2014 Schedule Announced

2014 Schedule Announced

We are happy to announce our 2014 schedule. This season's events include four private clubs, five great public courses and five Major Championships.

• March 22: The Maumelle Spring Classic (Maumelle CC)

• April 12: The Battle at Fort Smith (Eagle Crest GC)

• April 26: The Valley View Open (Golf Club at Valley View)

• May 24: The Shootout at the Highlands (The Highlands GC)

• June 8: The River Valley Rumble (Fianna Hills CC)

• June 21: The Stonebridge Standoff (Stonebridge Meadows GC)

• July 12: The Cypress Creek Challenge (Cypress Creek GC)

• August 2: The Rivalry at River Cut (River Cut GC)

• August 16-17: The Arkansas Tour Championship (Shadow Valley CC)

The 2014 National Championship will be at Talking Stick Resort and Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona!

The season will culminate with special awards to flight winners* and an awards ceremony.

The NWA Fall Championship

Paul C. Gomez, Rogers, AR (November 16, 2013)

Rain was the original threat to competition at Shadow Valley Country Club in Rogers, but the real opponent turned out to be the wind!  Gusts up to 25 and 30 mph proved a big challenge to all players.  The golf course was in great shape. The fall leaves made golf searching a challenge as well.  

Flight Winners:

Bob Brooks

Championship Flight: (0.0-3.9) – Knowing how to hit boring knock-down shots through the wind gave Bob Brooks of Bella Vista, AR the edge he needed to climb back from a rocky start and finish even par.  After going two over after five holes, Brooks finished the last 13 holes two under par.  Brooks, the 2013 Senior National Champion, wins his first event of the 2014 season with this victory.  Congratulations, Bob.

Palmer Flight: (4.0-7.9) – Matt McClain of Decatur, AR came

Matt McClain

to defend his title in the Palmer flight.  Although he started slowly, through 15 holes he was only 8 over.  The high winds caused more strokes than he wanted, but victory is still sweet.  Even with one disaster hole, he was never in real danger of losing his place atop the flight.  Congratulations, Matt.

Sarazen Flight: (12.0-15.9) –   It cold have been anyone's

Charles Dickerson

title in the Sarazen flight.  After 9 holes, 5 players were less than two strokes apart.  That's when Charles Dickerson's prototype irons on loan from his buddy kicked into gear.  Dickerson, of Columbia, MO fired off 4 birdies to shoot even par on the back 9.  The victory was good enough not only for his flight, but also for the Showcase Trophy and Awards Tournament Champion and his first victory of the 2014 season!  Congratulations, Charles. 

Jones Flight: (16.0-19.9) – Perhaps the best battle of the day was in the Jones flight.  With an impressive start

Steve Rutherford

including two birdies through 8 holes, Mike Calhoun of Rogers, AR led his flight by 3 strokes over Carl Imhof of Rogers, AR.  Steve Rutherford of Centeron, AR looked to be out of it completely with one rather disastrous par 5.  Calhoun stumbled on the 9th hole and couldn't catch up.  Imhof led by four going into the last hole and problems on the green let Rutherford in with a final hole birdie after going only 5 over on the last 10 holes! Rutherford said that after the disaster hole he decided to just have fun!  Way to focus and not give up, Steve!

Snead Flight: (20.0+) – Perseverance paid off for Brandon

Brandon Walters

Walters of Springdale, AR.  It took twelve tries, but Walters wins his first event on the AM Tour with this victory.  A steady front nine kept him in the game even after a stumble on the 11th hole.  A nice come-back par on #12 put him back on the path to a strong finish and a comfortable victory.  Congratulations, Brandon!

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For a complete list of results and pictures visit our GCAT Facebook Page or go to the results site.  For more information about the GCAT of Arkansas:

Paul C. Gomez
Arkansas Director, Golf Channel AM Tour
917-553-3814
pgomez@GCAmTour.com

The Payne Stewart Classic

Paul C. Gomez, Branson, MO (November 2, 2013)

The leaves were turning and the setting was perfect.  The colors were as stunning as one would expect in the Fall in the Ozarks.  Payne Stewart Golf Course was as challenging as it was scenic.  Preceded by days of rain and a turn in the weather put all carts on the path and all players on notice - the day was going to be a test of perseverance as much as a test of skill.

Flight Winners:

Chas Goines

Championship Flight: (0.0-3.9) – Chas Goines of Rogers, AR came out on fire going two under par through four holes.  A small stumble after the hot opening gave Mark Lutgen of Blue Springs, MO a chance to make up some ground.  The four stroke lead Goines gained after the front nine, however, proved to be insurmountable even though Lutgen made a go for it on the back nine.  Goines finished with an 8 over par 78 to win the flight and his first AM Tour event. 

Palmer Flight: (4.0-7.9) – There were only two birdies in the entire Palmer flight and Gary Penna of Little Rock, AR started with one on the first hole.  Had he finished with a

par on the last hole, he could have avoided a playoff.  However, Don Karl of Lees Summit

Don Karl

Mo., came to defend his title as the 2013 Palmer Champion.  Two strokes down after nine holes, Karl survived a quad to get into a playoff with Penna.  Both shot an 88.  On the second hole, Karl birdied the challenging 180 yard par 3 to repeat as champion!


Hogan Flight: (8.0-11.9) – Close races to the end defined the Hogan flight.  Kirby Rogers of Muldrow, OK led the field after nine, although not by much.  However, Steve Moorehead of Overland Park, KS got hot quickly on the

Steve Moorehead

back nine going one under after five holes.  That was what he needed to pull ahead of the crowd and win with and 84 by two strokes.  Moorehead launches a strong 2014 season with this win, another first place and a second place win!  

Sarazen Flight: (12.0-15.9) –   Stanley Emerson of Topeka, KS started with a bang by birdieing the difficult first hole with a laser iron to the green and finishing only one hold behind after 9.  Randy Miller of Wentzville, MO finished the

Randy Miller

front nine one ahead with a 42.  It was his one under par through the last six holes that that propelled him to a fourteen stroke win over the field and to the low net round of the day.  The round earned was also a net par to his USGA index and earned him the title of Showcase Trophy and Awards Tournament Champion and his first victory of the 2014 season! Congratulations, Randy!

Jones Flight: (16.0-19.9) – It was a back and forth battle all day between Louis Ralph of Olive Branch, MS and Carl Imhof  of Rogers, AR.  After nine holes, Imhof led Ralph by a

Louis Ralph

stroke.  Imhof started the back nine with some big scores and through 15 holes Ralph had pulled ahead by two.  A rough finish by Ralph resulted in a tie that led to the second playoff of the day.  It only took one hole for the long trip from Mississippi to result in a victory for the 65 year old.  Congratulations, Louis!

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For a complete list of results and pictures visit our GCAT Facebook Page or go to the results site.  For more information about the GCAT of Arkansas:

Paul C. Gomez
Arkansas Director, Golf Channel AM Tour
917-553-3814
pgomez@GCAmTour.com