National Office - Major Events

2012 Puerto Rico Championship Crowns 10 first time Major Champions

2012-02-24T11:03:00.000-08:00

Coco Beach, PR—Golf Channel Amateur Tour’s 2nd annual PuertoRico Championship concluded on Sunday morning. Sunny skies, no wind, andsoft greens proved amicable to good scoring. Tour Players across allflights were able to take advantage and go low in the final round, with the topthree finishers and ties, per flight, securing their spot in the 2012 NationalChampionship at TPC Sawgrass. Ten out of the eleven winners were firsttime major winners.

Pedro Feurtes ofCarolina, Puerto Rico used a birdie, par finish on Sunday to shoot a low roundof the tournament 74. He overcame a twoshot deficit coming into the final round to get into a playoff with VictorCabreara of Bayamon, Puerto Rico. In theplayoff Pedro won the first playoff hole with a par to become the Puerto RicoChampion at 9-over par 153.

In the Palmer Flight TroyRogers of Louisville, Kentucky overcame first round leader Eduardo Vizcarrondoof Guaynabo, Puerto Rico to win by four shots over 2^nd placefinisher Daniel D’Loughy of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Rogers won the flight at 18-over par 162

In the Hogan Flight,Chris Cagnolatti from Long Beach, California won in a playoff over localfavorite Juan Zalduondo of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. Robert Simpkiss from Palmer, Massachusettswas the first round leader with a 78 but he could not hold onto the lead asCagnolatti and Zalduando each surged past him as they each made two birdies onthe back nine to pass the first round leader.

Randy Throgmorton ofCarbondale, Illinois overcame a tough Sarazen Flight to win his first SarazenMajor Championship trophy. SebastianRenta of Caguas, Puerto Rico could not hold onto his overnight lead as seven Sarazenplayers shot in the 80’s to try to win the coveted title in the Sarazen Flight. Jose De Armas of Miami, Florida made up 17shots from his previous round as he shot a low final round of 82.

The Jones Flight sawsome great scoring on Sunday. Frank Rohrschneider of Renton Washington shotan 84 to hold off Scotty Wade of Lithia Springs, Georgia. Wade fired the low round of the day in theflight, an 80, but it was still not enough to catch Rohrschneider who claimedthe flight by a narrow stroke.

In the Snead Flight LathanLewis Atkinson of Tampa, Florida opened up the tournament with an 85 thatincluded an eagle to be the first round leader but could not keep the momentumas William Dawsey of Tampa, Florida came from behind as he matched the lowround with an 85 of his own to win the Snead Flight at 33-over par.

In the Senior PalmerFlight, Bob Tartaglia of Wallingford Conneticut was a wire to wire winner as heheld off last year’s champion Peter Sorrentino from Pampano Beach, Florida bytwo shots. Tartaglia opened up with agreat round of 74 on the first day to take a two shot advantage that he wasable to hold onto to win his first two day Major Championship.

In the Senior HoganFlight a first time major champion was also crowned as Jerry Edwards fromLouisville, Kentucky played consistently for two days to win by three shotsover Don Jongewaard of New Berlin, Wisconsin and four shots over Ross VanDooserof Knightdale, North Carolina.

In the Senior SarazenFlight Jim Stone of Palm Harbor, Florida overcame a four shot deficit to win hisfirst major championship by beating Bruce Legrand of Houston, Texas by threeshots and Stewart Campbell of Dennisville, New Jersey by four shots.

In the Senior Jonesflight, Ivan Marin of Miami, Florida shot two consistent rounds of 85 to win bysix shots over new member Steve Bostic of Atlanta, Georgia and seven shots overRoberto Goas of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In the Senior Sneadflight, Ken Gold of Franklin Park, New Jersey won by two shots over first roundleader Tommy O’Harte of Tequesta, Florida to win his first two day majorchampionship.

A special Thank you goesout to all the players of the Puerto Rico Championship as they raised $1300 forthe Troops First Foundation.

2012 Puerto Rico Championship Pictures

2012-02-21T12:55:00.000-08:00

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Local Spotlight: Cool in Kerrville - Kerrville Championship Recap

2012-02-14T05:38:00.000-08:00

Scott R Chilcutt, Kerrville, TX (February 11, 2012) Perched high on a mountain top just south of the upper Guadalupe River the clubhouse at The Club At Comanche Trace greeted players to carts for the decent down a few hundred feet to the registration and practice facilities.

Rains on Friday morning with overcast skies gave way to a cold front that moved through the Hill Country that cleared the skies Saturday morning but made for chilly conditions.

Labor Finders, an industrial labor staffing company, extended their Oklahoma Tour sponsorship to The Hill Country and Dallas tours to present the Tournament Champion Trophy. Xavier Bardy from San Antonio barely missed out on the award by a scorecard playoff during the Winter Classic - Hill Country in December made the best of this day, taking the trophy by 3 strokes over Carlos Cruz.

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Duel in the Desert 2012 Pictures

2012-02-04T17:10:00.000-08:00

View all of the 2012 Duel in the Desert Pictures HERE

Duel in the Desert Crowns 8 Team Champions

2012-02-04T16:58:00.000-08:00

Las Vegas, NV – The Golf Channel Amateur Tour held the 9^th annual Duel in the Desert golf tournament for the first time in Las Vegas, NV. 2-person teams competed on the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort’s three courses (Wolf, Sun Mountain, Snow Mountain) with three different formats of 2-person scramble, best-ball, and modified alternate shot.

