SPRINGDALE -- Sunday's final round of the 81st Annual Dwight Collins Chick-A-Tee golf tournament was somewhat nostalgic for the top two finishers.
Alex Neal and Steven Dixon found themselves in a battle down the stretch at Springdale Country Club, paired together for the final round of the three-day, stroke play event.
81st Dwight Collins Chick-A-Tee
At Springdale Country Club
Championship Flight
Golfer^R1-2^R3^Total
Alex Neal 139-71 – 210
Steve Dixon 142-72 – 214
Jacob Bartel 148-67
Drew Stewart 147-68 – 215
Corey Nichols 144-74 – 218
Brad Nipper 148-74 – 222
Michael Chaney 149-74 – 223
Bryon Shumate 150-74 – 224
Brian Taylor 154-78 – 232
Tyler Harper 158-77 – 235
First Flight
Matt Dura 145-74 – 219
Randy Jones 144-76 – 220
Jeff Hannah 142-78 – 220
Brad Norwood 152-74 – 226
Phil Ford 151-79 – 230
Kevin Sorg 148-85 – 233
Second Flight
James Jech 156-74 – 230
Kraig Williams 157-75 – 232
Bryan Davis 153-80 – 233
Charlie Houghland 157-77 – 234
Steven Bertram 155-80 – 235
Ronnie Ruff 154-83 – 237
Wade Story 159-78 – 237
Scott Jackson 158-80 – 238
Ron Syler 154-86 – 240
Todd Fraley 156-86 – 242
John Wright 158-86 – 244
Walter White 161-83 – 244
Mike Lyman 161-85 – 246
Third Flight
Lee Traweek 163-78 – 241
Sean Lease 164-79 – 243
Jamie Pendergast 163-81 – 244
Roger Clark 165-82 – 247
Booter Duffield 163-84 – 247
Gerald Easterling 164-83 – 247
Brett Chenevert 163-85 – 248
Mike Bradley 164-84 – 248
Jody Keene 165-83 – 248
Roger Voss 167-81 – 248
Jay McMahon 165-86 – 251
Nick Rabuse 166-85 – 251
Greg Anderson 166-86 – 252
Bob Pinkleton 167-86 – 253
Jason Bedford 166-88 – 254
Shane Jimison 167-90 – 257
KC Jeffries 167-92 – 259
Fourth Flight
Adam Ruff 168-71 – 239
Ron Corners 170-81 – 251
Doug Steele 169-82 – 251
Heath Harkins 174-79 – 253
Duane Waters 168-85 –253
Kevin Beasley 169-87 – 256
Jayson Balk 170-87 – 257
Steve Easterling 172-87 – 259
Shawn Register 168-92 – 260
Daryl Rhoda 174-86 – 260
Thomas Crosier 172-89 – 261
Pat Storms 177-87 – 264
Joe Herriman 177-99 – 276
Rhett Chenevert 178-99 – 277
Mark Kelly 171-107 – 278
Fifth Flight
Sean Barrows 182-73 – 255
Pat Shinall 182-87 – 269
Roger Kelly 181-88 – 269
Dale Tyler 184-87 – 271
Calvin Dickerson 179-93 – 272
Jim Young 189-83 – 272
Dean Mathis 189-87 – 276
Bill Corbin 191-86 – 277
Mike Storms 188-91 – 279
Farzad Siahmakoun 189-91 – 280
Russell Atchley 185=97 – 282
Walter Beadle 189-93 – 282
Odell Taylor 189-97 – 286
Russell Smith 189-99 – 288
Tim Chapman 200-96 – 296
Mike Taylor 208-94 – 302
David Silvas 215-105 – 320
Sr. Championship Flight
Gary Compton 140-79 – 219
Stan Stockton 146-76 – 222
Danny McCrackin 151-73 – 224
Bill Bailey 150-78 – 228
Jerry Triska 152-79 – 231
Warren Center 154-80 – 234
Dave Lienemann 156-78 – 234
John Riley 157-MC
Jarrell Williams 158-MC
Johnny Lea 159-MC
Sr. First Flight
Stan Wilson 161-76 – 237
Don Neal 161-78 – 239
John Gladden 163-80 – 243
Wade Carter 162-82 – 244
Greg Lee 168-78 – 246
Steve Munch 169-80 – 249
Joe Moore 172-79 – 251
Hickory Morton 174-87 – 261
Tom Crosier 196-97 – 293
Bill Zemke 193-105 – 298
Gene Anderson 176-MC
Harry Green 211-MC
Neal followed up a tournament-low round of 66 on Saturday with a 71 on Sunday to win the tournament at 6-under, 210. Dixon fired a 72 on Sunday to finish at 2-under.
Ironically, the duo has been competing against each other since their high school days, over 20 years ago, when Neal golfed for Farmington and Dixon for Shiloh Christian. They have remained friends through the years and are extremely familiar with the other's links game.
"I've played with Alex for years," said Dixon, who won the tournament back in 2013. "Great golfer, good dude, good friend. If he's playing that well, it's hard to catch him.
"But it's fun to watch him and we had a good time."
Saturday's 66 was the lowest round Neal has shot in tournament play. His round included hitting 16 of the 18 greens, but he credits a missed three-foot putt with four holes to play that got him focused for a strong finish. He was 5-under on the final four holes with three birdies and an eagle.
"I missed that short putt, and I don't know if it made me mad or what, but it was like I just focused in and finished strong," he said. "I was hitting it about as well as I had all day, but my putter kind of got hot and I started making some putts there at the end."
Neal began Sunday's round with a short putt for par on the first hole, followed by a birdie on the second hole. After a bogey on the 13th hole, he bounced right back with a birdie on 14.
"I kind of knew where everybody I was playing with was, score-wise, but I wasn't sure about the others," Neal said. "So I was just trying to keep it going and cruise in there at the end. I was able to string together some pars toward the end and hold everybody off."
Drew Stewart and Jacob Bartel each finished five strokes off the lead at 215.
Neal, who had won some ASGA events about a decade ago, said this was the best he has played in the past four or five years. He has participated in the past four Chick-A-Tees with little success.
"It feels great to come out here, play well and be able to make some shots," he said. "When I've played this tournament before, I just hadn't been able to really get anything going. So this is great.
"It was like a light came on Saturday and I just started hitting it really good, making some putts. And I came out (Sunday) and was able to kind of keep everything going and it worked out.
Dixon, who has won the club championship at the Springdale course five out of the past six years, gave Neal a push down the stretch, but was unable to make up ground on the final holes.
"I think I played OK, ball-striking-wise, but we got a new nine, so we are all still figuring it out," Dixon said. "This final round was just a chase. And Alex was playing too well to catch this time."
The course does feature a redesigned front-nine holes, which re-opened two weeks ago. The changes include hole and green placements, with tiered greens, added bunkers and narrower fairways.
Overall, the recent changes were well received by the golfers.
"They gave us compliments all weekend long, about the golf course, the food, and just the way everything went," said Roy Hobbs, club pro and general manager. "We were very fortunate to have some beautiful weather and the golfers got out and took advantage of it."
The winners of each flight received $400 in prize money, with second place receiving $300, third getting $200, and fourth, $100.
The Collins Cup Trophy was presented to Neal by club member Rick Collins, the son of the tournament's namesake Dwight Collins. The Chick-A-Tee was renamed in honor of Collins, a long-time club member and former pro, who passed away in 1993. It was fitting that his son presented the trophy on Father's Day.
"This is a great honor for my father and for our family," Rick Collins said. "This was our second home when I was growing up, so to be able to come out and still be a part of this tournament is quite an honor for me, as well."
Sports on 06/17/2019