BOB WEST ON GOLF: Babe Zaharias hosts three holes-in-one
Published 12:32 am Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Three holes in one were recorded during the past week at Babe Zaharias and two of them were part of a unique link.
Paul Brown of Nederland started the run on aces in the March 29 DogFight when he sank a 5-wood from 127 yards on the second hole. The shot was witnessed by Brown’s DogFight teammates — Gary Whitfill, Bob Byerly and Don Duplan. It helped them finish tied for second with a team captained by Earl Richard.
The foursome of Larry Vicknair, Don MacNeil, Bob Moore and Dwain Morrison won with 23 points. In addition to Brown, closest to the pin winners were Dillard Darbonne (7), Gene Harrison (No. 12) and Whitfill (No. 15). …
Hole in one action heated up on Saturday when Gene Jones and Charlie Huckaby both aced the seventh hole. What was unique about their 1s was that they were partners in a senior game, but they weren’t playing in the same group.
Their team’s best two-ball total was a 2. Jones, who lives in Groves, hit a pitching wedge from 115 yards for his first-ever hole in one. His playing partners were Mimi Rose and Tom LeTourneau.
Huckaby, from Port Neches, used a 6-hybrid for what was his fifth hole in one. …
Port Neches-Groves graduate Braden Bailey continues to deliver eye-opening performances in his freshman season at Baylor.
Bailey fired rounds of 70-72-73 for a one-under 215 total to finish tied for fourth last weekend at Texas A&M’s Aggie Invitational played at Traditions Golf Club in Bryan. Bailey’s competition included 81 players from 15 schools, including powers like Oklahoma State, LSU and Arkansas.
It was his fourth top 10 in Baylor’s last six tournaments and helped the Bears finish tied for fifth. …
Chris Stroud’s fans had plenty of reason to be encouraged after the PN-G and Lamar ex finished T27 at the Shell Houston Open. Stroud shot rounds of 70-73-71-69 for a five-under 283.
It would have been better but he got caught on the wrong side of a weather system Friday afternoon that caused winds to gust and temperatures to fall.
What was obvious to me from following Chris is that he’s added some length off the tee.
A neat sidebar on Stroud concerned him being paired with eventual winner Jim Herman the first two days: Herman, if you have not heard, won for the first time at age 38. It had to be a strong reminder to
Chris that it’s never too late for that first victory. …
PN-G ex Andrew Landry is returning to the site of his greatest golf triumph this week — Cartagena, Colombia — to play in the Web.com Tour’s Servientrega Championship at TPC Cartagena.
Landry won in Cartagena last March, a victory that springboarded him to a PGA Tour card. He’s struggled on the PGA Tour thus far, missing five of seven cuts and would like to build some momentum in Colombia.
Also playing in the event being held opposite The Masters is West Orange-Stark ex Michael Arnaud and former Kelly and North Texas star Anthony Broussard. Arnaud is coming off a T61 last week in the Brasil Championship. Broussard missed the cut. …
The trio of Ronnie Shilo, Andrew Sigur and Lonnie LaBove shot a 58 to win the Memorial Project Graduation Scramble at Babe Zaharias. Placing second with a 63 as the team of Cody Metts, Cody Mier and Richard Scully. Finishing another shot back in third was the team of Lee Como, Alvin Lee, and George Need. Closest to the pin winners were Bruce Morris (No. 2), Vic Harrison (No. 7), Rico Burch (No. 12) and Ed Watson (No. 15). …
The Senior 50 Plus Game at Zaharias was played in a best two-ball format. On the front, the team of Benny Sharpe, Ronnie LaSalle, Billy Thillet and Charlie Perez won with minus 7. The back was won in minus 5 by the foursome of Rick Pritchett, Joe Gongora, Ron Mistrot and Harrison. …
The Friday Game at Babe Zaharias was also play in a best two-ball format. The team of Pritchett, Paul Flores, Harry Green and Huckaby scored a sweep, winning the front in minus 1 and the back in plus 4. …
The Senior Game at The Babe was played in a Select Drive All Points Count format. Winning the front with plus 32 was the team of Cap Hollier, Paul Bourgeois, Wynne O’Banion and Tommy Duhon. On the back the foursome of Pritchett, Huckaby, Ron Overstreet and Ben Thornton won with plus-29. Closest to the pin winners were Pritchett (No. 2), Hollier (No. 7), Duhon (No. 12) and Earl Richard (No. 15).
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Golf news should be emailed to rdwest@usa.net.