Lee Qualifies for Match Play; Hargraves Just Misses

Stan Lee, fresh off a victory in the 2009 ASGA Senior Stroke at Greystone, qualified for match play today in the 2009 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at The Beverly Club in south Chicago. Lee fired rounds of 75-75 and tied for 46th and plays Tom Elfers of Cincinnati (72-74) at 1:06 p.m. Monday. Lee was exempt from qualifying as the 2007 Champion at Flint Hills National GC in Wichita, Kansas. Last year, in the defense of his title, Lee lost to former Little Rock resident John Pallin of Kenosha, Wisconsin in 19 holes. Pallin went on to make the quarter-finals, earning exempt status this year, and qualified in the top 5 with 73-69.

Bev Hargraves of Helena, the lone Arkansas qualifier, shot 77-75 and missed the playoff for match play by one stroke. 11 players at 151 will playoff at 8:30 a.m. for 8 qualifying spots.

To see the scores and bracket of the USGA Senior Amateur Qualifying, go to www.usga.org

Arkansas - Here is Your Chance!

Alright Arkansas - here is your chance to show you love golf! The best field ever in the three year history of the LPGA's P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship is assembling this week in Rogers as the newly renovated Pinnacle Country Club will be a fantastic host. Get out and show your support of golf in Arkansas as this is only the second professional golf tournament held in the Natural State (Nationwide Tour is at Hardscrabble in June!) Tickets are easy to come by and parking is easy too - you park your car in a designated parking lot, load up on a bus and they drop you at the 17th green! Get your tickets here and show that you love golf! http://www.pgbeautychampionship.com/ Paula Creamer will play her pink ball on Sunday as she is doing in the above photo!

Pinnacle is Impressive - To Say The Least!

Mac Stubbs, our talented Director of Handicapping, and I took a rare opportunity yesterday to play one of Arkansas' finest courses - Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers (that's Mac on the signature par-3 15th hole). After a 10 month renovation, converting to a more heat tolerant Zoysia fairway and Tyee bentgrass, what a joy it was to play. No stress in the greens and the fairways were perfect. The LPGA Tour and the fans are getting a real treat at the P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship Sept. 11-13 and it may be the most-talented field in the three years of the event. C'mon Arkansas - show the LPGA you love golf - and buy your tickets today from a number of local charities or visit the official tournament site at http://www.pgbeautychampionship.com/

1st ASGA Event at Cooper's Hawk a Success!

The first ASGA Designated Tournament at Cooper's Hawk in Melbourne August 8-9 was a very successful tournament. Sixty players ventured into Izard County to play the manicured Zoysia fairways and smooth bentgrass greens. Show at left is one of the course owners, Jim Cooper and his son, Sam. Congratulations to Justin Burns, who won the inaugural "Hawk" trophy with a four-under par 140, one shot better than Nathan Circle and Mark Bartlett. Bruce Dickey won the Senior Division in a playoff over Hall of Famer Stan Lee after both tied at 9-under 135 and Hall of Famer Jack Jordan won the Super-Senior Division. The ASGA will be having one of its "majors" at Cooper's Hawk in the very near future. Thanks again to Jim Cooper and the entire staff for hosting this inaugural tournament!

Thanks Josh for a Job Well Done!

On behalf of the ASGA Board of Directors and Staff, I want to thank Josh Wright of Bryant, AR for a job well done as the 2009 USGA P.J. Boatwright Intern for the ASGA. Josh heads back to Mississippi State tomorrow (Friday, Aug. 14) to finish his final semester in the Professional Golf Management Program. Hopefully, we taught Josh a few things about golf administration, specifically tournaments, as he prepares to become a real citizen with a real job. Josh is shown in front of the Texarkana Court House with his right foot in Texas and his left in Arkansas!

Hulse wins ASGA Mountain Valley Junior Stroke

Playing in his last ASGA Championship as a junior, 17-year-old Lane Hulse of Fordyce fired a final round of three-under par 69 to win the ASGA Mountain Valley Junior Boys Stroke Play Championship at Texarkana Country Club. Hulse trailed by four strokes entering the final round but turned the front nine in three-under par 33 with a birdie on #1 and an eagle on the par-5 7th hole, to go with 7 pars, to grab the lead. Steady golf on the back nine, including birdies on #16 and #17 closed the Championship in style with a six stroke victory over Dylan Lovell of Harrison and Nate Smith of Benton. Hunter Smith, a 16-year-old from Cabot, edged his classmate at Cabot High School, Colby Benton and won the ASGA Junior Boys Player of the Year title. Smith will receive the award October 29 at Chenal Country Club in Little Rock. Thanks to all that helped make the 2009 ASGA Junior Tournament Season a success!

Roachell wins ASGA Mountain Valley Stroke Play

Congratulations to 14-year-old Summar Roachell of Conway, winner of the 2009 ASGA Mountain Valley Junior Girls Stroke Play Championship at Texarkana Country Club. She is shown with the Lou Miller Trophy, named in honor of ASGA Hall of Famer Lou Miller. Summar also wrapped up the ASGA Junior Girls Player of the Year and will receive that award Thursday, October 29 at Chenal Country Club in Little Rock. To see all of Summar's tournament results, click on Junior Girl Point Standings at www.asga.org

Also, congratulations to all age division winners and thanks to all the mother, fathers, grandparents, brothers and sisters that helped support these young women in 2009 and for making the ASGA junior tournament schedule a success!