Former high school teammates ace 16th back-to-back in OGA Senior Amateur qualifying

Two-time champion Mike Hughett of Owasso (2011, 2012) shot even-par 72 on a rain-drenched Hillcrest Country Club in Bartlesville Monday to lead qualifying in the Oklahoma Golf Association Senior State Amateur Championship.

A 32-player match play bracket began today. Defending champion John Stansbury will be the No. 1 seed, followed by Hughett as the No. 2 seed. The championship match will be held Thursday morning.

The most remarkable aspect of Monday’s round was the consecutive aces registered by Terry Collier and Russell Lowry, high school teammates for Ada in 1976.

Both players had holes-in-one on the par-3 16th hole, playing 139 yards Monday. 

Lowry used a wedge that landed some eight feet past and to the right of the hole and spun back in for his 13th career ace.

He was standing on the 15th green when Collier made his ace, while Collier was on the 17th tee when Lowry’s shot went in.

"I yelled, ‘I got you covered,’ " Lowry said. "It was just one of those moments that happen in golf. The odds of two guys that played together all those years ago making a hole-in-one back to back are astronomical."

Lowry, 54, was a freshman when Collier helped lead Ada to the Class 3A state championship in 1976. 

"We go all the way back," Lowry said. "His father used to work at our bank and we’re old family friends. That’s what made it so neat."

Lowry was involved in another unique golf situation earlier this year when two of his playing partners made consecutive eagles, first on the par-5 eighth hole at Oak Hills Country Club in Ada and then by making aces on the par-3 ninth hole.

 
Oklahoma Golf Association
Senior State Amateur Championship
June 15-18, 2015
Hillcrest Country Club
Qualifying Results

John Stansbury, Edmond, Oklahoma (Defending Champion)
Michael Hughett, Owasso, Okla. – 38-34–72
Jon Valuck, Oklahoma City, Okla. – 36-38–74
Kirk Wright, Oklahoma City, Okla. – 36-39–75
Terry Collier, Bixby, Okla. – 39-36–75
Michael Koljack, Broken Arrow, Okla. – 40-36–76
Brent Taylor, Bartlesville, Okla. – 37-39–76
Jim Curd Jr, Bartlesville, Oklahoma – 40-37–77
Russell Lowry, Ada, Okla. – 41-36–77
James Reid, Edmond, Okla. – 40-38–78
Nicholas Sidorakis, Tulsa, Okla. – 41-37–78
Kermit Frank, Edmond, Okla. – 38-40–78
Devon Sauzek, Edmond, Oklahoma – 39-39–78
Don Quint Jr, Tulsa, Okla. – 39-40–79
Ed Heffern, Bixby, Okla. – 38-41–79
John Donaldson, Enid, Okla. – 40-40–80
Doug Perry, Oklahoma City, Okla. – 39-41–80
Gary Bonner, Norman, Okla. – 39-42–81
Ken Kee, Tulsa, Okla. – 41-41–82
Ricky Cavener, Owasso, Oklahoma – 42-40–82
Bradley Kropp, Edmond, Okla. – 40-42–82
Ron Kise, Tulsa, Okla. – 37-45–82
Tom Nielsen, Edmond, Okla. – 41-41–82
Mark Robinson, Broken Arrow, Okla. – 43-40–83
Paul Dickson, Del City, Okla. – 41-42–83
Mike Martin, Collinsville, Okla. – 40-43–83
John Reese, Norman, Okla. – 41-42–83
Shawn Barker, Bartlesville, Okla. – 43-41–84
Paul Thomas, Enid, Okla. – 40-45–85
Dan Griffin, Skiatook, Okla. – 43-45–88
Patrick Trowbridge, Tulsa, Oklahoma – 42-46–88
James Bailey, Tulsa, Okla. – NS-NS–NS