As most avid golf fans know, the United States will try to end its frustration against Europe in the Ryder Cup later this year at Hazeltine National in Minneapolis. Europe has won eight of the last 10 competitions, including the most recent one played on U.S. soil back in 2012 at Medinah Country Club in Chicago.
Several months ahead of the main event, meanwhile, there’s going to be a Ryder Cup-style event played in Southeast Texas. Dubbed the Aquila Cup, it’s the brainchild of Babe Zaharias pro Ed Cambpell and will feature a 12-player team from Bayou Din competing against the best dozen Babe Zaharias has to offer.
Matches will be played March 18 at Zaharias and March 19-20 at Bayou Din, with Kurt Picard and Mitch Duncan of the KAM Golf Academy serving a playing captains. Competition will be four ball in round one, two-man team alternate shot on day two and individual matches on day three.
“Ed came up with a great idea,” said Duncan. “This is going to be a lot of fun. All the guys I’ve talked to are really excited about it. Next year we are going to add a senior division.”
There is an actual cup-type trophy that will go to the winning team and be on display at that club for a year. Unlike the ever-other-year Ryder Cup, the Aquila Cup will be contested annually.
Picard’s team will consist of Richard Scully, Scott Mayes, Jordan Leger, Todd Ross and Ryan Webb. Other members are Jimmy Pope, Josh Labove, Bryan Collier, Josh Picard, Shane Chesson and Tanner Lowe. Lonnie Labove is an alternate.
Teeing it up for Duncan’s Bayou Din team are John Allen, Christin Callarman,Trey Fornier, Dustin Abbott, Joey Parks and Cody Thompson. Rounding out the Bayou Din squad are Rod Connerly, Brandon Ricks, Tod Stark, Jerry Honza, Kyle Landry and Ross Robiceau.
CHIP SHOTS
Port Neches-Groves ex Braden Bailey continues to make waves as a starting freshman on Baylor’s golf team.
Bailey authored his best showing to date in last week’s Border Olympics, firing a closing five-under-par 66 for a 54-hole total of 213 and seventh place overall. His effort helped Baylor place third against a loaded field in Querencia, Mexico. …
Former Lamar All-America Chris Stroud will try to get back on track at this week’s PGA Tour Valspar
Championship outside Tampa. Stroud, in his last eight starts, has six missed cuts. He was tied for 59th and a T62 when he made it to the weekend. His Official World Golf Ranking has dropped to No. 167, and he’s No. 139 in Fed Ex Cup Points. …
Is Bridge City’s Skylar Petroski the top male high school player in Southeast Texas?
He’s certainly playing that way with three wins and a second in his last four tournaments. Petroski won the Nederland Invitational with a 71 at Brentwood Country Club, was first in the Huffman Invitation with a 74 at the Red Wolf Golf Resort, took the top spot in the Anahuac Invitational at Chambers County Golf Club and was second in the Jasper Invitational at Rayburn Country. …
PN-G’s junior star Karlei Hemler has made her choice of where she wants to play in college, with a verbal commitment to Mary Hardin-Baylor.
She could change her mind, but her dad and biggest fan, Robert Hemler, says that is highly unlikely. Hemler paced the Lady Indians to another tournament victory Monday at Sunset Grove Country Club, shooting a 78. PN-G posted a 364 to beat LC-M by 17 shots on its home course. Rounding out the Lady Indians top four were Brynna Bailey (92), Karlei’s sister Kassidei at 93 and Rian Weatherford with a 101. Little Cypress-Mauriceville’s Lauren Cox took medalist honors with a 75. …
Andy Foote of Kirbyville got to celebrate a hole in one at Bayou Din after holing a 6-iron from 151 yards on 7th hole of the Bayou Front. Jay Johnson was the witness. …
The Senior 50 Plus Game at Babe Zaharias was played in a best two-ball format Monday. On the front, the team of Benny Sharpe, Bobby Wactor, Billy Thillet and Ralph Childress won with minus-4. That was also the winning score on the back for the team of Bob West, Bob Frazier, Bob Byerly
and Lee Bertrand. …
The Super Saturday Game at The Babe was also played in a two-ball format, with the team of Adam Noel, Raymond Darbonne, Cole Lee and Mike Hollier winning the front in minus-5. The back went to the foursome of Tim Turner, Thad Borne, John Williams and Robert Lynch at minus-6. …
Best two-ball was also the format in the Friday Game at Zaharias. There was a tie on the front at minus 4 between the team of Sharpe, Tony Trevino, Gene Jones and Charles Perez. The back went to the foursome of Gary Whitfill, Don MacNeil, Gene Hardy and Jim Cooper. They carded minus-6. Closest to the pin winners were Whitfill (No. 2), West (No. 7), Bob Moore (No. 12) and Childress
(No. 15). …
The Thursday Senior Game at the Babe offered something a bit different, with D players choosing teams for a Select Drive three-ball format.
The team of Art Miller, West, Tom LeTourneau and Mike Brown scored a sweep, winning the front in minus-4 and the back in minus-1. Closest to the pin winners were Ron Mistrot (No. 2, No. 12), Rick Pritchett (No. 7) and MacNeil (No. 15). …
The Babe Zaharias DogFight was contested in a two-man, 9-9, flighted format. The duo of Adam Noel-Cap Hollier won First Flight by a stroke over Mike Lansford-Pritchett. In Second Flight, there was a tie for the top spot at 70 between Gene Hardy-John House and Dillard Darbonne-Jerry May. The team of MacNeil-Moore won Third Flight with a 75. In Fourth Flight, Carl Guidry-Dwayne Morrison finished first with a 76, edging Tommy Lemire-Charlie Huckaby by two strokes. Closest to the pin winners were Noel (No. 2), Darbonne (No. 7), Harrell Guidry (No. 12) and Ray Gallier (No. 15). …
The KAM Golf Academy is hosting a Spring Break Junior Golf Clinic Monday, March 14 through Thursday, March 17 for players ages 7 through 14 at Bayou Din. Cost is $125 for 8 hours
of instruction. Clubs will be provided if needed. To register, call 549-1757 or 344-0205. …
Entries are being taken for the Nederland Heritage Festival Tournament Saturday, March 19, at Babe Zaharias. Format is a flighted two-person scramble. There will be a flight for those playing from the
senior tees. Entry fee is $50 for an 8 a.m. shotgun start. Call 722-8286.
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