A Hole-In-One, Scorecard Playoff, And Repeat Winners: The 2010 Troon Challenge Offers Stiff Competition
Summer temperatures aren’t the only things on the rise this June. Competition is also heating up after four exhilarating Troon Challenge events were held at Troon Golf facilities in the Southwest.
Golf Club of Estrella in Arizona saw repeat winners from last year in Steve Blackford and Joe Fox in the Gross Division (66). It was Steve and Joe who went on to capture the National Finals Gross Division Championship at Troon North in 2009 and will look to defend their overall title in August. The Net Division came down to the wire with Bob Wood and Joe Temple advancing after a scorecard playoff win over Kevin Cruikshank and Nick Holmes.
In Southern California, Clayton Snow and George Gottschalk played in Indian Wells Golf Resort’s inaugural Troon Challenge event and took first place in the Gross Division. Chris Long and Mike Lee placed first in the Net Division.
While Ty Hawkinson and Randl Haschke will be moving on to the finals in the Gross Division along with Don Waddell and Rick Phillips in the Net Division, it was Lincoln Ragsdale who had the shot of the tournament so far with a hole-in-one on No. 12 at Poston Butte. Lincoln aced the 177-yard par three to win a five-day, five-night vacation in Hawaii!
A strong field of 20 teams played for qualifying positions at The Phoenician in Arizona as well. Temperatures rising to 110 degrees held little effect on Brett Martin and Jon Urqhart, who shot 59 to advance in the Gross Division. After Nick Holmes and Kevin Cruikshank’s close loss at Estrella, the team returned to The Phoenician where they had won last year’s Net qualifier. Chuck Kennedy and Roger Williams held off the defending team with a score of 60 – good enough for a four shot win.
The next Troon Challenge events will be held this weekend at Talking Stick Golf Club in Arizona and Yocha Dehe Golf Club in California. Entry forms and information on fees are still available for these events at www.TroonChallenge.com.
The Troon Challenge is a series of amateur golf tournaments held May through August at 15 Troon Golf courses in Arizona, California and Florida. Teams of two players compete in local qualifier events for a chance to earn a spot at the Troon Challenge National Finals. The entry fee at local qualifying events includes your green fee, cart, practice balls, one dozen Callaway golf balls, event prizes and a post-tournament awards reception.