If there is such a thing as “horses for courses,” and considerable evidence suggests there is, Chris Stroud is one of the thoroughbreds when it
comes to River Highlands, the host track for this week’s Travelers Championship.
Stroud came oh-so-close to his first PGA Tour victory at River Highlands in 2013, chipping in for birdie from 50 feet on the 72nd hole to force a playoff with Ken Duke. Though Duke won with a birdie on the second playoff hole, four more rounds in the 60s convinced Stroud that the Hartford, Conn., layout was a special place for him.
After rounds of 66-69-66-67 for a 12-under 268, the Port Neches-Groves and Lamar ex had reeled off seven consecutive sub-70 rounds at the Travelers. He ran the string to 14 before closing with a 70 last year that was good for a 10th-place tie.
Dating back to 209, Stroud’s been better than even-par-70 in 25 of 28 rounds at River Highlands. The other three rounds were a 70 and two 71s.
Seemingly then, there could not be a better place for Stroud to have a big week and move safely into the top 125 in FedEx Cup points. He’s currently 132nd but looks to be trending up after rolling in 18 birdies and an eagle in his last start two weeks ago in the Canadian Open.
Stroud leaves little doubt he’s upbeat about returning to the site of that near miss three years ago.
“Golf has a funny way of paying you back,” he said, as if something special is on the verge of happening for him. “I love this golf course! It has one of the greatest back nines in the world. My game is solid right now, and my back is against the wall. This is the time I’ve always shined.”
Other than the course setting up well for him, Stroud says timing is a big reason for all those rounds in the 60s at River Highlands.
“Timing has a very important meaning in my career,” he said. “Timing of when to play well. Timing of my golf swing. I’ve played well here because of timing. It’s warm and it’s late in the year. My questions have been answered about equipment changes, or a certain part of my game.”
If needed, Stroud will have two more chances to secure his PGA Tour card after the Travelers — the Aug. 11-14 John Deere and the Aug. 18-21 Wyndham.
History, however, suggests he will only need them to move higher in the standings.

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CHIP SHOTS

PN-G ex Braden Bailey is off to a strong strong in the Western Amateur at Knollwood Club in Chicago. Bailey rolled in seven birdies to offset
three bogeys and a double for an opening two-under 69. He was tied for sixth with several players in the afternoon wave still on the course late Tuesday.

The 156-player field will be cut to the low 44 after Wednesday’s second round, then the survivors play 36 holes on Thursday. At that point, the low 16 advance to match play. …

Josh Elmore is looking more and more like the next good male player to come out of Southeast Texas.

Elmore, who will be a junior at PNG this fall, carded rounds of 75-74 at The Woodlands Tournament Course to finish tied for 26th in the 90th Texas State Junior Championship.

Logan Pate of Richmond needed a sudden death playoff to win, after shooting a 140. …

Karlei Hemler won big against a field of only seven other players in the USSSA Junior National Championship played over the TPC of Louisiana. As impressive as Hemler’s 32-shot victory was a four-under total of 212 on rounds of 72-70-70. …

Arthur Criswell, a Lincoln graduate who moved to the Houston area in 1976, recorded his first hole-in-one recently at Clear Creek Golf Club. Criswell sank a 6-iron tee shot on the 156-yard, 7th hole. The ace was witnessed by Criswell’s 13-year-old son Matthew. If you are ever flying Southwest out ofHobby, and checking your bags curbside, ask for Arthur — or “Onion” as his friends know him. He will be happy to tell you about the ace. …

Evan Toohey of Orange fired a 2-over 73 to win Boys 15-18 in the Southern Texas PGA Junior Tour’s final stop of the season at Sunset Grove Country Club in Orange.

Other flight winners included Jack Burke of Orange (76 in Boys 13-14), Kaylie Vanderweg of Port Neches (106 in Girls 15-18) and Emma Bruney of Nederland (133 in Girls 13-14). …

The Golden Triangle Beltway Junior Tour was played at The National Golf Club of Louisiana on Friday, with Cameron Barrett carding a 79
to win Boys Gold by seven shots. Micah Depew of Beaumont took Boys Silver with a 91 while Abbie Richard of Sulphur finished first in Girls Diamond with a 102. The Beltway Tour has scheduled a parent-junior scramble Sunday, Aug. 14 at Babe Zaharias. The event is open to Beltway members as well as non-members.

