Wade Sahmel Holds of for Win in Longview

7 May 2006 - Longview, TX - The Texas Putting Tour continued its East Texas swing on May 7th at the Longview course. With another round a rain coming through overnight the players would again be faced with wet conditions. It would be Joel Baker taking the opening round lead at 11 under 25 with Wade Sahmel sitting two strokes back.

Another 27 from Sahmel in the second round would push him into the lead with three other players; Baker, James Taylor and Gary Reed, sitting two strokes back. Sahmel would struggle over the last nine holes giving many players the opportunity to catch him but only one the following players really made a significant push over the final nine holes.

Mike Baldoza had started the last round nine strokes behind. A six under 12 on the front made up two strokes but he was still seven back. He then proceeded to make six of the first seven holes on the back while Sahmel was even over that stretch. A bogey by Baldoza on the 17th would dearly cost him as he would finish one stroke back in second place, enough for a state spot. The win gave Sahmel his second of the year and a spot in the World Match Play event. Lee Messinger, Steve Tanton, and Taylor would all finish tied for third at 20 under 88 -- two stroke back. Addition spots went to Reed and Taylor in match play.

Mickey DeLucca Battles Back for Win in Longview

7 May 2006 - Longview, TX - The Texas Tour continued on Sunday for three rounds of medal play on Course #1 in Longview, TX. After a rocky start at only 3 under par, Mickey DeLucca of Baton Rouge, LA came firing back with back to back rounds of 6 under par to finish at 93 for his first state tour win since the 2004 season.

Ken Stanfill opened in the lead with a first round 5 under par. Trevor Lewin and Gary Plain trailed by a stroke at 32, with DeLucca, David Chisum, Dave Blalock and Greg Cole all tied at 33. Second round action saw Lewin and Plain jump to the top of the leader board, both with second round 7 under par to take the lead at 61. DeLucca, with a second round 6 under par was two strokes off the lead at 63, tied with first round leader Stanfill who posted a second round 32.

As much of the field struggled in the final round, DeLucca held tough, shooting his second round at 6 under par for the day and finished at 93 for the win, narrowly edging out Lewin by a stroke. Chisum also fired a final round 6 under par to jump into the third spot, tied with Plain at 95. Stanfill finished fifth at 96.

Texas State Championship qualification spots went to DeLucca in medal play and Greg Cole and David Blalock in match play.

Article and scores provided by Lee Messinger.