still plays four or five tournaments a year because he enjoys being with fellow golfers. “One of the reasons I do keep playing is to remember how damn tough it is,” which helps him from being too critical of player errors.

13

End of an era

Jerry Cozby, the “Pro’s Pro,” honored club and profession

By Ken MacLeod A board member at Hillcrest Country Club in Bartlesville noted the zeal with which a recently hired 27-year-old Texan went about his duties as head professional. He made a prediction: “We’re going to lose you soon to a better club.”

The words stung young Jerry Cozby. Better club? He determined on the spot that Hillcrest would be that “better” club.

For the next 41 years, Cozby strove relentlessly, six and often seven days a week, to make Hillcrest the best it could be.

Cozby established exacting standards for service. He could tell you the shirt size and favorite color of more than 400 members.

His pro shop was efficient, yet homey and creative, a place one could find the perfect Christmas present next to the new wedge.

He was demanding yet fair while training dozens of young assistants to be complete professionals. And he was a friend, mentor and resource for his peers throughout the section and country.

The years went by and the awards for his dedication and effort piled up. In 1985, he was selected PGA Professional of the Year, about the highest honor a pro can receive unless he is selected to the PGA of America Hall of Fame. In 2005, to the strain of bagpipes, Cozby walked into that Hall, tears streaming down his face, to be inducted along with his fellow honorees.

On Dec. 31, Cozby will cross another threshold as he steps into a well-earned retirement. Who will replace him is yet to be determined. What is certain is that, despite all the great deeds and wonderful accolades in the past 41 years, his greatest achievement came years before he set foot in Oklahoma.

It was at Lamar, where Cozby had gone to complete his education and golf career

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after leading Odessa Junior College to backto-back national championships, that Cozby met the former Karole Stanley of Houston.

He moved quickly and decisively, convincing her to marry him in 1965, his senior year while she was just a freshman.

That union produced three sons, Cary, Craig and Chance. All three would star at Bartlesville High School and later as AllAmericans at the University of Oklahoma, converting two diehard Longhorn fans into crimson-clad Sooner lovers.

“At the OU-Texas game, we’ll still stand when they play ‘The Eyes of Texas,’ ” Jerry said. “Otherwise, it’s OU.” Cary was a toddler when Jerry, then an assistant to Hall of Fame professional Harvey Loudermilk at Oak Hills in San Antonio, was convinced by club manager Pat Johnson, who had previously held the same position at Hillcrest, to interview for the vacant position.

Cozby had no idea where Bartlesville was and no intention of finding out. He had convinced himself he was going to be the next head professional at Westchester (New York) CC. Johnson, however, was persuasive and convinced Cozby he would have a good chance of landing his dream job after being the head pro at Hillcrest.

Driving up, Karole was more than a little apprehensive about leaving her home state, her parents, two sisters and a brother and moving to a state where “we didn’t know a soul.”

“It was bittersweet,” she said. “We had to grow up and be parents and learn the hard way. The membership was wonderful, but at that time it was old.”

The Cozbys soon found out the social scene at Hillcrest was wanting. On a Saturday night, they found a baby sitter for Cary, dressed up and went to the club for dinner.

They were the lone diners.

South Central Golf Magazine

The Jerry Cozby File National Awards

2009, Inducted into the National Junior College Golf Hall of Fame 2005, Elected into the National PGA Golf Professional Hall of Fame 1985, National PGA Golf Professional of the Year

PGA South Central Section Awards 2000, Senior Hall of Fame 2003, 1985, 1984, 1983, Bill Strausbaugh Award 1997, 1996, Merchandiser of the Year Award 1991, 1987, Section Teacher of the Year Award 1985, 1973, Section Golf Professional of the Year Award 1983, 1981, Horton Smith Award

Finances

The Pro Shop at Hillcrest CC has turned a profit in 38 of the past 40 years, generating more than $17 million in revenue.

Incredibly, the course has never had to use dues to fund the golf- shop operation, including salaries of Cozby and his staff

Other

Served as section officer in numerous capacities. Served on boards of Boys & Girls Clubs in Bartlesville and the Bartlesville Booster club. Served on the committee that oversaw the $5 million renovation of the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Course.

Created the Mark Kizziar award that provides a $1,000 annual scholarship to a junior golfer, now part of the Birdies for Scholarship program.

What They’re Saying

“He is just the ultimate golf professional. When you talk about being in the Hall of Fame and being the National Professional of the Year, those are the highest honors paid in our association.

The members at Hillcrest have been very lucky to have Jerry at the helm all these years. Somebody is going to have big shoes to fill.”

Barry Thompson, Executive Director, PGA South Central Section

South Central Golf Magazine

The Cozby Clan circa the early 1990s. Back row, Jerry with son Cary, now 40. Front row from left, Craig, 38, Karole and Chance, 34.

“Dad is terrified of bad weather. The maddest I’ve ever been at him was in high school, when all my friends and I had tickets to a Pearl Jam concert in Oklahoma City. He looked at the Weather Channel and said, ‘You’re not going. You can yell and say whatever you want, but you’re not going.’

“I can appreciate now that he was just looking out for me. And now that I’ve got a couple of kids of my own, I can really appreciate it.”

Chance Cozby, Director of Tournament Player Relations, Ping “I’m the only girlfriend he ever had that played golf. That’s why he married me.”

Karole Cozby “Jerry is one of the top five club professionals in the nation. He knows how to take care of his members and serve them what they need. He knows how to train young men who come into the business.

He’s just the ultimate golf professional.

He does every aspect of the job and does it well.”

Alsie Hyden, Director of Golf, Lake Hefner Golf Course, OKC

“He’s done an unbelievable job. We share knowledge, share stories, share laughs that keep you sane. What a terrific job he has done. That club is a great club. I’m proud to call him a friend and so proud of the job he’s done for Hillcrest and city of Bartlesville.

“He’s a PGA guy, always has been and wants to see everyone succeed. He will reach out to any pro, young or seasoned, to help them with any problem.

“Jerry expects things to be done right and by the rules. He has tremendous integrity.”

Dave Bryan, Head Golf Professional, Southern Hills Country Club “He’s meant everything to my career. I thought I was a pretty good golf pro until I went to work for Jerry and found out how much I had to learn.

“His entire focus is on the service aspect, which is the ultimate goal of any club. Jerry has also been a father figure.

We talk often and I could call him today and he would do anything I need.”

Tim Johnson, former Hillcrest assistant, now Director of Golf at The Territory Golf Club, Duncan, Okla.

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The club, whose fortunes have long been tied to those of Phillips 66, eventually became more vibrant. The 1926 Perry Maxwell layout has long been recognized as one of the best tracks in Oklahoma. The greens were restored by Ed Seay in 1982 and tee boxes redone by Randy Heckenkemper in 2007. There have been regular improvements to the clubhouse and grounds as well, including a brick patio for which Cozby served as fundraiser.

When Cozby arrived, it wasn’t a particularly great job, according to Mark Kizziar, at that time the head professional across town at Adams Golf Course and later the president of the PGA of America before going to work for Western Golf Properties.

“Dwight Travis had the job before Jerry and he had all the concessions,” said Kizziar, who nominated Cozby for the PGA Professional of the Year award. “Jerry didn’t get the concessions. Yet he turned it into a very good job. He was just one of those guys who is good at every facet of the business.”

Cozby is eternally grateful to Hillcrest for giving his boys the run of the place as they were growing up. Not that they were out pulling any Caddyshack shenanigans; all learned by picking the range and working the bag room. They took lessons from their father but were not forced to do so.

“I never pushed any of the kids to play golf,” Jerry said. “I gave them the opportu-

Jerry Cozby’s first staff, from left to right, Jerry Cozby, Kent Carter and John Darling. nity and they took it.

“Watching my kids grow up here has been the best part of my job. The members have treated us wonderfully and allowed my kids to use the course and develop their games

We wish you the best Jerry & Karole!

“Jerry, you will be greatly missed in the South Central Section and particularly in Bartlesville. You have been very helpful in my career and your neighbors at Adams Golf Course salute you and Karole for all you have done for golf and our city.”

Jerry Benedict, Head PGA Professional, Adams Golf Course

Adams Golf Club 16

5801 E. Tuxedo Blvd.

Bartlesville, OK 74006 www.cityofbartlesville.org 918-331-3900

and personalities.

“Those three boys have been the joy of our lives. Their dispositions and the way they handle people, Karole is responsible for that. She was walking the fairways with them all the way through their junior careers. She wore out several vehicles driving them around the state to play in all their junior events while I stayed here to work. She did a marvelous job with them.”

Anyone who knows the Cozby boys would concur. Cary is now the director of golf at Wichita Country Club and serving his second year as the president of the South Central Section. Craig is the product representative for Ping in Kansas, while Chance is the player rep for Ping, responsible for recruiting and signing players Ping wants to be represented by on the PGA Tour and other professional tours. All three are married with young children for Jerry and Karole to spoil.

“Jerry and Karole did a great job with those boys, those are three sterling young men,” said Alsie Hyden, the director of golf at Lake Hefner in Oklahoma City and a longtime friend. “They’ve got a lot of traits of both the mother and the father. They would be a welcome asset to any community.”

All share a love for the game, a commitment to doing things the right way and, though extremely competitive, all are modest and decorous. All were told early they didn’t need to brag, just post their scores and let that be the evidence.”

“I remember the first time Craig beat me,” Jerry said. “He was 15. We were playing the back nine first and through hole six, with three to play, I added up the scores and saw

South Central Golf Magazine

that he was one ahead. We had two par-5s left, so I figured I could birdie them both and still beat him.

“Turns out we both parred the last three holes. I looked at him and said ‘Nice round.’ “ ‘Thank you,’ was all he said.”

The sons have much more to say now. All realize how much they learned from both parents even when the lessons were delivered by example.

“I realize now on a daily basis how much I learned from mom and dad,” Chance said. “Just being raised out there and being around the golf operation that my dad ran at Hillcrest. It had a big effect on how I do my business for Ping now. You learn service, how to treat people right, how to make decisions for the right reasons.

“When you look at it, all four of us are doing something we really love. None of us are in the business just for the money.

That’s something we learned from dad. He had plenty of opportunities to leave Hillcrest and go make more money somewhere else.”

Jerry stayed because he realized what a great place Bartlesville and Hillcrest were to raise a family. The boys all played numerous sports – Cary was an ace pitcher – yet all gravitated to golf as they grew older.

