Boyd takes step toward major goal with victory at TCC

By Ken MacLeod

TULSA – In a successful golf career that included a stint on the PGA Tour, Michael Boyd has never played in a professional major championship. Experiencing golf at that level remains a career goal, and Boyd took a significant step toward that achievement Tuesday at Tulsa Country Club.

The two-time defending PGA South Central Section Player of the Year shot a 3-under 67 at Tulsa Country Club to finish off his second victory in the South Central PGA Professional Championship. His 54-hole total of 5-under 205 was seven shots better than second place, which went to Mark Fuller of The Club at Surrey Hills.

Boyd and Fuller, along with three golfers who tied for third at 4-over in Mike Hansen of Duncan, host professional Jeff Combe of Tulsa Country Club, and Tim Fleming of Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club, qualify for the national PGA Professional Championship to be contested June 18-21 at Sun River Resort in Oregon. The top 20 finishers in that event will play in the 2016 PGA Championship.

Boyd played in the national event this year and was in contention through two rounds, but faded in the third and fourth rounds. He plans on using that experience to his benefit when he returns.

“I’ll be more experienced and a lot more calm next time,” Boyd said. “I always try to learn and grow from each tournament. Next year I’ll be better prepared and hopefully can go up there and qualify.”

Boyd, an experienced instructor who runs Michael Boyd Golf based at The Club at Indian Springs, was just one shot ahead of Combe, the former Oral Roberts University All-American who has played sparingly in competitive events due to back issues, after Combe birdied the seventh hole. But Boyd made birdie on eight and the lead ballooned when Combe struggled around the turn.

Boyd made an improbable birdie on the short dogleg right 13th hole after driving it into deep rough, but then hitting a low hard hook into a bank that popped up perfectly and stopped 15 feet from the hole. He also birdied 18 to cap off his 67. Fuller closed with a 68. The only other pro to break par in the final round was Brent Wilcoxen of South Lakes, who shot 69 and is one of four alternates.

Boyd played TCC frequently during his collegiate career at the University of Tulsa and remembers it as a hard course that began to get a bit easier due to technology and softer greens just prior to the Rees Jones renovation that has restored it to championship level.

“Back in the mid 90s, I qualified for the U.S. Amateur there by shooting 5 over, that’s how tough it was,” Boyd said. “It’s back now. It’s a really good championship golf course and I hope they land a lot of events that are worthy of the course. You’ve got to drive it well, have a good short game and have tons of patience.”

PGA South Central Professional Championship
at Tulsa Country Club

Qualifier
1 – Michael Boyd, Club at Indian Springs     70 – 68 – 67 — 205
2 – Mark Fuller, Surrey Hills                         70 – 74 – 68 — 212
T3 – Mike Hansen, Duncan G&T Club         72 – 71 – 71 — 214
T3 – Tim Fleming, Oklahoma City G&CC    74 – 67 – 73 — 214
T3 – Jeff Combe, Tulsa CC –                          70 – 70 – 74 — 214

ALTERNATES – IN ORDER (4)
6 – Kevin Moberg, Nike Golf                    72 – 71 – 72 — 215
T7 – Shannon Friday, Graves Golf            71 – 72 – 73 — 216
T7 – Cameron Alford, Alotian Club         70 – 71 – 75 — 216
T7 – Brent Wilcoxen, South Lakes           73 – 74 – 69 — 216

DID NOT QUALIFY
T10 – Trent Rommann, Crestview CC                 73 – 71 – 73 — 217
T10 – Greg Bray, Terradyne CC                           73 – 71 – 73 — 217
T10 – Jim Young, River Oaks GC                           73 – 69 – 75 — 217
13 – Tim Graves, Coffee Creek GC –                   77 – 71 – 70 — 218
T14 – Brian Soerensen, Kickingbird GC             76 – 71 – 73 — 220
T14 – Cary Cozby, Southern Hills CC                 77 – 68 – 75 — 220
T16 – Derek Franco, Twin Hills Golf & CC        79 – 70 – 72 — 221
T16 – Malachi Murphy, Winter Creek GC              77 – 71 – 73 — 221
T16 – Dustin Semsch, Fairfax                              71 – 76 – 74 — 221
T19 – Kyley Tetley, Cedar Ridge CC                   75 – 74 – 74 — 223
T19 – Kyle Flinton, Quail Creek G & CC            72 – 74 – 77 — 223
21 – Jeremy Dear, LaFortune Park GC                 72 – 80 – 72 — 224
T22 – Doug Atherly, Willowbend GC                  78 – 75 – 72 — 225
T22 – Justin Sellin, Blessings GC                        79 – 71 – 75 — 225
T22 – Lee Johnson, Hidden Lakes                       74 – 75 – 76 — 225
T25 – Edward Roethlisberger, Ponca City            74 – 78 – 74 — 226
T25 – Bruce Baxley, Searcy CC                           75 – 76 – 75 — 226
27 – Pat McTigue, GolfTEC – Tulsa                     73 – 75 – 80 — 228
T28 – Kirt Mowery, Golf Club of Oklahoma       76 – 79 – 74 — 229
T28 – Kyle Emerson, Oklahoma City G&CC      76 – 73 – 80 — 229
T28 – Steve Blaske, Tex Consolver GC               76 – 74 – 79 — 229
31 – Jarod Lundy, Winter Creek GC                    81 – 75 – 74 — 230
T32 – Derrick Vest, Patriot GC                            75 – 77 – 81 — 233
T32 – Brent Mistler, The Greens CC                   77 – 74 – 82 — 233
T32 – Art Romero, Texarkana CC                        83 – 75 – 75 — 233
35 – Darren Watts, Lake Hefner GC                    81 – 75 – 78 — 234
36 – Ryan Rody, Gaillardia CC                            81 – 75 – 79 — 235
37 – Philip Holley, Hot Springs CC                     76 – 76 – 84 — 236
38 – Jim Elliott, Willowbend GC                         78 – 81 – 78 — 237
T39 – Jeff Klappenbach, Kickingbird GC            83 – 75 – 80 — 238
T39 – Mark Trudeau, Oak Tree National              80 – 79 – 79 — 238
41 – Colin O’Bryan, MacDonald Park GC            83 – 76 – 80 — 239
T42 – Trey Stelling, Quail Creek G & CC            78 – 85 – 78 — 241
T42 – Vince Bizik                                                  81 – 82 – 78 — 241
44 – Aaron Speaker, Hillcrest                                78 – 89 – 75 — 242
T45 – Ben Causgrove, Oklahoma City G&CC     82 – 78 – 83 — 243
T45 – Brad Fulton, Oklahoma City G&CC          78 – 83 – 82 — 243
T47 – Daniel Byrd, Southern Hills CC                 77 – 79 – 89 — 245
T47 – Barry Howard, Hot Springs CC                  83 – 76 – 86 — 245
T47 – Jeff Tucker, Surrey Hills                             81 – 81 – 83 — 245
T47 – Brent Cryer, The Greens CC                      78 – 86 – 81 — 245
T47 – Garrett Diel, Belmar GC                            84 – 88 – 73 — 245
52 – Paul Eiserman, Pinnacle CC                         81 – 80 – 86 — 247
53 – Devin Davenportt, Oak Tree National          76 – 84 – 88 — 248
54 – Garrett Kent, GC at Mystic Creek                86 – 87 – 83 — 256
55 – Jeremey Brewer, Gaillardia CC                    91 – 83 – 86 — 260

DID NOT FINISH
WD – Steve Ramsey