The two-person team of Melvin Barnes and Pete DeTemple roared back in the final round by firing an unbelievable round of 7-under par 75 in the modified alternate shot. Barnes & DeTemple won by a single shot at 8-under par 208. Richard Hunt and Paul Jansak led after rounds 1 & 2, and finished up in second place at 7-under par 207. Cory Gladstone and Joseph Omahen fired the low round on day 2 and wrapped up third place at 3-under par 213.

In Flight 2 the team of Ron Finnerty and Mark Miller were the only team standing under par at the end of 54-holes to win the flight. Finnerty and Miller were crowned Flight 2 Champions at 5-under par 211. Wendall Sheffield and John Taylor fired the low final round in the flight, a 3-under par 69, to grab up 2^nd place at even-par 216. John Crane and Steve Senecal found themselves just a stroke out of 2^nd after 54-holes, finishing up in 3^rd place at 1-over par 217.

In Flight 3 Stephan Ballentine and Jon Mojica rode their opening round of 5-under par 67 in the scramble format to the crown, winning wire-to-wire. Mojica and Ballentine were the only team in the flight to finish under par, winning at 1-under par 215. The team of Kenneth Griffith and Kevin Macgillivray wrapped up 2^nd place at 5-over par 221. Clint Ball and Darrell Carpenter Jr grabbed 3^rd place at 10-over par 226.

In Flight 4 Clint Jones and Keith Kamimoto led wire-to-wire and won by a full six strokes, finishing up at 3-over par 219. The team of Gord Salyn and Larry Schlichenmayer shot three straight rounds at 75 to finish up in 2^nd place at 9-over par 225. Robert Kirby and Kendall Utley fired the low final round of 73 to move up to third place in Flight 4 at 12-over par 228.

The team of Jeremy and Jerry Henson also won wire-to-wire in Flight 5. The Hensons won the flight by 10 strokes at 11-over par 227. Ronald Gilchrist and Bob Kirkbright were right there on the final day but faltered a bit with an 84. They were still able to hang onto 2^nd place at 21-over par 237. Dave Chelf and Arthur Patterson made an eagle 2 (on a par 4 no less) in the final round to vault into third place at 24-over par 240.

Flight 6 saw some very close competition and a great final round for the flight champions. David Arnold and Peter Brohn wrapped up the title at 14-over par 230. Olan Benge and Larry Viktorin had a 1-shot lead heading into the final round but could not keep up with Arnold and Brohn and their outstanding final round. Benge and Viktorin still had a nice 2^nd place finish at 20-over par 236. Robby Ball and Darrell Carpenter finished in 3^rd place in their flight, joining their sons who had the same finish in Flight 3!

Flight 7 saw the closest competition coming down the stretch in the final round, with three teams separated by only three strokes. In the end Steve Griffin and Randy Tubbs made the key putts down the stretch to claim the flight by just a single stroke. Griffin and Tubbs won Flight 7 at 28-over par 244. Simon Tao and Keith Wilson finished up in 2^nd place at 29-over par 245. Robert (Robbie) Burkhart and Joseph Lallier wrapped up third place at 31-over par 247.

Flight 8 saw a runaway, with Matt McDevitt and Mark Sasser winning by 14 shots. McDevitt and Sasser won wire-to-wire at 20-over par 236. The competition for second place was an exciting one, with the team of Gary Balavitch and Bryan Mathis taking home runner-up honors at 34-over par 250. Donald Bouge and Daniel Carroll rounded out the top three at 37-over par 253.

Thank you to the 288 competitors that teed it up in the 9^th annual Duel in the Desert!

288 Player Field Set to Kick Off This Week in Las Vegas!

2012-01-30T09:09:00.000-08:00

Las Vegas, NV – The Golf Channel Amateur Tour is set to host the 9^th annual Duel in the Desert Tournament this coming Thursday-Saturday and features many “firsts” this year.

For the first time in the history of the Tour the “Duel in the Desert” will:

Be held in Las Vegas, Nevada
Will be contested at the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Club. Paiute features 54-holes of pristine playing conditions and a challenging layout. The “Wolf” Course, named in part due to the many wolf games played there by gamblers, has an island green (the Par-3 fifteenth hole)
Feature the Luxor, right on the world famous Las Vegas Strip, as the host hotel
See over 288 competitors from 36 states and from two countries (USA and Canada)

An annual 2-person team championship that is open to Tour Players and non-members, the Duel will be contested over 54-holes from Thursday, February 2 and conclude with the final round on Friday, February 4. Players will see different formats each day, with rounds of 2-person Scramble, Best-Ball, and Modified Alternate Shot. With the 54-hole facility, players will be presented with 54 different and unique challenges as players will see action on the Sun Mountain Course, Snow Mountain Course, and the Wolf Course.

The event kicks off at 10AM on Thursday and concludes with the awards ceremony at approximately 3PM on Saturday.

Am Tour Major Host Site PGA National set to complete a $65 Million Revitalization

2012-01-18T05:41:00.000-08:00

PGA National Resort & Spa Announces "Final Round" Of Renovations

Ultimate phase of legendary south Florida destination's $65 million revitalization underway

(PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla.) - PGA National Resort & Spa - home of the PGA TOUR Honda Classic, five championship courses and world-class amenities - announces the "final round" of its $65 million revitalization is underway and scheduled for completion in early fall 2012.

PGA National's recent renovations include numerous enhancements to its 379-room resort hotel, clubhouse, golf courses, spa, health and racquet club, and conference and meeting space. Among the contemporary additions is a stunning zero-entry pool, newly-named signature restaurant - Ironwood Steak and Seafood - and trendy, sophisticated iBAR.

"This next round of ongoing renovations will allow PGA National to continue to stay ahead of the curve in keeping our property in first-class condition, which is what our guests and members expect and deserve," says Joel Paige, vice president and managing director. "With all major construction completed, ongoing enhancements will have zero impact on current resort operations."