Cary was heavily recruited by almost all the top golf programs at the time with the

exception of Oklahoma State. The Cowboys did come back after Craig and Chance, but by then Sooner magic had taken hold in the Cozby household and all followed Cary to OU and then coach Gregg Grost. The Sooners had talented teams at the time and routinely were top 10 in the nation.

Like his father, Cary is now one of the most respected golf professionals in the section. To Cary, it all starts with the work ethic.

“He still works like he’s 20 and broke,” Cary said. “He may have softened a little bit.

But he still has high expectations for his operations and himself and high expectations for everyone who works for him. He pays attention to every detail, because he realizes the little things add up to big things.”

Jerry has been demanding of his assistants over the years, yet fair. He treats them like family, from private scoldings to public compliments. One described him as “the Bobby Knight of golf,” a label Cozby appreciates, noting how much good Knight has done for his former players off the court despite his tough reputation on-court. Cary has worked on his father to be a bit more supportive of a reasonable workweek and to reduce his own schedule.

“The place is not going to burn down if he’s not there,” Cary said. “But we’re all victims of that. Sometimes you just have to be there and that’s part of the job, even though

you’re being pulled at the other end with family.”

“I think one of Jerry’s most admirable qualities is his loyalty,” Karole said. “He always backs up his staff. He will never embarrass them in front of anyone. He might dress them down in his office, but it’s always with the intention of teaching them.”

Karole knows. She does the buying for all the ladies apparel in the pro shop and has felt the sting if Jerry was unhappy with an order.

“Sometimes they take it personal – sometimes I did - but it’s always business to him,” Karole said.

“I may get on them during the day, then ask them to go have a beer when we close up shop,” Jerry said. “Of course, they didn’t always want to go have a beer . . .”

The results of the tough love are evident.

Fifteen of his former assistants have gone on to land jobs as head professionals, while numerous others have been successful in other endeavors in golf and out. David Bryan, son of Southern Hills head professional Dave Bryan and now head pro at The Patriot in Owasso, spent a year at Hillcrest, just as Cary worked for Dave Bryan at Southern Hills.

“When I went there I had been in the golf business all my life and thought I knew most everything there was to know,” David Bryan said. “Jerry made me realize I wasn’t quite

Congratulations

Jerry Cozby The Pro’s Pro!

On 41 years of excellence at Hillcrest Country Club 2005 Inductee: PGA Hall of Fame 1985 PGA Professional of the Year From your friends in the PGA South Central Section

South Central Golf Magazine

17

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as knowledgeable as I thought I was.

“He’s just a perfect PGA professional.

Across the board he treats everybody the same, no matter what your last name is.

That’s the thing I admired most. My dad is the same way. Their dedication and passion are still as strong as ever.”

“I learned more working for Jerry in two years than I have before or since,” said Tim Johnson, director of golf at The Territory in Duncan and a former Cozby assistant. “He’s meant everything to my career.”

Jerry is routinely described by his peers such as Hyden, or Buddy Phillips, head professional at Cedar Ridge who has also been in the Tulsa market since 1968, as a “pro’s pro.”

To the PGA professionals, it’s not a compliment they give lightly. It means he conducts himself with dignity, class and professionalism that reflect well on his profession.

“He’s just a quality person, very helpful to his peers and not selfish with his knowledge,” said Phillips, who also worked for Loudermilk, his stint coming in Jal, N.M. Besides visiting grandchildren, Jerry and Karole plan to sharpen their golf games in retirement. Karole gave up golf after Craig was born, while Jerry stopped playing competitively in section events once he began attending the college events.

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hit fluffy tee shots, he not only led Odessa to two junior college national championships, he helped Lamar win the national “college division” title in his junior season, helping assistant basketball coach and “golf coach” Billy Tubbs to his only national championship (great trivia question). Lamar probably could have repeated in his senior year, but Cozby and other seniors elected to go to commencement, which was scheduled the same time as the tournament.

Kizziar remembers an early tournament in which Cozby was paired with future PGA Tour player John Mahaffey.

“Somebody asked me what I thought of Mahaffey, who didn’t have a great day. I said not much, but you ought to see Cozby play.”

The Cozbys plan to stay in Bartlesville and hopefully remain active at Hillcrest and possibly take advantage of other teaching opportunities. Until the end of the year, however, it will be business as usual.

“I was there a few weeks ago and asked where dad was,” Craig said. “They said he was pulling down carts. He’s still working like he doesn’t have two nickels to rub together!

“People don’t see what goes into being a golf pro. I want to give credit to both dad and mom. While he is working every holiday, every weekend, to have the support system at home was wonderful. Mom took care of us and never complained, she made it possible for him to go to work every day.

“What they’ve accomplished is because of both of them. I’m happy for and proud of both of them.”

“Looking back, I still use that “better club” comment as motivation,” Jerry said.

“To me, it was always about service. I hope everyone feels that I gave them the best golf operation I possibly could.”

Rest assured.

South Central Golf Magazine

A completely renovated Pinnacle Country Club awaits the LPGA players.

Behold the Beauty

Renovation, stronger field elevate Arkansas event to upper echelon

By Nathan Allen ROGERS, Ark. — Jay Allen couldn’t be happier with how things have progressed throughout the last year.

Allen, the P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship’s tournament chairman, has worked especially hard over the last two years to make the Sept. 11-13 event one of the premier stops on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour.

In the last 12 months, the tournament has increased its overall purse, collected more sponsorships, added benefiting charities, renovated its golf course and persuaded more high-profile golfers to play in the tournament.

“This is an event that literally keeps growing every year, something we’re all very proud of,” Allen said. “We really and truly want to make the NW Arkansas Championship one of the best tournaments for the LPGA, and we feel like we’re getting closer to that goal. We’ve made a lot of necessary adjustments and we’re hoping we can get more people to come out and enjoy this outstanding event.”

South Central Golf Magazine

One of the biggest changes in this year’s tournament is the date, which is nearly three months later than last year’s event.

The biggest reason for the change was to allow Pinnacle Country Club’s golf course enough time to mature after undergoing a massive 10-month, $6.2 million renovation.

The renovations, designed by Randy Heckenkemper, included various changes to every hole on the course. Most of the changes dealt with different playing surfaces, a technologically advanced irrigation system and the additions of several greenside and fairway sand bunkers.

Other changes to the course included how the fairways, tee boxes and green surroundings were converted from Meyer Zoysia to Zorro Zoysia, a fine emerald-green colored grass that’s player friendly and thrives in heat and humidity.

A state-of-the-art SubAir sub-surface vacuum system was also installed to remove excess moisture on every green, and all tee boxes were rebuilt to allow better drainage.

The par-71 course was also lengthened by 256 yards, from 6,745 to 7,001 when playing from the championship tees.

2008 champion Seon Hwa Lee. Photo by Rip Stell When the tournament arrives in September, LPGA Tour players will notice several changes that will make the course more difficult to play, said Paul Eiserman, Pinnacle’s head golf professional.

“They’re going to see a totally new golf course,” Eiserman said when the course reopened in June. “They’re going to have to learn the greens all over again and I think

19

players will commit to playing in northwest appreciate the potential here.

Arkansas.

“When all is said and done, we will have a As of the end of July, defending tourna- world-class field come September.” ment champion Seon Hwa Lee, U.S. Women’s Open champion Eun-Hee Ji, Kraft Nabisco Championship winner Brittany LPGA P&G Beauty Lincicome and McDonald’s LPGA ChampiNW Arkansas onship winner Anna Nordqvist were schedChampionship uled to compete.

Other players who are expected to attend this year’s event, but haven’t officially WHEN: Sept. 11-13. committed, include Helen Alfredsson, Paula WHERE: Pinnacle Country Club, RogCreamer, Natalie Gulbis, Cristie Kerr, Stacy ers, Ark. Lewis, Se Ri Pak, Morgan Pressel, Meg MalCOURSE: Yardage: 7,001. Par: 71. lon and Michelle Wie. PRIZE MONEY: $1.8 million.

Mallon, who has won four major champiWINNER’S SHARE: $270,000. onships since she joining the LPGA Tour in PAST WINNERS: 2007, Stacy Lewis 1987, said the NW Arkansas Championship (unofficial winner after event shortis an event several players are starting to ened to 18 holes because of rain); look forward to every year.

2008, Seon Hwa Lee. “I’m really excited about coming back to TV: Golf Channel. Friday, 11:30-1:30 northwest Arkansas,” said Mallon, who’s p.m.; Saturday, 12-3 p.m.; Sunday, 12planning on competing at the tournament.

3 p.m.

“I know it’s a great event, it’s growing every ADMISSION: Daily Ticket: $15, valid year and they’ve got a great course.” any one day, Tuesday-Thursday; $25, Allen said one of the reasons the NW valid any one day, Friday-Sunday.

Paula Creamer is expected to compete.

Arkansas Championship has been so sucWeekly Grounds Badge: $50, valid for the rough will be different for them because cessful is because of the support of area weeklong grounds access. Children it’s a new mixture of grasses.” residents.

17 and under are admitted free with a Other than nearly doubling the amount “Our LPGA event is fortunate to be part of paid adult admission. To purchase onof benefiting charities and adding $100,000 a vibrant, growing community,” Allen said. line, visit www.pgbeautychampionship. to its overall purse, tournament officials “We have an opportunity to be a truly specom or call (479) 715-6100. are also hoping some of the LPGA’s biggest cial event ... and the players and the Tour

20

South Central Golf Magazine

Norman returns

Graves glad to see movie idea gain Moe-mentum

By Ken MacLeod Few outside the inner circles of golf knew of Moe Norman in life.

The world may be about to discover the Canadian ball-striking legend in death, if a planned movie written by Barry Morrow, who won an Oscar for his screenplay of Rain Man in 1988, eventually gets filmed and produced.

Todd Graves, who along with his brother Tim teaches the Moe Norman single-plane swing at the Graves Golf Academy at Coffee Creek Golf Course in Edmond and during the winter months in Orlando, Fla., is eagerly awaiting production.

“When it happens, it will really bring awareness of Moe and his unique abilities to hit the golf ball better than most PGA Tour pros,” said Graves, who has been teaching Norman’s unique swing method since 2000.

Norman won 57 tournaments, made at least 17 aces and held at least 30 course records during his career in Canada, but never made it big on the PGA Tour. He was not socially adept and it was theorized that he was either mildly autistic or had suffered brain damage from a fall as a 5-year-old.

The hopes were early that Justin Timberlake, an avid golfer himself, would sign on to play the young Moe Norman. That hasn’t happened yet, but Graves is eager to teach whichever actor takes the role how to swing like Moe. Ericson Core (director of Invincible) has agreed to direct the movie, titled Dancing the Green. Belltower Entertainment is the studio.