Entry fee is $80 for members and $90 for non-members and includes lunch, greens fee and cart. Call PNG golf coach Ricky Keyes at 466-1263 to sign up or for additional information. …

The team of Joe Gongora, Ronnie LaSalle, Jess McPhillips and Charles Leard finished minus 5 in a two-ball format to win the front nine in the Monday Senior 50 plus game at Babe Zaharias. On the back, there was a tie at minus-3 between the team of Clarence Fontenot, Gary Fontenot, Dillard Darbonne and Billy Thillet and the foursome of Gary Whitfill, Dwayne Morvant, Walter Colvin and Larry Foster. …

The Super Saturday Game at The Babe also featured a best two-ball format, with the team of Ed Holley, Rick Pritchett, John Williams, Joe Vanderweg and Paul Brown winning the front in minus-4. On the back, the team of Paul Flores, Larry Johnson, Don MacNeil and Gene Hardy prevailed with minus-2. …

The Friday two-ball game at Zaharias saw the foursome of Craig Geoffroy, Johnson, Ed Hetzel and Paul Duplantis win with minus-5. On the back, minus-3 was a winning score for Bob Byerly, Gene Jones, Tom LeTourneau, Jim Cooper and Robert Lynch. …

Format for the Thursday Senior Game at Zaharias was points. Whitfill, Johnson, Bob Luttrell and  Duplantis won with 8 points. Placing second was the foursome of Joe Gongora, Pritchett, Larry Reese and Lynch. Closest to the pin winners were Lee Bertrand (No. 2), Gerald Huebel (No. 7, No. 12) and MacNeil (No. 15).

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Golf news should be emailed to rdwest@usa.net.

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Southeast Texas PGA Junior Tour

At Sunset Grove CC, Orange

Boys 15-18

1. Evan Toohey, Orange, 33-40—73
T2. Luke Whitehead, Lake Jackson, 39-38—77
T2. Trent Kizer, Vidor, 37-40—77
T4. Brody Jeanes, Sour Lake, 41-41—82
T4. Timothy Feemster, Port Neches, 40-42—82
6. Troy Laughlin, Beaumont, 41-42—83
7. Cameron Barrett, Beaumont, 42-43—85
8. Thomas Cooper, Orange, 42-47—89

Boys 13-14

1. Jack Burke, Orange, 40-36—76
2. Daniel Cormier, Nederland, 40-44—84
3. Tyler Wallie, Nederland, 44-43—87
4. Micah Depew, Kountze, 48-47—95
5. Preston Ricks, Lumberton, 45-55—100

Girls 15-18

1. Kaylie VanderWeg, Port Neches, 47-59—106

Girls 13-14

1. Emma Bruney, Nederland, 63-70—133

Junior LINKS Tour

Boys 13-14

1. Reece Frank, Austin 50
2. Jordan Smith, Beaumont 66
3. Brady Fournier, Nederland 77

Little Linksters Tour

Boys 11-12 9-hole Red

1. Xander Parks, Orange 39
2. Ryder Solberg, Beaumont 61

Boys 9-10 9-hole Modified

1. Lincoln Parks, Orange 43
2. Tanner Tillie, Nederland 52
3. Hayden Boyette, Sulphur, La. 53
4. Ricardo Cardenas, Beaumont 58
5. Nathan Petrash, Highlands 63

Co-ed 6-8 9-hole Modified

1. Camryn Nelson, Little Cypress 49
2. Trevor Chesson, Hamshire 53
3. Foster Cecka, Port Neches 55

 

Co-ed 6-8 5-hole Modified

1. Logan Anderson, Orange 31
2. Owen Sims, Orange 35
3. Hayden Henry, Beaumont 39
4. Scarlett Fry, Buna 41
5. Brett Fry, Buna 42
6. Joe Fry, Buna 43
7. Eli Lee, Port Neches 49

 

Girls 11-12 9-hole Red

1. Montana DiLeo, Orange 61
2. Annabel Cardenas, Beaumont 66

 

Girls 9-10 9-hole Modified

1. Mattie Purgahn, Orange 47

2. Taylor Bull, Little Cypress 56