The finishing touches include:
- A floor-to-ceiling guest room makeover featuring stylish bedding, headboards, wall coverings and carpet; spacious, modern work desks with multiple plug-in options; atmospheric lighting; and elegant furnishings. Suite bathrooms will have walk-in showers. State-of-the-art, high-definition, 42-inch flat-panel televisions have already been installed.

- Guest room corridors will showcase eye-catching carpeting; tastefully subdued lighting; and chic artwork and wall treatments.

- Due to increased popularity of its outdoor wedding venues, new lakeside locales are being added to its scenic, manicured grounds.

- Renovation of its 19th Hole bar and grill, to be renamed "Bar 19," presenting the latest in clubhouse furnishings, high-definition televisions and expanded outdoor dining overlooking one of the great vistas in golf. The addition of a kitchen will allow for a completely new menu offering.

- Updating its championship golf courses with new turf, irrigation systems, rebuilt bunkers, and expanded tee and green complexes.

- The Citrus Tree Café, with its renowned breakfast buffet, will re-open newly renovated, renamed the "Palm Terrace" and available as a poolside location for evening events.

- The 40,000 square-foot European Spa with 32 treatment areas and the exclusive "Waters of the World" outdoor mineral pools will also be updated matching the motif of the resort's fashionably cool, hip décor.

"Ownership is committed to the strategic, long-term capital plan of becoming the premier meeting and golf destination in the country," says Frank Calaguire, principal of SCS Advisors - owner / operating partners of PGA National Resort & Spa. "Coupled with our laser-sharp focus on delivering a championship experience for our guests as we've done for 30 years, we are confident that we're creating customers for life."

For more information about PGA National visit www.pgaresort.com or call (800) 533.9386.

About PGA National Resort & Spa
PGA National Resort & Spa is premier golf, vacation and meeting destination. The South Florida locale offers 90 holes of championship golf on five courses, including the famed Champion course, home to the PGA TOUR Honda Classic and past host of the Ryder Cup, PGA Championship and a litany of other prized professional golf tournaments.

Other distinguishing features include a world-class 33,000 square-foot health-and-racquet club with 19 Har Tru tennis courts, 40,000 square feet of self-contained conference space and nine on-site restaurants and lounges.

PGA National Resort & Spa's myriad accolades include:

- AAA--Four Diamond Resort (2011)
- Golfweek -- Best You Can Play State by State (No. 3, 2011)
- Golfweek -- Best Tour Courses You Can Play (No. 28, 2011)
- Golfing Magazine - "World's Top 5 Multi-Course Venues" (2011)
- About.com -- "No. 1 Golf Resort in Florida" (2011)
- GOLF Magazine -- Top 100 Premier Resorts -- Silver Award Winner (2011)
- GOLF Magazine -- Premier Resorts Green Award Winner (2011)
- Golf World -- Top 50 Resorts (2010)
- Successful Meetings -- Pinnacle Award Winner (2011)
- The Knot -- Best of Weddings (2011)

Conveniently located within easy driving distances of major Florida population centers, the AAA Four Diamond resort is a 15-minute drive from Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), one hour from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and 90 minutes from Miami International Airport (MIA).

Playoffs the Story at TPC Sawgrass Open

2012-01-17T13:08:00.000-08:00

Ponte Vedra Beach, FL –The Golf Channel Amateur Tour held the 1^st Major Championship of the 2012 calendar year this past weekend. Over 180 competitors from across the country competed and got a preview of two of the courses that will be used this fall in the National Championship (TPC Sawgrass – Dye’s Valley and TPC Sawgrass – PLAYERS Stadium), with the top three and ties in each flight qualifying for the aforementioned National Championship. Cold and wind were factors on both days that led to some high scoring.

Curtis Boyer - Championship Flight Champion

40-year old Curtis Boyer of Howie in the Hills, FL was the overnight leader after posting a solid round of 1-over par 73 on the Valley Course in difficult conditions. Playing in the final round on the PLAYERS Stadium Course, Boyer had a two-shot lead over 2009 National Champion Pete DeTemple of Callaway, MD with two holes to play. On the island green 17^th, Boyer’s tee shot was fortunate to find land, ending up on the walkway to the island green. Boyer would go on to bogey 17 and 18, while DeTemple made some gritty pars to get into a playoff at 6-over par 150 for the championship. Boyer and DeTemple would exchange pars on the two opening playoff holes, with Boyer hanging on to win his 1^st Major Championship on the third playoff hole. With the win Boyer undoubtedly made a statement that he is a talented player and one that could likely be there down the stretch again at the National Championship this fall. K.C Fox of Sarasota, the 2011 Senior National Champion runner-up, finished in 3^rd place.

In the Palmer Flight Daryl Ewing of Indian Land, SC was the only player to break into the 70’s, pacing the field with an opening round of 79. Ewing would never relinquish his lead, winning the Palmer Flight by a single stroke at 19-over par 163. Finishing in 2^nd place was Charles Sponaugle of Simpsonville, SC. Charles, who could have found a playoff with a par on his final hole, finished in 2^nd place at 20-over par 164. Alex Ojea of Miami, FL finished up in 3^rd place at 23-over par 167.

Palmer Flight Player takes aim at #17

The Hogan Flight saw only two players break into the 80’s for both rounds in the tough conditions. In the end 74 year-old Tommy Williams of Marion, MS would prevail thanks to a performance of 88-86—174, his 1^st Major Championship win in his career. Min Li of Lutherville, MD, who shared the overnight lead with Williams, finished up in 2^nd place 33-over par 177. Paul Kerr of San Diego, CA rounded out the top three at 34-over par 178.