The Graves Golf Academy has been very successful, even though Moe Norman is not a household name. The internet is a huge marketing tool, as there are numerous videos one can watch of Norman that are readily available. There is also a fine book published by Canadian writer Tim O’Connor that chronicles Norman’s unusual life. The book - The Feeling of Greatness – was first published in 1995 but has been updated and is now in its third edition. It is available on the author’s website, www.oconnorgolf.ca.

“There were more Moe Norman stories than about any golfer who ever lived,”

South Central Golf Magazine

Todd Graves by a Moe Norman poster in his golf academy in Edmond. Photo by Rip Stell O’Connor said. “It was my job to sift through and set the record straight. He was just a very, very different kind of person and his life story was just fascinating.”

Norman was acutely shy and uncomfortable around strangers, but he and O’Connor developed a strong bond.

Todd Graves and O’Connor are planning to do an instructional book based around Norman’s swing action and also are looking at a reissue and update of Moe’s life story if the movie is a hit.

Over the years, Graves has found that the majority of his converts to Norman’s way of swinging are older golfers who, through utter frustration, are ready to embrace the concept. They’ve researched it on the internet and already believe in the mechanics.

“If they come looking to try out the golf swing, it doesn’t work,” Graves said. “They have to come here to learn it and be com-

mitted. A lot of these guys have been to the best instructors in the world. They are frustrated and ready to make a change.

“I don’t want to say it’s a cult following, but it’s got some of those characteristics. There’s so much info available online that, if it makes sense to them and resonates with them, they are committed before they arrive.”

Norman died at age 75 in 2004 of heart failure. Golf Digest did a cover story in 1995 that laid out all his accomplishments and revived interest.

Todd Graves was recently ranked by Golf Digest as the third best instructor in Oklahoma. Tim Graves is still one of the top competitors in the PGA South Central Section and recently lost a playoff for the final spot in this year’s PGA Championship at the Professional National Championship at Twin Warriors Golf Club outside Albuquerque, N.M.

21

Verplank turns 50, meaning all the original Oak Tree Gang will be eligible if they are still competitive.

Steve Eckroat, executive director of the OGA, said the course’s astronomical rating was due to the green complexes and the trouble surrounding them.

“The obstacles are incredible,” he said.

“Around the greens, recovery is very extreme even for the highly skilled player.

Missing a green is very penal.”

A course rating is the score a scratch golfer should shoot. The slope rating is a scale of how hard the course is for the bogey golfer. Oak Tree has added tees on holes 2, 9, 15, 16 and 18 that make the course virtually unplayable for the bogey golfer. However, they would probably never play those tees.

The black tees (tips) were lengthened from 7,410 yards to 7,504 and the course rating went from 77.3 to 79.3, slope 144 to 155.

The Gold Tees, where many members play, went from 74.1 and 145 to 76.5 and 153. The Blue Tees from 71.6 and 135 to 73.1 and 145.

A simultaneous renovation of Oak Tree Country Club’s East Course by architect Mark Hayes was complete and the course was to reopen in early August.

Hayes expanded the greens to their original dimensions as designed by Pete Dye in A view from behind the first green at renovated Oak Tree National. the late 1970s. New drainage was added and greenside bunker complexes were rebuilt.

Many of the greens had shrunk by several thousand square feet over the years due to Bermuda encroachment.

The West Course at Oak Tree has been overburdened this summer, but soon will get its chance to rest as it is scheduled to be

By Ken MacLeod with U3 Bermuda, are pristine. The rebuilt updated in 2010. greens are in perfect condition as well. New Like the East Course, the West Course Raters for the Oklahoma Golf Association irrigation will make it easier to maintain. will receive all new greens. say renovated Oak Tree National is a bear. It The $6 million renovation restored both drew a course rating of 79.3, third highest in the conditions and demanding playabilthe country, and a slope rating of 155 from ity that made Oak Tree famous in the first Ten Highest USGA the back tees, the maximum allowable and place.

Course Ratings one of 12 courses in the nation at 155.

“The greens are firm and the fairways are Yet consulting architect Tripp Davis, along lush. That’s the way we want to maintain it,” 1. International Golf Club, Bolton, with owners Ed Evans and Everett Dobson, Dobson said.

Mass., 80.0 say that while the changes have added peril, “It’s a shotmaker’s golf course and a very 2. Pikewood National Golf Club, particularly around the greens, it is still very fair golf course,” Evans said. “It’s going to Morgantown, W.Va., 79.3 rewarding to good shots. be a tough test of golf, no doubt. If you’re 3. Oak Tree National, Edmond, Okla., Davis backed up the claim by cruising spraying it, there are a lot of places to get 79.3 around the layout in even-par during a re- in jail.

4. Rich Harvest Links, Sugar Grove, cent media day, even though he was paying “But the feedback has been overwhelmIll., 79.1 little attention to his game while explain- ingly positive. We think it’s going to be a 5. Haveltine National, Chaska, Minn., ing the nuances to an accompanying golf great asset to Edmond and Oklahoma.”

78.0 writer.

Many members who left during the reno6. The Concession Golf Club, BradenOf course, Davis is a former All-American vation or were put off by the increased dues ton, Fla., 77.6 at Oklahoma and still a top-flight competi- and assessment have already returned.

7. Castle Pines, Castle Rock, Colo., tive amateur player when he’s not adding Evans has already had conversations with 77.1 bunkers, streams and collection areas to a the PGA Tour, PGA of America and USGA 8. TPC Sawgrass, Stadium Course, course that wasn’t easy in the first place. about holding championships at Oak Tree.

Pontre Vedra, Fla., 76.8 The renovation was about more than Most circulated rumor is that the 2014 U.S. 9. TPC Treviso Bay, Naples, Fla., 76.2 making Oak Tree members sharpen their Senior Open is already at the contract stage 10. Pine Valley, Pine Valley, N.J., 75.2 short games. The fairways, newly sodded with the USGA. That will be the year Scott

Oak Tree National New version tough, but fair

22

South Central Golf Magazine

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Taste of the Trail New Orleans courses, cuisine await Audubon Trail travelers

By Adam Bode Many courses across the country are wising up and pooling their resources to promote their regions as golf destinations. Few places outside Alabama have done a better job promoting themselves than Audubon Golf Trail in Louisiana.

If you are looking for unforgettable golf, hospitality and a taste of Cajun food and culture, the trail has you covered. They want everyone to know that four years removed from Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana is back.

“We want people to know that we’re no longer under water,” said Eric Kaspar, director of the Audubon Golf Trail. Kaspar was one of our guides on a trek through the state that proves that Louisiana is indeed back, in a big way.

The Trail was formed in 2001 to promote golf tourism throughout the state and includes 12 courses. Each must meet a strict set of standards including course conditioning, playability and service. The Trail’s marketing slogan is “Great Golf, Among Other Things,” and nowhere is that more evident than in New Orleans, where we began our trip.

“The Big Easy” is home to two Trail courses and serves as a great starting or ending point to any Louisiana golf getaway. First

up for us was Audubon Park, an executive course that proved to be the perfect place to see what kind of shape our games would be in for the week. The course allows golfers to test out every club in their bag while finishing up a round in less than three hours.

At 4,220 yards and par-62 from the back tees, Audubon Park features 12 par-3s, four par-4s and a pair of par-5s that finish out both the front and back nines. The first round was played there in 1898 and the course is situated in New Orleans’ historic district alongside the Audubon Zoo. The Holy Name of Jesus Church and Tulane and Loyola universities are close by and can be seen in the skyline on a few holes. The course is maintained in pristine shape by keeping carts on the paths at all times, and the TifEagle Bermuda greens roll as true as any that you will

find at an upscale daily-fee course or private club. It featured just enough bunkers to give us some much needed warm-up for the next day’s ultimate test at TPC Louisiana.

Much has been made of Pete Dye’s diabolical designs and difficult layouts at some of his more notable courses, such as the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass and our own section gem, Oak Tree Golf Club. He stays true to form at TPC Louisiana. It is home to the PGA Tour’s Zurich Classic and is located just 15 minutes from the French Quarter.

Though few will choose to tangle with the course from the PGA’s back tees of 7,500 yards, players have many tee options ranging from 6,930 to 5,120 and all play to a par of 72. The course lost more than 1,000 trees to Hurricane Katrina, but having never been there before, it was hard to imagine there being any more cypress or pines on the property. In addition to the trees, you will find more than 100 bunkers waiting for you beside fairways and greens; water also comes into play on seven holes.

In other words there is trouble waiting around every corner. Once you do manage to get safely on the green, beware of the breaks. General manager Luke Farabaugh told us to expect our 10-foot putts to have

Where to golf Audubon Golf Trail

(866) AGT-IN-LA (248-4652) www.audubongolf.com

Audubon Park (504) 212-5290

TPC Louisiana

(866) NOLA-TPC (665-2872) www.tpc.com/daily/louisiana/

Carter Plantation

(225) 294-9855 www.carterplantation.com

The Island

(225) 685-0808 www.theislandgolf.com

Tamahka Trails

(318) 240-6300 www.paragoncasinoresort.com

South Central Golf Magazine

The TPC of Louisiana highlights any trip to New Orleans to play golf.

25

a single break, two breaks at 20 feet, triple breakers at 30 and so on. He wasn’t joking.

But even if you are going from fairway bunker to fairway bunker to greenside bunker or misreading triple breakers, it is hard not to stand in awe of the immaculate, undulating TifSport Bermuda fairways, perfect greens and the spectacular views of what used to be a flat swamp. Dye and PGA Tour player consultants Steve Elkington and Kelly Gibson created an unforgettable course that no one should skip on a pass through New Orleans.

Our two nights in the Crescent City were spent at the JW Marriott; it backs up to the French Quarter and is within walking distance of Bourbon Street and Jackson Square. A stay in New Orleans is not complete without some true Cajun cuisine and we found just that at the Red Fish Grill, famous for its fried BBQ oysters and the Gumbo Shop, whose name pretty much speaks for itself. Both are located just a few blocks off Bourbon Street. As difficult as it may be, you have to save room for the bread pudding at both spots.

Another highlight of our stop in New Orleans was a Cajun Critters Swamp Tour, where we saw alligators, snakes, birds and plenty of native bayou plants and trees. Our tour guide was a native Louisianan with a wealth of local knowledge. He proved to us that he could make an alligator in the wa-

Planning a trip Where to Stay

JW Marriott (504) 525-6500 www.marriott.com

Carter Plantation Villas (225) 294-7555 www.carterplantation.com Paragon Resort and Casino (800) 946-1946 www.paragoncasinoresort.com

Things to do Spreading Live Oak trees dot Audubon Park. ter do anything he wanted with just a few marshmallows.

