Golfers at Babe Zaharias are sending 2016 out with a bang as far as holes
in one are concerned. Tom Banks of Port Arthur, Michael Weatherly of Groves
and Jerry Sourdellia of Nederland all gave themselves unique Christmas
presents last week by ringing the hole-in-one bell.

Banks (No. 7, 152 yards) and Weatherly (No. 15, 105 yards) both struck on
Christmas Eve, while Sourdellia (No. 15, 109 yards) bagged his ace on Dec.
22.

On the Banks ace, scored with a 6-iron, the witnesses were Steven Dahl, Seth Banks and Matt Wheeler. It was Banks’ first hole in one.

Weatherly’s hole in one, meanwhile, was a family affair, as dad Roddy and
brothers Kevin and Charlie were all looking on when Michael’s sand wedge found the cup.

Witnesses for Sourdellia’s ace were Butch Frazier, Darrell Somerville and
Terry Derouen. He used a choked down 7-iron.

CHIP SHOTS

Port Neches-Groves grad Braden Bailey is set to tee off Thursday as part of an 84-man field in the Patriot All-America Classic that pays tribute to fallen
military heroes. Bailey, as detailed in this space two weeks ago, will be
representing Capt. Timothy J. Moshier who was killed April 1, 2006 when his
Apache helicopter was shot down in Iraq. In addition to carrying a red, white
and blue golf bag with Moshier’s name on it, Bailey will be marking his ball
on the greens with a commemorative Challenge Coin from the Timothy J. Moshier Foundation. The coin bears Moshier’s name, the dates of his birth and death and features his raised silhouette in front of a helicopter against an
American flag backdrop. The 54-hole tournament is being played on the Wigwam Resort’s Gold Course in Litchfield Par, Ariz …

Unseasonably warm weather allowed all the scheduled Senior Games at Zaharias to be played, including the new Tuesday Twister. In the Twister’s best two-ball competition, the team of Adam Noel, Bobby Wactor, John Jessen and Randy Trahan won the front in minus-2. The same score won the back for the team of Harrell Guidry, Billy Hanley and Dillard Darbonne. …

In the Monday Senior 50 Plus Game at The Babe, there was a two-way tie on the front. The team of Roddy Weatherly, Rick Pritchett, Larry Foster and Jim Cooper finished minus 6 as did the foursome of Russ Gloede, Tony Trevino, Wes McDonald and Jessen. The back was won in minus-4 by the team of Randy Monk, Wactor, Tom LeTourneau and Steve Wisenbaker. …

The Super Saturday Game at Zaharias, also a best two-ball, saw the threesome of Paul Flores, Cap Hollier and Pritchett won the front in minus-4. On the
back the Thad Borne team that included John Williams, Ed Holley and John
Ramsey won with minus-3. …

In the Friday Game at The Babe, the team of Joey Alexander, Pritchett, Charles Leard and Roger Baumer took the front with minus-5. On the back, the foursome of Bob Byerly, Wactor, Ed Hetzel and Gene Hardy finished first with minus-3. …

The Thursday Senior Game at The Babe was played in a Select Drive All Points Count format. Adam Noel’s team of Don MacNeil, James Trahan and Paul Duplantis won with 27 points. Placing second with 25 points was the foursome of Roddy Weatherly, Wactor, Foster and Carl Certa. Closest to the pin winners were Bob West (No. 2, No. 12), Trahan (No. 7) and Hetzel (No. 15). …

In the Wednesday DogFight, the team of West, Cody Metts, Charlie Perez and ghost player Jess McPhillips won with 17 points. Closest to the pin winners were Borne (No. 2), Mike Lansford (No. 7), Cricket Owen (No. 12) and Joe Gongora (No. 15). …

The schedule for the Texas Louisiana Junior Tour’s Winter Tour has been set. The four tourney lineup begins Jan. 21 at Bayou Din Golf Club, moves to Mallard Cove in Westlake, La., on Jan. 28, tees it up Feb. 4 at Babe Zaharias and wraps up Feb. 11 at Gray Plantation in Westlake. Entry fee for all events is $20. More entry details will be provided in next week’s golf notepad.

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