In the Sarazen Flight Montez Murray of Bel Alton, MD had what seemed to be an insurmountable lead of five strokes after a great 1^st round of 86. Andrew Veite of Mount Olivet, KY was a full nine-strokes back entering the final round and made a ferocious charge. With Murray struggling to a score of 102 on Sunday, Veite posted a 93 to tie Murray after 36-holes of play at 44-over par 188. Murray would prevail in the playoff, earning the Sarazen Flight trophy. Ray Kolkmann of Hopewell Junction, NY wrapped up third place, three strokes out of the playoff.

In the Jones Flight just one player was able to keep it in the double digits for both rounds, seeing Josh Norris of Brooksville, KY claiming the flight at 97-96—193. Steven Flora, also from Kentucky, finished in 2^nd place at 51-over par 195. Ron Barbaza rounded out the top three at 54-over par 198.

Corey Long of Asheville, NC was not able to manage a single par or better in the final round and was still able to run away with the Snead Flight at 57-over par 201. Don Risner of Bakersfield, CA finished in 2^nd place at 63-over par 207. David Signorino of Winfield, MD rounded out the top three at 65-over par 209.

In the Senior Palmer Flight Brad Polhemus of Jacksonville, FL got some home-cooking and was the wire-to-wire winner. Polhemus was the only player in the flight to break 80 both days, notching an impressive 8-stroke win at 78-77—155 (+11). Gene Johnson of Palm Beach Gardens, FL wrapped up 2^nd place at 19-over par 163, while Jeff True of Naples, FL road a final round of 80 to a third place finish at 22-over par 166.

In the Senior Hogan Flight Ravi Kannan of Snellville, GA and Marc Milman of Tequesta, FL had quite a battle. Both players would end up needing extra holes to determine the Senior Hogan Flight Champion after they tied at 33-over par 177. Kannan would wind up winning, his 1^st Major Championship victory since last season. Richard Frost of London, ON snatched up third place at 36-over par 180.

The Senior Sarazen Flight saw an impressive wire-to-wire performance from Frank Cannon of Longwood, FL. Cannon would go on to win the flight by two strokes at 88-96—184 (+40). Steve Fox of Annapolis, MD posted the 2^nd-lowest score in the flight on Sunday to move up to 2^nd place at 42-over par 186. Tom Ward of Woodridge, IL played well and finished in 3^rd place at 43-over par 187.

In the Senior Jones Flight Joseph Lallier of Largo, FL fired the lowest round in the flight by 6 strokes on Sunday, an 88, to win the flight in commanding fashion at 97-88—185 (+41). Terry Lubinsky of Longwood, FL finished in 2^nd position at 47-over par 191. James Adams of Vero Beach, FL rounded out the top 3 at 49-over par 193.

John Damron of Columbus, OH showed no “winter rust” on his way to claiming the Senior Snead Flight. Damron would lead all weekend, winning with a two-day total of 54-over par 198 and was the only player in the flight to break the 200 barrier. Rick Scibek of Raleigh, NC finished in 2^nd place at 59-over par 203. Cordy Worth of Landrum, SC claimed 3^rd place at 60-over par 204.

Of note, the official charity of the Golf Channel Amateur Tour, Troops First, earned $1,400 thanks to the donations of the event’s participants.

Eleven Champions Crowned at 2012 TPC Sawgrass Open

2012-01-17T06:52:00.000-08:00

Brad Polhemus - Sr. Palmer Flight Champion

Corey Long - Snead Flight Champion

Curtis Boyer - Championship Flight Champion

Daryl Ewing - Palmer Flight Champion

Frank Cannon - Sr. Sarazen Flight Champion

John Damron - Sr. Snead Flight Champion

Joseph Lallier - Sr. Jones Flight Champion

Josh Norris - Jones Flight Champion

Montez Murray - Sarazen Flight Champion

Ravi Kannan - Sr. Hogan Flight Champion

Tommy Williams - Hogan Flight Champion

Zero Friction™ 2012 Partnerships

2012-01-10T05:08:00.000-08:00

January 9, 2012 (Oakbrook Terrace, IL) - Reaching golfers through one sponsorship or partnership at a time can seem like an easy task, but impacting golfers to use a product for a lifetime can present its challenges. Keeping this in mind, Zero Friction is continuing many and expanding into more partnerships in 2012 and beyond with some of the most notable organizations in golf.

Zero Friction™ is pleased to announce the following partnerships for 2012: The PGA TOUR™, The Champions Tour, The Nationwide Tour, The First Tee, The Golf Channel Am Tour, the Long Drivers of America, the American Junior Golf Association, PGA Magazine Ambassadors Program, the Golf Coaches Association of America and Outdoor Demo Day at the PGA Merchandise Show.

Moving into the 2012 season, you will see Zero Friction Performance Golf Tees at more events than ever due to the relationships developed with these organizations and growing golfer interest in the products we offer. "We are going to make it an exciting year with all organizations by coming up with some new and innovative ways to get our products out through these fantastic organizations and look forward to the 2012 season," stated John Iacono, Founder and President.

Winter Championship - Great End to 2011

2011-12-13T16:30:00.000-08:00

Seven of Eleven Don't Sleep Well On The Lead

Golf Channel Staff, Palm Harbor, FL (December 11, 2011) The Golf Channel Am Tour's first Major event of the 2012 points season was a great way to end the 2011 calendar year. The Winter Championship, now in it's 2nd year, was contested at Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club on the famed Copperhead and Island courses. Innisbrook, home of the PGA's Transition Championship, is situated on 900 acres in Palm Harbor just north of the St. Petersburg / Clearwater area of the Florida's Gulf Coast.