Next we headed northwest to the Carter Plantation in Springfield, a 60-mile drive northwest of New Orleans that showcased beautiful Lake Ponchartrain to the west and Lake Maurepas to the east. Carter Plantation is true to its name and has an old Southern plantation feel the minute you drive onto the grounds.

The property features wonderful guest villas, a recently completed 10,000-squarefoot conference center and banquet facili-

Enjoy panoramic views of the Ozark Mountain landscape from some of the most spectacular golf courses located in the Heart of America. These courses are designed to challenge every skill level and the climate is suitable for golf year round. Visit www.golfbranson.com to learn more about the golf experiences awaiting you in Branson, MO. •

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G IVE U S A C ALL !

For more information call the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce at 1• 800 • 427•1881 or visit www.golf branson.com

• Branson Creek • Holiday Hills • Ledgestone Payne Stewart • Pointe Royale • Thousand Hills

• •

Murder Rock Top of the Rock

Redfish Grill (504) 598-1200 www.redfishgrill.com The Gumbo Shop (504) 525-1486 www.gumboshop.com Cajun Critters Swamp Tour (800) 575-5578 www.cajunswamptour.com ties. Plans are currently on hold for a large hotel with views of the course and 180 riverfront acres featuring a 300-slip marina, condos and shops. Managing director Dana Feneck said plans should move ahead full force in the near future.

At the center of it all is the course. Opened in 2004, the 7,050-yard, par-72 is the first original design by PGA tour player and Louisiana native David Toms. The course rolls through three distinct Louisiana landscapes – oak flats, cypress wetlands and pine forests – that frame a memorable and challenging layout. Plenty of bunkers, native grasses and trees come into play and strategic tee shots are a must.

From there we made our way west 45 minutes to Baton Rouge where we played The Island, one of the original six members of the Audubon Golf Trail. While the fairways are wide and inviting, there are plenty of hazards and out-of-bounds stakes to eat up errant shots on this par-72 course that plays 7,000 yards from the back. The Island was carved out of an old sugar cane plantation and bayous and swamps come into play on nearly every hole. A stomach full of delicious, fresh fried catfish at the turn made the first few holes on the back nine much tougher than they should have been.

Our final stop took us 100 miles northwest of Baton Rouge to Marksville, home of Paragon Casino and Resort and Tamahka Trails Golf Club. Both are owned by the TunicaBiloxi Tribe of Louisiana and will definitely impress. In addition to 500 spectacular

Please see AUDUBON, Page 28

South Central Golf Magazine

Raven Golf Club

No matter how you play, the views will bring you back

Planning a trip Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks (970) 262-3636 www.ravenatthreepeaks.com

feet of elevation. The third hole is aptly named “American Eagle” as it plays home to a nest of Osprey eagles in an abandoned The one rule laid out before playing the any low flying attempts to gain distance. power line pole in the left rough. It’s a long Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks is after you The front nine opens with a straight par-4. dog leg away from the eagle’s nest and will get to your ball always turn around and look A wide open fairway allows you to find out beat you up if your tee shot finds the masback where you came from. The rule won’t right off the tee just how much farther your sive bunker complex to the right of the fairhelp your score and it definitely won’t speed drives are going to carry at close to 9,000 way. up play, but it will give you a whole different perspective of the course and provides some of the most beautiful views you will find in mountain golf.

The Raven is mountain golf at its finest. From the drastic elevation changes and breathtaking views to the tremendous course conditions and top of the line staff and service; the Raven has it all. Located just 75 miles west of downtown Denver, it is the perfect spot for a day trip into the mountains from Denver or an ideal location for a round if you are having a lengthy stay in nearby Silverthorne, Breckenridge, Vail or Keystone.

The Raven opened for play in 2000 and was designed by Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry (Hurdzan/Fry Designs) along with PGA Tour player Tom Lehman. It is routed masterfully to follow the natural terrain of the site. The course features bent grass greens Hole #2 at Ross Bridge and Kentucky bluegrass tees, fairways and rough. It plays just over 7,400 yards from the back tees and offers four teeing options The Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa just outside all playing to a par of 72.

Birmingham is the latest masterpiece located along the famed Robert Trent Jones The native rough comes into play on many holes if your tee shot goes astray. Between Golf Trail. With its full-service spa, luxury resort and 18 championship holes capable the native grass and the 67 Mackenzie-style of playing at a staggering 8,200 yards, you’ll be tempted to compare it to some of bunkers that line the fairways and guard the greens, a straight ball is a must on most tee the finest golf destinations in the world. Until you realize there is no comparison. shots and approaches. If you find yourself in one of the bunkers be prepared to punch Call 800-alabama or log on to www.alabama.travel. out as most have steep faces and the native grass runs all the way to the lips, snagging

Comparing Ross Bridge to the great Scottish courses really isn’t fair.

To Scotland.

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ABT-842 (74733).indd 1

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5/23/08 4:24:55 PM

The closing two holes on the front are ones you won’t soon forget. The eighth is a par-3 listed at 184 on the card but plays a good 40 yards shorter due to the elevation change. Go long and you’ll find a grove of pines, a short shot will find a creek that runs in front of the green. The ninth is a 515 yard par-4 that is also drastically downhill. A well struck tee shot will carry 50-75 yards farther than normal. A pond full of trout guards the green on the right.

The back nine is highlighted by the 14th and 16th holes, two of the best views on the course. The 14th is a long par-4 set against the beautiful backdrop of the Gore Mountain range. A lake in front of the green causes the cautious players play to a short landing area and play for an up and down par. The 16th is a 601 yard par-5 that dog legs to the right with a 150-foot drop from tee to the landing area. Aspens and pines frame the wide, rolling fairway.

To showcase everything they have to offer the Raven offers an all-inclusive package that is sure to entice you to come back and tell your friends. The package includes greens fee, cart with GPS, yardage book and range balls, as well as breakfast, lunch and unlimited snacks and non-alcoholic drinks on the course. The $180 price tag includes taxes and all tips so once you check-in you can stash your wallet in your bag and not get it out until your round is complete. After 1 p.m., the all-inclusive rate is $140.

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AUDUBON Continued from page 26 guest rooms, the resort and casino boasts an indoor alligator pond, four restaurants, a theater, spa and fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, more than 50,000 square feet of meeting and convention space, 2,000 slot machines and 46 table games.

Equally impressive was the golf course, Tamahka Trails. The course opened in 1999 and was designed by Steve Smyers; it plays to a par of 71 at 7,019 yards from the back tees. It is a gorgeous course that follows the natural ridge lines of the property that set up many memorable views both on the tee and looking back from the greens.

“Tamahka” is the Tunica-Biloxi word for alligator and the course definitely has some teeth to it in the form of bunkers – lots of deep, punishing bunkers. Seventy-four to be exact. You will find them in almost every fairway and along many of the greens.

It was a great course to close out a wonderful trip across Louisiana. The Audubon Golf Trail and the entire state want the nation to know that they are no longer under water. They are far from it. They are past the rebuilding mode and forging ahead with a destination that should be at the top of anyone’s list that enjoys “Great Golf, Among Other Things.”

South Central Golf Magazine

It takes a family

PGA Tour life not all wine and roses

Glen and Jennifer with children Christina, left and Whitney.

BY BECK CROSS Oh, how glamorous the life for the wife of a successful PGA Tour player must be.

Of course, it’s being ferried in a private jet to the most beautiful parts of the world, chauffeured limousines, five-star hotels, a 24-hour wait staff, facials and pedicures at the spa and Dom Perignon and Beluga by the pool.

“Don’t I wish,’’ Jennifer Ralston-Day said with amusement. “I think there are some people who actually believe that. That couldn’t be further from reality.’’

Jennifer is the wife of Little Rock’s Glen Day, who has been a consistent force for 15 years on the ultra-competitive PGA Tour with over $8.5 million in career earnings – including a victory in the 1999 Verizon Heritage Classic – in addition to carving an

equally lucrative niche in the golf-course design business.

Glen describes his wife of almost 17 years as both a partner and a soul mate.

“This is a total team effort I wouldn’t be where I am today in my career without Jennifer,’’ Glen said. “I’m only as good as the product that I’m around. She does it all and knows everything. People laugh, but in 17 years I’ve never opened a piece of mail.

“There’s no way you can put a dollar figure on what she does. It’s absolutely invaluable because it frees me to focus entirely on golf. Besides that, she’s my best friend.’’

Jennifer hails from one of Arkansas’s most prominent golf families. Her father, Bob Ralston, was the head professional at Belvedere Country Club in Hot Springs and is a heralded player in his own right as a

qualifier for countless events on the Champions Tour. Uncles Steve and Joe Ralston and brother Dustin Ralston are all currently well-respected club pros in the state.

As a college sophomore at Ouachita Baptist in 1988, Jennifer was working for Steve at Burns Park Golf Course in North Little Rock when she first laid eyes on her future husband. Glen, a Mississippi native who had recently graduated from the University of Oklahoma, was a journeyman professional who was competing in the Arkansas Open, which he went on to win.

“From the first day we met, I had a huge crush on him but we didn’t start dating until about a year later,’’ Jennifer said. “I kept up with what he was doing though Golf World magazine and he finally asked me out when he was back in the state playing in a tournament in Hot Springs. We dated for about a year before we got engaged.’’

Jennifer’s job as Glen’s “right-hand man” began when the two said “I do.” She began booking all of his flights, hotels and rental cars and was the primary liaison to his endorsement companies . On the rare weeks she didn’t travel with Glen in the early years, she carefully packed his suitcase to ensure there were no wardrobe gaffes.

“When I first started making all of his arrangements, I had no clue what I was doing.

Please see DAY, Page 31

Tee times: www.PlayTulsa.com

South Lakes 9253 S. Elwood Jenks, America

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5501 S. Yale Ave., Tulsa, Okla.

918-746-3760 www.SouthLakesGolf.com South Central Golf Magazine

Since 1989

918-496-6200 www.LaFortuneParkGolf.com 29

Chance meeting

Romance made Austin a Kansan

By Mal Elliot He had not yet been dubbed “Aqua Man” by golf superstar Phil Mickelson. He was yet to chase all-time golf great Tiger Woods to the finish line in the 2007 PGA Championship at Southern Hills, only to lose by two strokes.

