News >> Golden Hurricane Hits Victoria

The Victoria Texas Open
Presented Jim and Carol West
Victoria Country Club
July 15-18, 2010
 
Victoria, TX (July 18, 2010)… Former Tulsa golfer Ryan Henry of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma carded a three-under par 68 at Victoria Country Club in Sunday’s final round of The Victoria Texas Open presented by Jim and Carol West to capture his first career NGA Hooters Tour title.
 
Henry began the final round in first place at twelve-under par thanks in part to opening rounds of 69-70-62. The former Golden Hurricane started off his final round a little shaky on Sunday morning with two pars and bogey over his first three holes but was able to regain momentum with three birdies over his next four holes to get back into red numbers for the round. Another bogey and a two putt par at the ninth left him with a one-under par 34.
 
Henry began the back nine with a three stroke advantage as playing partner Parker LaBarge (St. Louis, MO) struggled out of the gate with a two-over par 37. While his partners were struggling, Henry made birdies on two of his first five holes and then rattled off three pars on the back to get to fifteen-under par through seventeen holes.
 
Playing in the group ahead of Henry, Michael Welch (Quincy, MA) started the day trailing the leader by three strokes and was only able to post an even par on the front nine to fall behind by four with nine holes remaining before making a run at the tournament title with a back nine of five-under par 31 that included three birdies and an eagle on the eleventh hole in which he dunked his approach shot from the fairway. Welch missed a twelve footer on the final hole for birdie and posted a fourteen-under par total of 270.
 
On the eighteenth hole, Henry’s drive landed in the fairway bunker for the third straight day. The twenty-six year old calmed his nerves and hit is next shot down the fairway leaving him one hundred fifty yards from the center of the green. He left his third shot about twenty-five feet from the cup and needed only a two putt for the victory. He ran his first putt to about twenty-four feet and then he tapped in his par putt for a fifteen-under par total of 269 and a first place check worth $30,000.
 
“I am super excited to get my first win out here this week,” said Henry. “I am really excited to see what kind of momentum I can carry away from this week.”
 
“I am really proud of the way I played today with the pressure of playing in the final group and hope this experience can carry over to the rest of the year and into Q-school in the fall.
 
Henry’s fifteen-under par 269 total was one better than Michael Welch and four better than Parker LaBarge. After struggling out of the gate on Sunday, LaBarge was able to close with a two-under par 34 to finish the round at even par 71 and four day total of eleven-under par 273. Welch took home $15,966 for his runner-up finish, while LaBarge banked $10,666 for his solo third performance.
 
With his T-15 finish Sunday, Michael Lavery captured the Race For The 2010 PHS Wichita Open Nationwide Exemption. The Race For The PHS Wichita Open Exemption was given to the NGA Hooters Tour member that accumulated the most money in the Bentonville, Arkansas, Miami, Oklahoma, Pearland, Texas and Victoria, Texas events. Lavery was able to hold off a charging tournament champion Ryan Henry by nearly $450.
 
The NGA Hooters Tour will take a week off from competition before swinging back into action July 26-August 1, 2010 in Auburn, Alabama for the Michelob Ultra Classic at Auburn University Club.
 
HOOTS: The NGA Hooters Tour would like to thank Victoria Country Club Superintendent Andy Andress and all of his crew for their tireless efforts to get the golf course ready for action this week with all the rain that hit the Victoria area leading into tournament week. The tour would also like to thank Club managaer Chris Stewart, head professional Breene Cantwell, assistant pro Joe Mitchell and all of the volunteers that gave up their time and efforts to help make this a successful and smooth run first year event.