Players from 26 states, Ontario and Nova Scotia representing 28 tours were greeted to mild temperatures and overcast skies with just some brief showers during the opening round. Vying for 2012 National Championship qualification along with the double prize fund and awards that are handed out during Major Championship events only four of eleven first round leaders held on for the top spot.

RESULTS:

Championship Flight: K.C. Fox from Sarasota, FL, played his first nine holes in one over par on Saturday keeping pace with Tampa, FL member Jeff Kritsberg, but then birdied the par 5-11th hole on his first day and he would never look back. A pair of 73's, one over at the Island course and two over at Copperhead would give Fox a six stroke margin over 2nd place Glenn Przybylski of Franfort, IL. Kritsberg would knot up the 3rd and final National Qualification position with Gaithersburg, MD player Bob Casamento.

Palmer Flight: Palm Harbor, FL local Jason Keene would start the final round four strokes back from Daryl Ewing of Indian Land, SC and grab the win by one stroke. While Keene's three birdies on the day wouldn't outmatch Ewing's four, he stayed out of trouble with the big scores, getting his sixth win on tour and his first Major Championship. Playing in the second to last group of the day, Jason Lehmann from Pinellas Park, FL would take a couple strokes off his Saturday round and finish in the show position.

Senior Palmer Flight: In his first event since being promoted from the Senior Hogan Flight, the 2011 National Championship Title holder, Jeff Couch from Haymarket, VA looked to keep his winning streak alive with the overnight lead. Playing along side Couch in the final pairing, Naples FL member, Jeff True had other ideas. Already a two time winner in the 2012 points year, True played the final 9 holes in two over par and made up a two stroke deficit after the first round to win by four strokes. T-2 with True after round one Clark Cowan West Chester, OH started out hot with birdies on one and ten, but ran into troubles on the eleventh through fourteenth holes and had to settle for National Championship qualifying 3rd place spot.

Hogan Flight: First round leader Diego Salem of Frederick, CO looked to have slept well on his overnight lead with pars on his first three holes on Sunday, but then seven over in his next seven holes made it close. Salem would then make comeback birdies on the 11th and 15th to keep a two stroke margin over London, England native from Lake Worth FL, Mark Sapsford. Playing in the second to last pairing Robert Will from Frankfort, IN would birdie his 36th hole to beat out Robert Re of Danbury, CT for the 3rd place finish.

Senior Hogan Flight: In the only sudden death playoff of the event, three players brought in two round total 167's, but each traveled a different route. In the third to last group, T-7 after round one Bill Zagozewski from Oldsmar, FL had the 2nd day low round, 79. T-1 after Saturday's round with Ross VanDooser, Alex Valdez from Boca Raton, FL struggled, but finished the best out of the final pairing. Bedminster, NJ member Dave Upchurch played consistent with an 84 and 83. In the end an up and down par from the fringe on the first hole of the playoff would give Upchurch his third win on tour and first Major Championship.

Sarazen Flight: Local player Dag A Rasen from Palm Harbor overcame a 4 stroke day one deficit to finish one stroke ahead of another nearby player, Brandenton, FL member James Pierce. Pierce playing in the 2nd to last pairing after finishing the first round in 4th couldn't muster a par on the final hole to tie it up with Rasen. Lutherville, MD player, Min Li led the first day with an 83, but didn't keep pace and finished 3rd by one stroke for his sixth, 3rd place finish in Major Championships.

Senior Sarazen Flight: Playing in the final pairing just one stroke back of the leader, Walter White from Monroe, LA made it two for two in the month of December. On a short break before his overseas duties, Walter won the prior week at a local event in The Texas Hill Country. Bradenton, FL, player Louis Nel looked to be going to a playoff with White, but tripled the 36th hole to finish one stroke back. Rickey Wilson playing in the second to last group grabbed the 3rd and final National Championship Qualification, his best finish in a major since winning the 2009 TPC SAWGRASS OPEN.

Jones Flight: Marco Martinez from Coral Springs, FL and Florence, KY member TJ Dunhoft were tied after day one, but in the end Dunhoft couldn't keep pace. Martinez birdied his sixth hole of the day staying consistent with a three stroke win over 2nd place finisher Vladimir Alfaro from Hudson Valley, NY. Alfarra recorded the Jones Flight low round on Sunday while Dunhoft would finish in 3rd place and National Championship Qualification.

Senior Jones Flight: Canadian, Eric Mott from Lower Sackville, NS doesn't get to play many events on the Am Tour but made the best of his second Winter Championship. Playing in the final pairing, just one stroke off the lead Mott ended up dueling with T-2 finisher Mark Boles from Sealy, TX after first round leader Fred Miller from North Palm Beach, FL struggled on the final day. Playing in the second to last pairing Miami, FL member Jose Miro jumped a few spots posting a T-2 finish with Boles.

Snead Flight: 5th place after day one, William Campbell from Sterling, VA did what he needed to do to jump to the top spot and get his third Major Championship win, but first out of the State of Virginia. The two time Kingsmill Classic winner, Campbell took 4 strokes off his day one finish to stay ahead of Lathan Lewis Atkinson from Tampa. T-7 after the first round, Atkinson shaved 8 strokes off his previous day to stay three strokes clear of T-3 finishers, Mario Castillo of Lithia, FL and Hollywood, FL member, Bryan Arledge.

Senior Snead Flight: One of only four overnight leaders to prevail on the final day, Les Denisar from Newburgh, NY made it look easy. Shaving three strokes off his day one score, Denisar picked up 3rd Major Championship victory to go with a couple of runner up spots by 10 strokes. Playing in his first Major Championship, Valley Stream, NY member Vijay Singh finished in the 2nd spot ahead of Marcy Glidden from Brookshire, TX. In her second year on tour, Marcy equaled her 3rd place finish at the Texas Shootout at Redstone GC.