But there was something about Woody Austin, the fun-loving but obscure golfer from Florida who was struggling to grind out a living in professional golf, that appealed to an attractive hairdresser who attended the 1992 Wichita Open on the PGA’s Nike Tour at Reflection Ridge Golf Club.

Austin was lured to Wichita by what is now called the Nationwide Tour, which is celebrating its 20th year of bringing pro golf to Wichita. Austin played in the first Wichita Open, which was known as the Ben Hogan

Tour at the time. He played in three Wichita Opens.

His sister Debbie lived near the No. 1 tee at Reflection Ridge and in 1992 he came to see her new baby. During a practice round, “Debbie came up to me and said, ‘Did you see the two girls that are following you?

Well, one of them wants to take you to lunch and here’s her number.’ ” He called her and went to lunch and even though he failed to get into the tournament, he stayed a week and they dated.

So credit the young hairdresser, Shannon Henderson, with providing Kansas with its first international golf celebrity since Tom Watson. She dated Austin and eventually became his wife. They moved to his home state of Florida and lived for five years. But she was “terribly homesick” so they moved back to Derby, Kan., in 1996.

Austin is the first Kansas golfer since Watson to acquire international fame and is now among the top five Kansas tourists to have played the game. Jug McSpaden and Dick Metz were stars of the PGA in the 1930s and were named twice to the Ryder Cup team that originally played the British side and now competes against a team made up of Europeans. But McSpaden and Metz were selected for the team in the 1940s when play was suspended because of World War II, so they never enjoyed international exposure.

The fourth successful Kansan was Jim

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Let’s hear it for Austin after his birdie at No. 12 in the final round of the 2007 PGA Championship.

Colbert of Kansas City, who captured several Senior PGA money titles.

Although he was prone to antics on the golf course, Austin took on a new persona when he fell in a pond by the 14th hole during the President’s Cup competition in Canada. The following day, “Aqua Man” amused the gallery by donning a pair of diving goggles as he approached the pond.

Almost overshadowed by the plunge was the fact that Austin was the hero of the U.S. victory in the President’s Cup, nailing down two and one-half points and leading the down the stretch that sealed the outcome for captain Jack Nicklaus’ U.S. team.

At the 2007 PGA, he also chided the crowd by holding one hand to his ear after making a long birdie putt, as if to say “Where is all that tumultuous noise I hear for Tiger ?”

Austin had two chances to get even more international exposure in the British Open – in 2007 and this year – but declined.

“In 2007 I had just finished playing eight straight weeks and I was exhausted,’ he said. “I wasn’t prepared.”

This year, he had a chance to play as an alternate in the British Open but his younger son (Peyton, 9) was undergoing surgery for a growth on his spleen so Austin took two weeks off the Tour to be with him.

Also in 2007 he was extremely disappointed in not being selected for the Ryder Cup team. “Any other year I would have been on it but they changed the criteria,” he said.

Austin was a late bloomer. He turned pro in 1986 but spent time on the satellite tours and nursing a leg injury and got a late start on the PGA Tour. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1995 at the age of 30. He has three victories and more than $14 million in

South Central Golf Magazine

tour earnings.

He has earned almost $900,000 this year and is on track for a sixth million-dollar season.

Austin is 45, which means he only has five more years before becoming eligible for the Champions Tour. Of course he could stay on the PGA tour if his game is still sharp enough to compete with the young Turks.

Which he says is exactly what he plans to do. He says he wants to stay in competition with the younger players in order to “keep the competitive juices flowing.”

Age doesn’t seem to be slowing Austin.

His current scoring average of 70.4 strokes is the best of his career and half a stroke better than his two previous top seasons.

His putting is improving. He ranks 13th on putts inside 10 feet and 18th inside 15 feet.

He is ninth best on the Tour for scrambling out of the rough.

Austin would like to find his old swing “which I did (in 2007) when I almost won the PGA.” He thinks the rule change on the grooves on golf clubs will bring the old guys back into the game. Beginning in 2010, sharpness of grooves on all clubs with 25 or more degrees of loft will be limited, reducing the ability to get spin on a ball hit out of the rough. This will force the long hitters to play more deliberately and stay out of the rough instead of simply blasting away with the driver.

“This will bring the old guys back into the game,” said Austin. “There will be more chances to win.”

Watson summed it up when he almost won the British Open this year at age 59.

“Here (in England) I have a chance to win.

I can’t play the Masters any more. I feel like more of a ceremonial golfer in the Masters (because of the length.)”

“He’s right,” said Austin. “At the Masters you can’t play ‘golf.’ You have to play ‘long ball.’ ” Austin favors the traditional courses like Southern Hills and Colonial in Fort Worth.

He is a pure shotmaker, one of the best in the world if you ask Rick Nuckolls, who owns Wichita’s Willowbend Golf Course with his brother Rod. Austin hits the ball an average of almost 290 yards off the tee and is one of the fiercest scramblers on the Tour, as he showed when he fired three birdies down the stretch and ran in clutch putts to keep the pressure on Woods in the 2007 PGA at Southern Hills.

Austin is close friends with the Nuckolls brothers and represents Willowbend Golf Club on Tour. The walls of the Willowbend dining room are a virtual shrine to Austin, with framed covers of magazines in which he has been featured. Austin and Willowbend were also featured recently on the Golf Channel‘s series on “Playing with the Pros.”

South Central Golf Magazine

DAY

CARTI/St. Vincent in Little Rock,’’ Jennifer Continued from page 29 said. “I thought to myself at the time that if God ever put me in a position to help others, In fact, I didn’t know there were two airports I’m going to help CARTI. in Dallas and learned the hard way when I “When Glen started becoming successful, was hoping to surprise him when he was he agreed that we should do something to there on a long layover. Of course, I went to give back to the community. He’s in charge Love Field and he was at DFW. It was all a of bringing in PGA players and I do everylearning experience in the beginning.’’ thing else. I think we’ve done pretty well.’’

Glen earned his PGA Tour card for the While there are many rewards, Jennifer 1994 season and immediately made a name said the lifestyle of a PGA Tour wife has its for himself by finishing second in the Rook- drawbacks considering Glen is away from ie of the Year standings to Ernie Els. A very home an average of 32 weeks per year. pregnant Jennifer didn’t miss a tournament “Glen and I have never gone two weeks and walked each 18-hole round, save for a without seeing each other since we’ve been six-week break in mid-summer to give birth married,’’ she said. “But it is hard because to the couple’s first child, Whitney. it’s almost like living a single-parent life.

By the time Jennifer welcomed the cou- I’m playing mom and dad trying to get our ple’s second child, Christina, in 1996, she kids to all these activities while trying to was forced to scale back her travel time keep my husband in the loop. Thank goodwith Glen. Though she was the full-time ness for cell phones because it allows him caregiver to two small children, she created to hear and listen to things like if I’m at a and chairs the highly successful A Day For dance recital or cheerleading tryouts or a Charity Pro-Am. volleyball game.’’

Since 1996, the annual A Day For Charity The children have undoubtedly flourPro-Am has raised more than $750,000 for ished. Whitney, 15, and Christina, 13, are CARTI [Central Arkansas Radiation Therapy honor students at Little Rock Christian and Institute] and other area charities. She also excel in dance, cheerleading, basketball, serves on the board of directors at CARTI, volleyball and soccer. the First Tee of Arkansas and is a past presiThe two gave their mom a resounding dent of the PGA Tour Wives Association. ‘thumbs up.’’

“When I was a freshman in college, my “Our Mom’s the best,’’ Whitney said. “It just grandmother had cancer and was treated at seems like there’s nothing she can’t do.”

The Oklahoma GCSA: Keeping Oklahoma’s golf courses compatible with our natural environment.

1911 West Rockport Place Broken Arrow, Oklahoma 74012 www.okgcsa.com • 1-800-936-7071

31

OU course draws raves for APL

By Staff Reports If the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship at Jimmie Austin OU Golf Course was a dry run for future USGA events, than it was a smashing success.

From the preparation by the host committee, yeoman work by director of golf Rodney Young and his staff and the spectacular conditions provided by superintendent Jason Faires’ staff, everything combined to provide a perfect setting for one of the major national amateur tournaments.

The golfers took care of the rest. Battling through oppressive heat early in the week, Brad Benjamin, 22, of Rockford, Ill., defeated Nick Taylor, 21, of Canada, 7 and 6 in a surprisingly decisive final match.

The course held up beautifully and the greens were a revelation in the scorching heat. They were rolling just as smooth at the end of the week as they did for qualifying.

The tournament may help ease the endless debate about whether OU made a huge

Brad Benjamin after winning the 2009 U.S. Amateur Public Links. Photo by USGA/Robert Walker mistake when it allowed Bob Cupp to redesign much of the original Perry Maxwell layout during a 1996 renovation. While many former OU players and course patrons will forever rue the changes, which redesigned 14 of the 18 Maxwell holes, Young said the tournament proved that the new course, renovated extensively again in preparation for the tournament, now stands solidly on its own.

“I think we’ve moved to the next phase,”

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Young said. “There are still plenty of guys who remember the old Perry Maxwell course and wish they had it back. At the same time, they need to realize that it’s great now. Yes, it’s very different, but still great.

“And I think there are still a lot of the Maxwell characteristics out there, even if the holes have changed.”

Young was inspired by the amount of positive feedback he received, both from players and the USGA. With the renovations complete, he is hopeful the USGA will want to return sooner rather than later.

“They were excited and definitely want us to put in a bid for another event,” he said.

“The U.S Junior for boys or girls is a good possibility. We’ll probably put something together in the next few months.”

In addition to the updated greens and tee boxes, other improvements are now in place, which would make hosting another event much easier. Fiber optics lines are laid, a scoreboard is built, the practice facilities have been redone, bunkers are rebuilt and the clubhouse has been updated.

Benjamin, an unheralded former Memphis golfer, cried softly in the pressroom afterward, overcome with the realization of what he had accomplished.

He led 4-up after 18 holes in the scheduled 36-hole final and applied the pressure to Taylor immediately in the afternoon, winning the 19th hole by hitting his approach shot on the 468-yard par-4 first hole to within 3 feet for birdie, which was conceded by Taylor. Benjamin continued his aggressive play, matching Taylor’s birdie on the 621yard par-5 fifth hole, the 24th of the match, and then draining a 30-foot birdie putt on the 175-yard par-3 sixth hole to go 6-up on the 25th hole of the match.

“That was the start I needed,” said Benjamin. “That was the thing I was most concerned about was going back out, obviously the momentum could go his way. If I can beat him basically 4-up on first 18, sorry, anything could happen. Obviously he’s twice the player I am, on paper at least, if not more than that. If I can do that to him, he can do the same.”

