The Arkansas Major Championship at Hot Springs Village

Paul C. Gomez, Hot Springs Village, AR (June 6-7, 2015)

One hundred ninety players came from all over the country to compete in the regional major in Hot Springs Village -  The Arkansas Championship.  The Arkansas Tour had home field advantage and didn't disappoint, dominating the field and bringing home four crystal vase trophies.  Every winner and players tied for third qualify for the 2015 National Championship tournament in La Quinta, CA. in September.

Bob Brooks

Bob Brooks of Bella Vista, AR fired five birdies on his opening round on the Ponce De Leon golf course with only one bogey to end the first day of the two round competition at four under par 68.  He led the Senior Championship flight by five after day one.  That lead was never really threatened even though he didn't perform as he would have liked on the Granada golf course shooting a two over par 75.  The 68-75 (143) total score is his best two-day total on the AM Tour since joining in 2013.  Brooks, the 2013 Senior National Champion, had just won the one-day local event on the Cortez golf course.  Bella Vista resident Rick Guptil placed third in the Senior Championship flight.

Tom Stephens

The Senior Sarazen flight is for players with a tournament index from 12.0 to 15.9.  Tom Stephens, of Bella Vista, AR fought his way to a day one tie during a tough first round at Ponce De Leon.  Four players were only two strokes apart at the end of day one.  It came down to the last nine holes on Granada and Stephens had to hold on to the lead he had established after 27 holes.  He finished the last four holes at even par with one bogey and one birdie to win the flight by five strokes and a two day score of 81-82 (163).   This victory earns him his second victory in the 2015 season.

Steve Rutherford

The Jones flight is for players with a tournament index from 16.0 to 19.9.  After day one at Ponce De Leon, Steve Rutherford of Bentonville, AR was in fifth place and seven strokes behind the leader.  He would have to make a charge to challenge the leader.  He opened the second round at Granada with a seven pars to shoot a thirty-nine!  When he finished the last two holes five over par he just knew he had shot himself out of the championship.  He didn't know that he was only three back after 13 holes and that his two closest competitors would have even higher finishes.  Rutherford's 95-85 scores totaling 180 earned him a one stroke victory and his first victory at a major championship.

Dennis Baxter

Dennis Baxter of Bella Vista, AR plays in the Senior Jones flight for players from 16.0 to 19.9.  He finished day one on Granada two strokes behind the leader after a two over par 38 on the back nine for a total of 85.  Duplicating the 8 par-one birdie performance would be difficult on day two on the Ponce De Leon course.  Day two would see only one par and one birdie and Baxter slid into a playoff with a round two score of 94 totaling 179 for the event.  No stranger to playoffs, Baxter outlasted his opponent to earn his first major championship since his last playoff victory in 2013 at the Winstar casino major.  

The Hot Springs Classic at Cortez

Paul C. Gomez, Hot Springs Village, AR (June 5, 2015)

Sixty Nine players from Hawaii to Florida and from Canada to Texas settled onto the Natural State for some competitive golf at the Cortez golf course in Hot Springs Village.  The first event of the year that felt like summer had arrived with only a temporary visit from Spring.  The warm conditions facilitated some hot competition.

Bob Brooks

The Championship Flight (tour index ranging from 0 to 3.9) could have been anybody's trophy to win with all players close after 9 holes.  Rick Guptil of Bella Vista, AR looked like he was going to run away with the title of champion when after 11 holes he led Bob Brooks of Bella Vista, AR by five strokes.  However, after a steady streak of pars by Brooks and a series of missteps by Guptil it came down to the last hole. Brooks bogeyed the hole to give up the one stroke lead he had and a playoff ensued with a tie at 78.  It took two holes, but Brooks survived the battle and won his fifth event of 2015.

The Palmer  Flight (tour index ranging from 4.0 to 7.9) was on  

Allen Huffman

fire at the shot-making Cortez golf course with three players scoring lower than the Championship fight!  In the end, a very steady back nine by Allen Huffman of Holiday Island, AR with 8 pars and one bogey gave him a one stroke victory over John Price of Whitney, TX who led by two after nine holes.  Huffman's 38-37 was the best score of the day against the entire field.  Ryan Cummings of Stillwater, OK came in third place only one stroke behind Price.  Huffman earned his first victory of 2015 and turned in his best score since one round at the 2014 National Championship.

Six players were tied at 37 in the Hogan Flight (tour index

Robert Simpkiss

ranging from 8.0 to 11.9) after nine holes.  The back nine proved to be a challenge for the Hogans with none of the leaders turning a better back nine than their front. Robert Simpkiss of Palmer, MA carded one birdie and finished with three pars to shoot 76 and earn a one stroke victory over Dale Dennison of Honolulu, HI.  Two strokes behind that was the third place winner, Bob Hunter of Lee's Summit, MO.  This victory made the third straight first place finish by Mr. Simpkiss.


There were thirteen birdies in the field of 21 Sarazen Flight (tour index ranging from 12.0 to 15.9) players and four of

Stan Wilson

them belonged to Bob Moreau of Rockwall, TX.  Stan Wilson of Wichita Falls, TX had none, but his 11 par round proved to be the winning strategy.  Moreau's back nine charge led to a tie on the 18th tee box with both players sitting on a 76. Wilson was in the pairing directly behind Moreau and could not have known that he needed only to par to win after Moreau's double bogey on the final hole.  Mr. Wilson's steady play and par par par finish earned him his second victory in 14 tries in the 2015 season. 

Lloyd C. Reid, Jr. of Dallas, TX champion of the Jones Flight (tour index

Lloyd C. Reid, Jr.

ranging from 16.0 to 19.9) demonstrated that avoiding big numbers will always keep you in the competition.  Six pars, eleven bogeys and one birdie produced a 41-41 score of 81 and a five stroke victory over Tony Taylor of Saint Cloud, FL.  Mr. Reid earns his first victory of 2015 and his first since his last victory in 2014 also on the Arkansas tour.


It could have been a stress free victory for Tim Bray of 

Tim Bray

Greenwood, MO in the Snead Flight (tour index ranging from 20.0 up).  After three holes, he led the flight to the end. However, after a big number on hole thirteen, he created an opening for Evan Taylor of Saint Cloud, FL who got to within three strokes as they came to the fourteenth tee together.  Taylor finished the last five holes with 3 bogeys and 2 pars and trailed by only one after Bray bogeyed the final hole.  This is Bray's second victory on tour and his first in 2015.