Around the Green

The latest golf-related news, notes, and feature stories from the TGA.

Davis, Barker Prevail At Women's Texas Pinehurst

KERRVILLE – Overnight co-leaders Joanna Davis and Marian Barker on Tuesday posted a 6-over-par 78 to pull away from the field and claim the 2017 Women’s Texas Pinehurst at Riverhill Country Club. The duo’s 36-hole total of 9-over-par 153 was good for a two stroke margin of victory over the team of Julie Robichaux and Diane Henry.
 
Davis and Barker, from Georgetown and Lubbock, respectively, got off to a fast start in the final round with a birdie on the par-4 opener. After making the turn at 1-over par, Davis and Barker had vaulted to atop the leaderboard ahead of the other first round co-leaders Robichaux and Henry. Davis and Barker relinquished their six-stroke lead over Robichaux and Henry, however, when the pair carded two bogies and a double bogey in a four-hole stretch. The veteran competitors managed to right the ship, though, and finished with four straight pars to clinch the overall title. 
 
Kingwood’s Robichaux and Kerrville’s Henry finished at 11-over-par 155 over the two days to win First Flight honors. 
 
Prior to the first round, the teams were split into three flights based on their combined handicap indexes.
 
Houston’s Julie Hoopingarner and Sugar Land’s Maggie Harmon won the Second Flight in a scorecard playoff over the team of Linda Sackett, of Boerne, and Tammy Trichell, of Helotes. The two teams tied in regulation play with a 172 total.
 
In the Third Flight, Liza Robinson and Lyn Jones, both of Houston, came from behind in the final round to finish five strokes ahead of the overnight co-leaders, Mollie Hammonds and Ellen Wallace.
 
The Women’s Texas Pinehurst uses the “Chapman Stroke Play” format. Playing as partners, each player hits a drive on every hole and then plays their partner’s ball for the second shot. From there, the partners select the ball with which they wish to score and play the ball alternately to complete the hole.
 
The Texas Golf Association would like to thank the membership and staff of Riverhill Country Club for hosting this year’s championship. Due to the dedication of our host club, this year’s championship was a true success.
 
The event was relocated following a devastating fire at the original host site of Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort, in Boerne. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the staff and membership at Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort, and we look forward to returning when the resort reopens.
 
For more information about the Women’s Texas Pinehurst, please click here.