Staff is on site for the Winter Championship

2011-12-09T10:57:00.000-08:00

Could'nt ask for better weather!

PGA Tour Q School Finals on same venue as Golf Channel Amateur Tour National Championship

2011-12-02T06:51:00.000-08:00

La Quinta, CA—Over 150 of the world’s best golfers have converged on PGA West’s TPC Stadium and Nicklaus Tournament Course in the hopes of securing a spot on the PGA Tour. This six-round stroke play tournament will see the top 25 finishers and ties earning their coveted PGA Tour cards for the 2012 season.

PGA West was also the host site for the 2011 Golf Channel Amateur Tour National Championships, and qualifiers can view the coverage on Golf Channel and relive their title run with firsthand knowledge of what players like Rich Beem, David Duval, Lee Janzen, Sam Saunders, and Boo Weekley will experience down the stretch as they compete to get back to the PGA Tour. While the players at PGA West this week may be just a bit better they will still have to experience and conquer the tough closing holes and feel the same “heat” down the stretch as many of you did in your pursuit of a National Championship!

Just how good are the players at Q School this week? Consider that our 2011 National Champion, Paul Erdman (Championship Flight), finished with a total of 2-under par for 72-holes. The last time PGA Tour Q School Finals were held at PGA West, the winning score was 32-under par (including an amazing round of 59 in the fourth round by medalist Harrison Frazier). Erdman’s 2-under par total would have placed him in 137^thplace (out of 163 players).

Amateur Tour Players can view the coverage on Golf Channel the following days and times:

Saturday, December 3 from 3PM-6PM (EST)
Sunday, December 4 from 3PM-6PM (EST)
Monday, December 5 from 3PM-7PM (EST)

The deals keep coming during Cyber Week! 25% off of ClubGlove!

2011-11-30T10:51:00.000-08:00

Ealry Look: Another Cyber Week Special from the Am Tour

2011-11-28T14:29:00.000-08:00

Trouble Viewing? Click Here

Holiday Offer from Antigua

2011-11-21T13:23:00.000-08:00

SOLD OUT

2011-10-25T05:34:00.000-07:00

Winter Championship is SOLD OUT! Don't miss the next Major Championship!

- TPC Sawgrass Open - More Info

- Duel in the Desert - More Info

- Puerto Rico - More Info

- Texas Open - More Info

- Myrtle Beach Classic - More Info

Winter Championship

2011-10-21T11:14:00.000-07:00

Is filling up! Dont miss your chance to compete on two of Florida's best courses.

More information can be found by clicking this link

Join the Am Tour in Las Vegas!

2011-10-09T14:19:00.000-07:00

2012 Major Championships

2011-10-09T14:04:00.000-07:00

With the addition of our newest twelve National Champions the 2012 Season is underway. Don't miss the opportunity to compete in some of the best courses across the country, make sure to check out the schedule and sign up before they sell out.

Winter Championship - DEC 10-11, 2011 - Registration Open
TPC Sawgrass Open - JAN 14-15, 2012 - Registration Open
Duel in the Desert - FEB 2-4, 2012 - Registration Open
Puerto Rico Championship - FEB 18-19, 2012 - Registration Open
Texas Open - MAR 3-4, 2012 - Registration Open
Mrytle Beach Classic - MAR 17-18, 2012 - Registration Open

More Major Championships will be added to the schedule soon.

Golf Channel Am Tour Welcomes Twelve New Champions

2011-10-09T13:49:00.000-07:00

9th Annual Duel in the Desert Golf Tournament

2011-10-04T14:40:00.000-07:00

DUEL IN THE DESERT

One of the most exciting tournaments of the season is almost here! Golf Channel Amateur Tour is pleased to announce that the 9th Annual Duel in the Desert Golf Tournament will be held in one of the most exhilarating cities in the U.S. - Las Vegas, NV! Three days of spectacular golf are in store at the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort, February 2-4, 2012.

What makes Duel so special, you ask? The Competition & Tournament itself!

Tour Players will compete in two-person teams in a 54-hole tournament that consists of a scramble, modified alternate shot and best ball on three of Las Vegas’ finest golf courses – the Paiute Snow Mountain, Wolf and Sun Mountain.

What else sets Duel apart? Unlike other tournaments, this event is open to all Golf Channel Am Tour Players and Non-Members. That’s right! Am Tour Players are encouraged to bring a friend or family member to experience the excitement, camaraderie and competition that only the Am Tour can bring.

Click here to learn more about how teams will be organized into six different handicap-based flights.

Nine SkyCaddie Owners Win At Am Tour National Championship

2011-09-30T13:39:00.000-07:00

The results are in, and nine of the 12 champions at the Golf Channel Amateur Tour National Championship are SkyCaddie owners and members! Once again, the #1 Rangefinder in Golf has played a role in providing amateur golfers with the same reliable information as the tour professionals receive from their caddies to win a championship. The 2011 winners include: Paul Erdman, Tim Williams, Bradley Bishop, Suneil Aggarwal, Bilal Jordan, Larry Krogness, Clifford Conover, Jeff Couch, and Mark Millard. Over the next few weeks we are going to feature each winner as the SkyCaddie Golfer of the Week so you can get to know them. First up, meet Jeff Couch, winner of the Hogan Flight in the Senior National Championship.