Benjamin birdied the 437-yard par-4 11th hole to go 7-up and dormie in the match and then closed out Taylor, 7 and 6, by hitting his tee shot on the 164-yard par-3 12th hole to within 8 inches of the hole. When Taylor conceded the putt, the match was over and Benjamin became the 2009 champion.

“I played well the entire week, and to be in the final and lose is definitely disappointing,” said Taylor. “But Brad played unbelievable in the afternoon. Pretty much did to me what I did to the other guys coming into this match play.”

Taylor, the low amateur at the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage State Park and the stroke play medalist, was the prohibitive favorite entering the final.

South Central Golf Magazine

OGA Views Steve Eckroat

OGA Executive Director There has been some debate here in Oklahoma regarding the latest USGA Course and Slope rating for the recently renovated Oak Tree National, formerly known as Oak Tree Golf Club, which has hosted two major golf Championships, the 1988 PGA Championship and the 2007 Senior PGA Championship.

As of the end of July, 2009, the back tees at Oak Tree National rank second nationally with a USGA Course Rating of 79.3 and a Slope of the maximum 155 while measuring just over 7,500 yards. What all of this means is that a scratch golfers target score (what he should score) would be a 79 on this par 71 layout while the bogey golfers target score would be a whopping 108. The difference in these two scores is used to come up with the USGA Slope Rating of 155. The higher the Slope Rating the bigger the gap between the highly skilled (scratch) player and the bogey (USGA Handicap index of 1822) golfer. Look for Oak Tree National to host another major championship sooner than later.

The OGA Foundation is now up and running. Mark Felder has been named the Exec-

utive Director of this newly created 501 c(3) Non-Profit entity. The OGA Foundation will share office space with the Oklahoma Golf Association at its new headquarters, 2800 Coltrane Place, Suite 2 in Edmond. Please contact Mark at 405-513-8400 for more information regarding the Foundation.

The first of two 2009 USGA Championships here in Oklahoma has taken place.

The U.S. Amateur Public Links took place the second week of July with temperatures hovering just north of 100 degrees for most of the week. The Jimmie Austin University of Oklahoma Golf Course held up very well with the cut falling at 7-over-par 149 for the 64 man Match Play field.

Oklahoma was represented well with OU assistant golf coach Phillip Bryan making it to the semifinal matches. Next will be the U.S. Amateur at Southern Hills Country Club the last week of August. There 312 of the best amateur golfers in the world will tee it up at both Southern Hills and Cedar Ridge Country Club for 36 holes of stroke play qualifying. The field will play 18 holes at each course before being cut down to the low 64 for match play. All six rounds of the match play portion of the championship will be held at Southern Hills.

We have crowned a few more champions so far this year. Hunter Sparks of Oklahoma City won both the Stroke Play and Match Play portions of the Junior Boys Champion-

ship held at Fairfax Golf Club in early June and followed that with a victory at the Twin Hills Junior Classic at the end of June.

Colton Staggs, a 17-year-old junior at Jenks, won the 96th edition of the Oklahoma State Amateur. Colton is the youngest known champion of this championship which dates back to 1910. Colton finished off Kansas State golfer Robert Streb of Edmond 4 and 3 by playing holes six through 13 in 7-under-par making seven birdies in that nine-hole stretch.

Streb, who played his high school golf at perennial power Edmond North, will graduate Kansas State in December with plans on turning professional soon after. The OGA would like to wish Robert all of the luck as he starts his professional career.

John Krogh from Sulphur successfully defended his Senior State Amateur title defeating Tim Carson of Monkey Island. It was a hot week at WinStar with temperatures exceeding the century mark every day of the Championship.

Michael Hughett of Owasso won his 11th OGA Championship at the Senior Stroke play held at Ponca City Country Club. With more than 20 pewter plates for first or second-place finishes, Hughett is believed to be the most decorated player in OGA history.

For more information please visit us at our website at www.okgolf.org or call us at 405.848.0042.

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South Central Golf Magazine

33

Rules of Golf Gene Mortensen

OGA Rules Official You are out on the course with your regular Saturday morning group. The sun is shining and you all agree that life is wonderful.

What could possibly go wrong, you ask?

When the USGA wrote the Rules of Golf, they included several possibilities. You could hit the wrong ball, from a wrong place, to the wrong green, and without knowing it give your opponent wrong information. The list is scary and some of the penalties are harsh. We will review various situations so as to help you avoid being assessed a penalty or worse if you should find yourself on the verge of doing something wrong.

The original concept of golf is to hole out with the ball put into play on the teeing ground. In the definitions we see that a “Wrong Ball” is any ball other than your: (a) ball in play; (b) provisional ball; or (c) second ball if it has been put in play under a Rule. As is usually the case, a player hits a tee shot into high grass, finds a ball and plays it. When he goes to make the next shot he sees that the ball is not his. He has played a wrong ball and incurs the penalty of loss of hole in match play or two strokes in stroke play. In match play, the player and

his opponent simply move on to the next tee and continue play. In stroke play, the situation must be corrected before he plays from the next tee or he will be disqualified. The player returns to the spot where he played the wrong ball and continues to search for the original ball. If he finds it within five minutes he plays it. If not, it is lost and the player proceeds under Rule 27.

Of importance to the concept of a “wrong ball” is the fact that players are permitted to identify their ball anywhere on the course.

Before the last Rule change, if you played a wrong ball out of a hazard, there was no penalty as you were not permitted to lift the ball to identify it. That was all changed.

The proper procedure to identify the ball is found in Rule 12 and it is done in two steps: (1) announce your intention to your marker; and, (2) first mark its position. You are then entitled to lift your ball if you provide your marker the opportunity to observe the procedure. Pursuant to Rule 21, you may clean the ball only to the extent necessary. It is imperative for all players to have a working understanding of these two Rules as they will be used often.

We will shift this discussion to a “wrong place” which is defined in Rule 20-7 to be: (a) a part of the course where the Rules do not permit a stroke to be made; or (b) when the Rules require that a dropped ball be redropped or a moved ball to be replaced. In

match play, the player and his opponent simply move on to the next tee, as the hole is lost. In Stroke play, if the breach is serious, it is imperative to correct the error or face disqualification.

Let me use two examples to demonstrate how this Rule is applied. Example A, by mistake, you place your ball on the green at the mark of another competitor (10 inches behind your mark) and putt. It goes into the hole so the score with that ball counts and you add two strokes for playing from the wrong place.

Example B, you hit a tee shot that hits on the side of a bank and rolls into deep water. You go to the point where the ball went into the water hazard and drop another ball.

As you are aware, the Rules require that you keep the hazard between the hole and the spot where you drop a ball so you have, in effect, gained a big advantage in yardage and by taking the water hazard out of play for the next shot. In this case you realize your error before playing from the next tee so you return to the other side of the water hazard, make a proper drop and complete the hole. You are required to report this to the Committee and if it determines that you committed a serious breach, the score with the second ball counts with two additional penalty strokes. If the breach were serious and not corrected, the player would be disqualified.

A wrong putting green is any green other

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South Central Golf Magazine

than that of the hole being played. This includes practice putting and pitching greens.

Rule 25-3 provides that the player must take relief as he would for an abnormal ground condition, drop the ball within one club length of the nearest point, not nearer the hole.

Wrong information is a term which is applied in match play and is found in Rule 9.

Your opponent has the right to ascertain the number of strokes you have made at any point during the play of a hole. If you give him wrong information, you lose the hole.

Wrong information is when you: (a) fail to tell your opponent on a timely basis that you have incurred a penalty; (b) give him incorrect information and not correct it on a timely manner; or (c) give incomplete information and it affects his understanding of the status of the match. The easy way to avoid a problem is, when in doubt, make sure your opponent has accurate information before he plays any stroke. One of the unique effects in this Rule is that you are deemed to have given wrong information if you fail to tell your opponent of a penalty you have incurred even when you don’t realize that a penalty was incurred. This is because all players have the responsibility to know the Rules.

As I have repeated in several of these articles, the Rules are your friends. Become acquainted with them and learn how to apply them to help you.

Superintendent’s Corner Dan Robinson

Oaks Country Club

Summer Stress It is 4:30 in the morning and the alarm is going off. You have been awake for an hour worrying about if the greens are going to make it one more day. As you are getting dressed your mind is racing on how to get the most out of your crew for the day, even though it is going to be 100-plus degrees outside for the 10th day in a row.

On your way to work you are slugging down coffee to get yourself ready for the organized chaos that occurs at every golfcourse maintenance shop every morning.

Should we mow the greens….should we spray the greens…should we water the greens…? Did we mow fairways yesterday, and if so how much grass did we get?? Tell the fairway mowers to straighten up their lines. What about the tee boxes?? The par-3 tees need to be fertilized again.

Don’t forget the junior clinic today (we need to mow around the chipper and putter first thing). We cannot spray greens (because of the junior clinic). The ladies have a 9 a.m. shotgun off the back 9 today, too.

Send everybody to No. 10 and tell them to

South Central Golf Magazine

PGA Views Barry Thompson

SCS Executive Director Cimarron Grubb, head golf professional at Belmar Golf Club, helped the section raise money for its newly established foundation. Through his efforts, $2,275 was raised to promote junior golf at Belmar Golf Club and to assist the SCSPGA Foundation in serving the community through golf-related activities.

The Section wants to thank Gaillardia Country Club for hosting our inaugural PGA Teaching Summit with Hank Haney. The two-day meeting is a great opportunity for all of our golf professionals to learn some new teaching techniques and share their own with others. We look forward to making this an annual event.

Thanks to Corey Burd at Bailey Ranch and his staff for hosting our Team Championship. With a score of 133, George Glenn of the Tulsa Golf Association and Tim Graves, Graves Golf School in Edmond, put in the top performance.

Tied for second with a score of 134 were Tim Fleming, Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club, and EJ Pfister, who teaches at Oak Tree National and Gaillardia Country Club, and the team of Mark Fuller, Oak Tree Counhustle because there are a couple of groups going off No. 1 at 7:30.

There is a message on the phone from the general manager reminding you of the wedding on Friday night. Have everything mowed and trimmed around the clubhouse

by Wednesday because the family wants to start decorating early.

Trees!! Is anybody watering all of the trees we planted last fall??!! Even though we watered them a couple of days ago, they look very dry.

Has anybody fixed the irrigation leak on No. 12 so we can water the fairway?? It has been broken for 2 days!! The grass is burning up right in front of your eyes.

Your phone rings. It is the mechanic needing you to go get some parts for the fairway mower. He needs them quickly so the guys can get the fairways mowed before the ladies tee off. Hustling down the highway, you get a call from your assistant. Since we could not spray today, and since you are in town, he asks if you can stop and get the chemicals to spray the greens tomorrow morning.

Once back at the course, you rush to inspect all of the greens to give the staff instructions on how to keep the greens cool for the day. Watch the spot that burned on Tuesday (it will need lots of water). Don’t water the rest of the green until it absolutely

try Club, and Mike Gowens, Brent Bruhel Country Club.

In fourth with 135 was the team of Jim Kane, Oklahoma Golf Association, and Jim Woodward, Oak Tree National. Tied for fifth was the team of Tyler Carson, Blessings Golf Club, and Martin Maritz, Meadowbrook Country Club, with the team of Bob Ralston, Burns Park Golf Course, and Tom Cannarozzo, Chenal Country Club.

Congratulations to Kyle Flinton, Quail Creek Golf & CC and his team of three amateurs for winning the section’s McGladrey Team Championship Qualifier with a score of 131. The tournament was held at Belmar Golf Club in Norman, Okla., and we would like to thank Cimarron Grubb and his staff for hosting the event.

Thank you to Peter Vitali and his staff at Gaillardia CC for hosting our Match Play Championship. Jim Woodward prevailed in an exciting match over Jim Kane 1-up.

Woodward erased an early four-hole deficit after a torrid start by Kane. A birdie on the 17th hole provided the final margin. Woodward had defeated host pro Vitali 2-up in one semifinal while Kane edged Fleming 1 up.

The section welcomes Luke Benedict as the new head golf professional at Cimarron Trails in Perkins, Okla., and also Scott Donovan, the new head golf professional at Scissortail Golf Club in Verdigris, Okla. needs it (they are too wet).

Make sure the grass at the pool and tennis courts is cut, trimmed and swept up this morning. There is a tennis tournament this weekend, and a swim meet tonight. Be sure all of the grass is picked up. The pool employees don’t like it on the deck of the pool..

Phone rings. It is accounting wanting you to come up and approve some bills. On your way to the office the golf professional catches you and reminds you of the shotgun tournament on Monday at 8 a.m. He needs a straight line on No. 1 fairway, and make sure all of the hazards are painted. You quickly swing into the men’s lockerroom to get a glass of water. Two members corner you and express their concern about the pin locations the last couple of days. They also mention that there is too much sand in the bunkers.

After taking care of the accounting department, you head back out onto the golf course. Phone rings. It is the greens and grounds chair. He wants to visit with you after lunch about an upcoming project.

As soon as you hang up, there is a loud BOOM. The shotgun start for the ladies has begun. It is 9 o’clock. Only eight more hours to go. (Don’t forget the kids want to go swimming when you get home, too.)

35

Driving you crazy

Instruction Zone Pat McTigue

GolfTEC, Tulsa

The biggest change in the game of golf from an equipment standpoint is clearly the golf ball. Today’s balls are more durable, longer and fly straighter than balls only 10 years ago.

The next most significant change is with drivers. Bigger is not always better (hear that Texas?), but in the case of drivers it is. Bigger heads are easier to hit long and straight, and are much more forgiving, so if you have a driver that is five years old or more, you are likely giving up some benefit.

Today’s drivers, coupled with our hightech golf balls, are designed to provide maximum distance by combining a high launch angle and low backspin. Optimum launch and spin for a given golfer are determined by how fast the ball is traveling after impact, or ball speed. A qualified club-fitter with a launch monitor is vital to help you make this decision. And while you’re at it, understand that the average length of a driver on the PGA Tour is 44 ¼ inches, where off-the-rack drivers are now 45-46 inches.

Unless you are 6’ 3’ or taller, you don’t need or want a driver longer than 44 ½ inches.

What it boils down to is that we want to hit the ball higher and with less spin than 190,000+

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we have in the past. If we hit drivers from the past, say 10-12 years old, at the same height as today’s drivers, they would have way too much spin. Telltale sign of this shot are a ball flight that starts low, rises to an apex, then falls out of the air like a recently shot waterfowl. This is a very pretty shot, but unfortunately it is also pretty short.

When we launch the ball high with low backspin, we are maximizing carry distance, and will still get adequate roll once the ball hits the turf. I’m no physicist, but it just makes sense that there is less friction in the air than on the ground, even in very windy conditions (like anytime you are outdoors in our part of the country).

It is very common for me to hear that a golfer hits his irons well, but not his driver, and vice versa. While the golf swing is mostly the same with both types of clubs, the required angle of attack is necessarily different. Golfers that hit irons well typically are catching the ball on the way down, pinching the ball for maximum spin, trajectory and control. When we do that with a driver, we will produce a low launch and high spin. We must have a flat or slightly up angle of attack with our driver to optimize distance.

Generally there is a trade-off between distance and accuracy, but in this case the low95%

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er backspin works in our favor by reducing sidespin as well as boosting distance. We simply need to be more ‘behind’ a driver throughout the swing, allowing the club to travel slightly up at impact, as well as helping to shallow out the attack angle.

We not only have a bazillion choices in flex and loft, but we also have slice and hook correcting options as well. A word of caution is in order. These errors in ball flight are due to a deficiency in the swing, not the golf club. If you don’t ever want to work on correcting your slice, then you are OK in buying a hook-bias club. If you are working to correct your slice while using a draw-bias driver, understand that at the moment you swing down the line and release the club properly, the shot will go dead left.

So before you plunk down $300 or more for a draw-bias club, ask yourself if you want your bad shots to go straight and your good shots to go left or your bad shots to go right and your good ones straight.

Draw-bias drivers are created with one or more of three methods. The simplest is a closed face, which is pretty self-explanatory. Next is offset, which means the shaft enters the hosel so it lies in front of the leading edge of the club, making it easier to square the club at impact as well as helping to get the ball in the air. The last method is to add weight in the heel of the club to help flip the club closed as it swings toward impact.

There is a fundamental flaw here, because as we add weight to the heel, the center of gravity will move towards the heel as well.

The problem is that most slicers tend to hit the ball on the toe of the club, further away from the sweet spot.

Fade-bias drivers are intended for more accomplished players, and those drivers are generally sold as “tour” drivers, but the nomenclature varies from brand to brand.

These clubs feature face angles between .5 and 3 degrees open, are weighted to produce a flatter ball flight and don’t have as much heel-toe weighting. A quick hook is the second most insidious shot in golf (guesses on #1?), and correcting it will require a visit to your local PGA professional.

One does not have to look very far to see the impact that today’s equipment, especially drivers and balls, have had on the game.

Seen any high school seniors hit tee shots lately? If I had swung my trusty old Power Bilt Citation driver like that, I wouldn’t have hit a fairway until I was 32. It is much easier these days to hit a driver straight than in the past, assuming you have one that is a good fit for your swing.

To answer your questions about driver fitting, seek out a knowledgeable professional with a launch monitor in order to get the best results from your swing.

South Central Golf Magazine

KGA Views Kim Richey

KGA Executive Director It is that time of year – right in the middle of the golf season – that there is so much happening that I can’t pick just a single subject about which to write this column.

So, let me give you some news and updates about golf in Kansas and the region: The Trans-Mississippi Golf Association has announced that its 107th Trans-Mississippi Championship, to be held at Denver County Club July 12-15, 2010, will be converted from the traditional match-play format to a 54-hole stroke-play event. Its board of directors sites the increasing costs of travel as the primary reason for the change.

Contestants will now know when they must arrive and when they can depart. But, the biggest news from the Trans is the change in the age restriction for entrants. For the last 20 years the summer event was open to mid-amateurs and seniors (in two divisions). The Trans is going back to its roots and opening the Championship to golfers of any age. No doubt this change will attract the interest of many collegiate golfers and

aspiring juniors. The Trans traveling trophy is engraved with names like Nicklaus, Crenshaw, Tway and Brooks – all winners during their early 20s before turning pro. For now, the Championship will continue to offer a separate division for senior golfers as well.

Native Topekan Gary Woodland played in his first U.S. Open in June. He made the cut and was at one point tied for 12th place after two rounds. I had a chance to talk to Gary on Wednesday that week. He was really excited, but relaxed, and enjoying the experience. I asked him if his locker was next to Tiger’s. Normally, it would be, but Tiger and the other former champions get their own separate locker room! Statistically, Gary was first in eagles (1, tied with seven others), sixth in driving distance at just over 293 yards and he was the lowest player in the field as a qualifier (one of two to make the cut). Congratulations, Gary!

Congratulations to the State of Oklahoma and the members, patrons and staff of both Southern Hills Country Club and Jimmie Austin OU Golf Course for hosting USGA championships in 2009! I plan to be at the U.S. Amateur for several days and I am sure Southern Hills will be a difficult test for the best amateur golfers in the world.

Congratulations to my friend Jay Fox on

ASGA Views Jay N. Fox

ASGA Executive Director I received a real honor recently when Steve Ralston, PGA Professional at Burns Park Golf Course in North Little Rock and host of the 2009 PGA Junior Tour Finals, asked me to play as an invited guest with the 9-11 year-olds.

These players qualified in six different regions around the state, over the course of five different weeks in age divisions 9-11 and 12-14 in both ladies and gentlemen (no longer called boys and girls.

Usually the field is comprised of three players that qualified and a PGA Professional from the Arkansas Chapter. Several professionals had conflicts and could not play and I was proud to be asked and looked forward to the opportunity. I even went out to hit balls the day before to make sure my game would not be in their way.

As I pulled into the packed parking lot at Burns Park to get ready for the 9 a.m. nine-hole shotgun start, people were everywhere. The range was full and young juniors – both ladies and gentlemen – were putting on shoes and sunscreen and getting ready to face the challenge they had all earned.

About 8:45, Steve “rounded ’em all up” to go over announcements. A few minutes later a caravan of golfers headed out to

South Central Golf Magazine

From left: Trent Burroughs, 11; Zach Leming, 11: and Logan DePriest, 10 on the final green of the Arkansas PGA Junior Tour Finals at Burns Park. their respective tees, some with bags on their shoulders and quite a few using push/ pull carts. The PGA Pros and I loaded up a cooler of water and Gatorades for everyone in the group and headed out to meet the fellow-competitors. Steve and his staff had used a laser on all par-3s and par-4s and the yardage was painted on the ground.

I met my three players – Logan DePriest, 10, of Marshall; Zach Leming, 11, of Malvern; and Trent Burroughs, 11, of Donaldson. All three players shook my hand like young gentlemen and I introduced myself to their families. After asking the players to announce their golf balls and how they were marked, off we went.

his selection for induction into the Arkansas Golf Hall of Fame! Jay, be sure to put the induction video on YouTube!