SkyGolf is proud of its SkyCaddie Members for dominating against a very strong field of amateur golfers and winning their flight at their National Championship. For their efforts, each winner will receive a staff program from SkyGolf. Our SkyCaddie Champions will be equipment with the latest SkyCaddie products along with logo headwear, shirts and golf bags. In addition to the winners, SkyGolf would also like to recognize SkyCaddie Members Darrell Wilson, Richard Naef, and Frank Wallace for their top 10 performance.

The Golf Channel Amateur Tour National Championship is a challenging four-day, 72-hole stroke play event where golfers compete on several outstanding championship courses in La Quinta, California, including the La Quinta Resort (Mountain Course) and Club and PGA West (Greg Norman Course, Nicklaus Tournament Course and TPC Stadium Course).

Please join SkyGolf in congratulating all SkyCaddie Members who successfully competed in the Golf Channel Amateur Tour’s 2011 National Championship.

National Championship 1st Place Winners

Senior National Championship 1st Place Winners

Champions Pictures

2011-09-27T23:25:00.000-07:00

National Champions - SkyCaddie Staff Winners

2011-09-27T22:37:00.000-07:00

The SkyCaddie Staff Winners* from the National Championship were:

Champ Flight	Paul Erdman
Palmer Flight	Frank Wallace
Hogan Flight	Tim Williams
Sarazen Flight	Bradley Bishop
Jones Flight	Suneil Aggarwal
Snead Flight	Bilal Jordan

Each winner will receive:

SkyCaddie staff golf bag
SkyCaddie logoed shirt and hat
The soon to be released SkyCaddie SGX^W with a FREE 1-year Eagle Membership.

All winners will be contacted directly by SkyCaddie.

*To be eligible for the SkyCaddie staff package you must own and use a SkyCaddie unit.

We are the champions

2011-09-27T21:18:00.000-07:00

By Jason Sobel
September 27, 2011 10:36 PM ET

LA QUINTA, Calif. – There are a few magic numbers in golf. Like 59 and 18 – and if you have to ask, you’re probably on the wrong website right now.

At this week’s Golf Channel Am Tour national championship, some other magic numbers were in play.

There were 570 total competitors in the open division flights. They played in temperatures that reached 100 degrees each day. Which meant there were 20,000 total bottles of water consumed and more than 4,000 iced towels distributed.

There was one more magic number, too: Six. That’s how many national champions were crowned on

Tuesday. These are their stories:

Paul Erdman knows all about close calls.

“I’m probably the only guy who’s missed the U.S. Open by a shot, the U.S. Amateur by a shot, U.S. PubLinks by a shot and U.S. Mid Am by a shot,” the affable 43-year-old said. “I mean, losing in playoffs and stuff. It’s always been a shot here or a shot there.”

Not this time. Erdman parlayed a final-round 2-under 70 into a three-stroke victory in the Championship Flight, as he was the only player in the 65-man field to break par for the tournament.

Throughout the last day, he always knew what was at stake.

“The heart is pumping, breathing getting heavy – that’s something I’m not used to,” he said. “I haven’t had that much adrenaline going through me in a long time. That’s hard work dealing with that stuff.”

Erdman is no stranger to hard work. He founded the golf program at University of Maryland-Baltimore County, which is now defunct, then worked as a general manager and head professional before regaining his amateur status in 1999.

Now an insurance agent in Erie, Colo., this culminated a perfect season, as he won every single Golf Channel Am Tour event in which he competed – but it was the last one that meant the most.

“This is great, man,” he said excitedly. “I just won something that I’ve been thinking about for years and years.”

As winner of the Palmer Flight two years ago, Patrick Polzin had some words of advice for 54-hole leader Kyle Zeitz prior to the final round.

“It’s tough playing in the lead,” Polzin said from experience. “I let him know that last night. I also told him this is the course I shot 68 on and that he was going to have a hard time sleeping.

“I told Kyle, ‘You know, buddy, I hope I have an opportunity to put some heat on you early and see what you’re made of. I want to make you earn it. If you win and you beat me, I’m fine with that.”

It didn’t happen. Zeitz posted four double-bogeys in his final six holes to turn a five-shot lead into a six-shot loss.

For his part, Polzin, a 45-year-old sheet metal worker from Indian Head Park, Ill., just played solid golf as his playing partner flailed, taking his second title in three years.

“I didn’t think he was going to crumble,” Polzin said, “but I planted the seeds in his head last night. That’s fair game.”

As a golfer, Tim Williams calls himself a “competition freak.” As a solution architect for Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, he calls himself a “geek.”

Great combination, huh?

“Actually,” Williams said with a laugh, “not really.”

The Hogan Flight’s self-described freak-and-geek needed to make a par on the final hole to win his first national championship title.

“I tried not to let the pressure get to me,” said the 43-year-old from McKinney, Texas. “On the outside, you wouldn’t know I was under pressure, but on the inside, I was just in knots. This is one of the first times I’ve ever felt pressure like this.”

After the round, Williams appeared more tired and relieved than triumphant, but maintained it was just a result of all the mental energy he used up on the course.

“It wasn’t a very difficult course, but I made it difficult,” he explained. “I said to myself, ‘This is it. Last group. Let’s just step on the pedal.’ And that’s what I did.”

For a guy who had never played the Golf Channel Am Tour prior to this year, Brad Bishop didn’t realize how nervous he could get.

“I joined it just for the competition. I never imagined coming here, but I qualified, so I came,” he explained. “But from the first tee shot all the way through the round, I was pretty nervous.”

Coming down the stretch in the final round of the Sarazen Flight, Bishop led by just a single stroke with two holes to play, but extended that differential to four en route to the victory.

After opening rounds of 89-85, the Alden, N.Y. closed 80-81 – not far off from his career best of 77.

“Everything went my way, I guess,” said the 31-year-old residential painter. I just kept saying I wanted to hit the fairways and the middle of every green – and I think I only missed one fairway today.”