Kudos to Cary Cozby and the members of Wichita Country Club for stepping up and offering to help the USGA in 2010. General Manager Cozby took advantage of the USGA visit by Mark Passey (regional director) during the 2008 Kansas Amateur to show off the new WCC and let it be known that here was a city and club that could host a national championship. Soon thereafter the USGA needed a replacement site for its Women’s Mid-Amateur and the September 2010 event now has a home in Wichita!

Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Newton has earned a reputation for excellent service and golf course conditioning – not to mention an outstanding and walkable test of golf skill. As a result, the Kansas Golf Association has accepted the invitation from Sand Creek Station to host the 2012 Kansas Amateur Match Play Championship.

The event will be played July 16-22. Other future sites include the 100th Kansas Amateur at Prairie Dunes in 2010 and Hallbrook Country Club in 2011.

Enjoy the rest of your golf season, and be sure to visit our website at www.kansasgolf. org!

It only took a couple of holes to find out these “gentlemen,” albeit small in stature, were there for one thing – to try and qualify for the South Central PGA Section Tournament in various parts of Oklahoma the latter part of July. Despite their willingness to want to succeed, they all acted like perfect gentlemen. When it was not their turn, they stood aside and watched quietly. They marked their balls on the putting green or asked if they could finish. When the round was over, they took off their hats and we all shook hands. It was an honor for me to be there for all nine holes – I truly enjoyed it.

It looked like Logan was going to easily qualify. He was only 2-over par for six holes, before finishing with two double bogeys and a triple bogey to shoot 44 (he is only 10).

Zach had a respectable 46 and Trent played solid all nine holes en route to a 41. We soon learned that Trent was fifth and only the top three advanced. A few minutes later, Trent came back to his mother and announced that two of the top three could not go due to baseball conflicts. I will never forget the smile on his face when he found out he was going to Oklahoma.

Hats off to all the Arkansas PGA Chapter Professionals that host these regional oneday tournaments in all parts of Arkansas. I am proud to say the ASGA is a proud supporter of this program – in more ways than one. The smiles of the faces of these deserving ladies and gentlemen can be found at www.asga.org.

37

Schedules and Results PRO NATIONWIDE FORT SMITH CLASSIC At Hardscrabble CC, Fort Smith, Ark. (par-70) June 18-21 1, Jason Enloe 64-65-71-65 – 265 ($99,000, won playoff); 2, Chris Tidland 67-62-68-68 – 265 ($59,400); 3 (tie), Brian Smock 68-66-66-66 – 266, Wil Collins 67-69-66-64 – 266, Justin Bolli 68-66-65-67 – 266 and Gavin Coles 6366-70-67 – 266 ($26,400); 7, Josh Broadaway 67-68-68-64 – 267 ($18,425); 8 (tie), Alex Prugh 70-65-68-65 – and Phil Tautarangi 62-71-66-69 – 268 ($16,500); 10, Andrew Buckle 67-68-65-69 – 269 ($14,850); 11, Omar Uresti 70-66-69-65 – 270 ($13,750); 12 (tie), Jonas Blixt 70-66-74-61 – 271, Doug LaBelle II 68-68-70-65 – 271, Matt Every 72-68-66-65 – 271, Kyle Blanks 67-65-71-68 – 271, Scott Gardiner 67-6870-66 – 271 and Dustin Risdon 65-68-67-71 – 271 ($10,450); 18, Ian Leggatt 68-72-67-65 – 272 ($8,250); 19 (tie), Keoke Cotner 67-72-69-65 – 273 and Jim Rutledge 70-69-67-67 – 273 ($7,425).

Schulte def. Brett Dowell 2 and 1; Charlie Sloan def. Elliot Soyez 1-up; Thane Ringler def. Jackson Foth 1-up (19).

Semifinals Gellerman def. Schulte 5 and 4; Ringler def. Sloan 3 and 2.

Final Ringler def. Gellerman 7 and 6.

JUNIOR AMATEUR At Emporia Municipal June 15-18 (rain-shortened) 1, Myles Miller 72-68 – 140; 2, Michael Gellerman 71-71 – 142; 3 (tie), Chase Hanna 72-71 – 143 and Jeff Jarvis 7568 – 143; 5 (tie), Henry Simpson 74-70 – 144 and Joseph Winslow 70-74 – 144; 7 (tie), Nick VonLintel 72-73 – 145, Michael Fischer 73-72 – 145 and Elliot Soyez 70-75 – 145; 10, Thane Ringler 74-72 – 146.

OKLAHOMA GOLF ASSOCIATION AMATEUR STATE AMATEUR U.S. AMATEUR PUBLIC LINKS At The Territory G&CC, Duncan At Jimmie Austin GC, Norman, Okla. (par-71) July 6-9 July 13-18 Third round Quarterfinals Baer Aneshansley def. Zac Henderson 6 and 5, Trent Taylor def. W.Bryan 2 and 1; P. Bryan def. Lyons 1-up; Whitekiller def. Stephen Carney 2 and 1, Alan Bratton def.

Crick def. Olson 1-up (19); Benjamin def. Yi 5 and 3.

Will Kropp 1-up; Colton Staggs def. Michael Lee 3 and 2, Semifinals Colby Shrum def. Logan Herbst 2 and 1, Geoff Shaw def.

Taylor def. P. Bryan 3 and 2; Benjamin def. Crick 1-up. Rob Laird 2-up, Robert Streb def. Taylor Artman 2 and 1, Final Nathan Hughes def. Matt Charlson 1-up.

Benjamin def. Taylor 7 and 6.

Quarterfinals Aneshansley def. Whitekiller 2-up, Staggs def. Bratton TRANS-MISS CHAMPIONSHIP 3 and 1, Shaw def. Shrum 3 and 1, Streb def. Hughes 5 At Flint Hills National GC, Andover, Kan. and 4.

June 23-28 Semifinals Second round Staggs def. Aneshansley 4 and 3, Streb def. Shaw 2-up.

Chris Kessler def. Charlie Stevens 2 and 1; Michael Final Holloway def. Russell Williams 3 and 2; Stephen SumStaggs def. Streb 4 and 2. mers def. Bob Neal 1-up (19), Stephen Daly def. Bradley Kropp 4 and 3; Bryan Norton def. Randy Vautravers 2 and SENIOR STATE AMATEUR 1; Robert Funk def. Brent Brockermeyer 5 and 4; Mark At Winstar Casino GC, Thackerville Healer def. Zac Burton 1-up (26); Mark Mance def. Steve Newman 3 and 2.

Quarterfinals Kessler def. Holloway 2 and 1; Daly def. Summers 2 and 1; Norton def. Funk 2 and 1; Healer def. Mance 3 and 2.

Semifinals Kessler def. Daly 6 and 5; Healer def. Norton 4 and 3.

Final Kessler def. Healer 1-up (19).

ARKANSAS STATE GOLF ASSOCIATION MEN’S STROKE PLAY At Pine Bluff CC (par-71) June 12-14 1,Wes.McNulty 69-64-69 – 202 (won playoff); 2, Jordan Payne 67-65-70 – 202; 3, Jeff Jenkins 71-69-67 – 207; 4, Neal Westbrook 71-70-70 – 211; 5, Nicholas Benton 71-7270 – 213; 6 (tie), Brian Allbright 72-71-72 – 215 and Nick Wilson 73-71-71 – 215; 8 (tie), Chris Pledger 70-75-71 – 216 and Rob Hudson 72-71-73 – 216; 10 (tie), Ron Mangold 7273-72 – 217 and Matt Forrest 73-68-76 – 217.

Mid-Seniors: 1, John Siratt 69-74-73 – 216; 2 (tie), David Shirey 73-75-71 – 219 and Tracy Harris 76-73-70 – 219; 4, Todd Martin 75-71-74 – 220; 5, Rodger Bates 74-72-76 – 222.

JUNIOR BOYS MATCH PLAY At Foxwood CC, Jacksonville June 15-18 Quarterfinals Richard Zimmerman def. Timothy Netherton 4 and 3; Drew Comer def. Chad Mathews 3 and 1; Ethan King def. Rowdy Garrett 1-up; Lane Hulse def. Colby Benton 2 and 1.

Semifinals Zimmerman def. Comer 3 and 2; King def. Hulse 2 and 1.

Final, Zimmerman def. King 2 and 1.

KANSAS GOLF ASSOCIATION JUNIOR MATCH PLAY At Cottonwood Hills GC, Hutchinson July 23-24 Quarterfinals Michael Gellerman def. Nick VonLintel 6 and 4; Sam

38

June 22-25 Second round Tim Carson def. Craig Collins 5 and 4; Mike McCurdy def. Dan Griffin 4 and 3; Bob Fouke def. Gary Bonner 1up (19); Murphy Mitchell def. Bob Alexander 2-up; John Krogh def. Richard Hunt 2 and 1; Mark Kedy def. Duane Chenoweth 9 and 8; Jack Steinmeyer def,. Kyle Leisher 2 and 1; Stephen Carroll def. John Reese 2 and 1.

Quarterfinals Carson def. McCurdy 1-up; Mitchell def. Fouke 2 and 1; Krogh def. Kedy 2 and 1; Carroll def. Steinmeyer 2 and 1.

Semifinals Carson def. Mitchell 4 and 3; Krogh def. Carroll 1-up (25).

Final Krogh def. Carson 5 and 3.

WOMEN’S OKLAHOMA GOLF ASSOCIATION STROKE PLAY At Stillwater CC (par-70) July 20-21 1, Ellen Mueller 71-73 – 144; 2, Aly Seng 74-73 – 147; 3, Crystal Reeves 72-78 – 150; 4 (tie), Morgan Chambers 7576 – 151, Aby Allford 76-75 – 151, Mary Larsh 78-73 – 151 and Brooke Baker 74-77 – 151; 8, Janet Miller 79-74 – 153; 9, Lee Ann Fairlie 73-81 – 154; 10 (tie), Patty Coatney 78-77 – 155 and Susan Allen 78-77 – 155.

MATCH PLAY At Shawnee CC June 15-19 Quarterfinals Brooke Baker def. Paige Martin 2 and 1; Lauren Forbes def. Maddy Haley 2 and 1; Amber Hensley def. Janet Miller 1-up; Abby Allford def. Whitney McAteer 3 and 2.

Semifinals Baker def. Forbes 4 and 2; Allford def. Hensley 3 and 2.

Final Baker def. Allford 3 and 2.

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