Just after closing out his Jones Flight victory by a single stroke, Suneil Aggarwal was posing for photographs while kissing the crystal trophy.

“I like the way that sounds,” he said with a laugh.

The sound should be familiar. Aggarwal, 39, successfully defended last year’s title in wire-to-wire fashion, though he needed to make a five-foot bogey putt on the final hole to clinch the victory.

“I can’t say it feels better this year,” explained the Alpharetta, Ga., resident, who works as a vice president of sales for a technology company, “but it does, a little bit.”

Consider this one validation, as last year’s final round was rained out, giving Aggarwal a weather-shortened three-round triumph.

“This puts to rest a lot of people who were questioning whether I could hold it together for four days,” he said. “I know I was questioning whether I could hold it together for four days.”

Bilal Jordan just started playing golf in late-2007. It quickly turned from a hobby to a passion to an obsession.

How much of one? Since qualifying for the Snead Flight national championship in early August, the Houston-based physician and insurance company owner traveled to the Jim McLean Golf School in Palm Springs three separate times to work on his game.

The extra effort paid off, as he posted the best score of the final round – an 88 to secure the title by four strokes.

“I want to get better. My goal is to continue to get better,” said Jordan, 32. “I put in some additional work and it paid off. Hard work pays off.”

It should be noted that he is the first player in quite a long time to win while decked out in a red shirt, black pants and a TW-logo hat.

“I had to represent the Tiger red today,” he said with a laugh. “I had to put on the red and black.”

Golf's a kid's game

2011-09-27T17:33:00.000-07:00

By Jason Sobel
September 27, 2011 11:36 AM ET

LA QUINTA, Calif. – Charlie Reiter isn’t quite sure how many golf trophies he owns. Maybe 60 or 70. Lots of medals and other sorts of celebratory trinkets, too. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 or so.

Hey, it makes sense. He can’t even keep track of his wins. His father, Michael, thinks he won 18 times in a 24-start span in “either 2009 or 2010.” His instructor, Tom Anton, maintains that he claimed 30 titles in 35 total events last year. This year he’s taken “about 15 or 18 or 20 – somewhere in there,” says his dad.

And Charlie? Well, he just shrugs and shakes his head in bewilderment.

After all, that’s a lot of math for a 12-year-old.

The preteen from nearby Palm Desert is competing in an otherwise adult field at this week’s Golf Channel Amateur Tour national championships, which would be remarkable if not for his past achievements at this event. Two years ago, he easily triumphed in his flight.

And no, it doesn’t take any complicated math to realize he was just 10 years old at the time.

“We’re trying to teach him about context and how to play. That’s why he’s playing with the adults,” says Anton, who has worked with Charlie for four years. “I want him comfortable in crowds. I want him comfortable so if he’s a rookie and he’s playing with Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, it will be like he’s 12 years old and playing with the adults.”

That’s right. Despite being just 5-feet tall and 82 pounds “if he eats a large pizza,” his dad jokes, Charlie is already thinking big. Currently playing to a 7.1 index, he makes no bones about his long-term dreams and desires.

“I want to get onto the PGA Tour,” he boldly states, “and I want to win a lot.”

There is no foolproof method for reaching the sport’s most elite level, but Michael is attempting to draw up the blueprint for his son. Charlie plays golf every single day and often travels hundreds of miles to compete in tournaments on the weekends. During the summer months, they hike a nearby mountain every morning at 6 a.m. And just this year, he started working with noted putting guru Dave Stockton, Jr. on his short game.

If that sounds more like the schedule of a seasoned professional than a kid in middle school, well, there’s good reason for that. It’s all about the end result.

“I’m right along there for the ride,” explains Michael, who was once a scratch player. “I worked at it hard and never quite got there, but Charlie’s got the opportunity. He’s got the talent, he’s got the swing. But you’ve got to have mental toughness out there. I mean, those PGA Tour guys are tough. … But if that’s what he wants to do, I’m backing him all the way. I think he can do it. No doubt about it.”

At such a young age, though, it’s no certainty, either.

“Right now, he’s 12. He’s an adolescent. He hasn’t gone into puberty yet,” Anton says. “The brain chemistry in his brain hasn’t changed yet. So when all that’s happening, the reinforcement that he’s getting is about course management, self-management, expectations. How good do I think he can be? I think he can be as good as he believes he can be.

“I’m just barely smart enough to know to stay out of his way. This kid is wonderfully skilled and talented. He is a prodigy in as much as I show him once how to hit a shot and the next time I see him, he’s mastered it like he’s been doing it all his life.”

While it may seem like Charlie eats, breathes and sleeps golf, he owns plenty of other interests, as well.

“He likes to play his Wii and skateboard and bicycle. He’s on a baseball team,” says his mother, Susan Conti. “He is very mature at certain times, but then he pulls back to being a typical 12-year-old. I think he can relate to more mature people and he can relate to children his own age.”

It’s been easy to spot Charlie on the course this week – and not because he’s the only kid in the field who’s barely taller than a belly putter. His heroes in golf are Ben Hogan and Payne Stewart – he’s watched old videos of each – and he’s mimicked their sartorial style ever since first playing competitively, donning a Tam o’ Shanter and knickers whenever he plays.

Not coincidentally, Anton was very good friends with the late Stewart, who once gave him the hat he wore during Round 3 of the 1999 U.S. Open Championship as a gift. The instructor paid the gesture forward two years ago, rewarding Charlie with that hat when he won the Am Tour championship.

That’s one trophy of which he’ll never lose count.

Sights and Sounds from the Third Round of the National Championship

2011-09-27T15:09:00.000-07:00