Hale takes second in Muskogee APT event, Burly Boys reunited
Former University of Oklahoma All-American Blaine Hale played the final 36 holes in 10-under par, roaring back from the pack to finish 1 shot behind the winner, Sam Fidone of Lukin, Texas, in the Bravado Wireless Real Okie Championship on the All Pro Tour Friday at Muskogee Golf Club.
It was the best finish in seven events on the tour for Hale, who lives in Dallas and plays out of the Dallas Athletic Club. He tied for second with Grady Brame and Greg Eason. Hale shot a 4-under 66 in the morning round in the rain-plagued tournament, then fired a 6-under 64 in the afternoon with six birdies and no bogeys.
It was a reunion of sorts for Hale, as his former teammate Brad Dalke played and tied for 13th at 13-under after a final round of 3-under 67. Dalke and Hale were known as the Burly Boys at OU for their imposing physiques and were members of Oklahoma’s national championship team in 2017.
Dalke had moved to Scottsdale, Ariz., this spring and was working with instructor George Gankas, based in California and long-time instructor to Matthew Wolff. He missed Oklahoma and moved back two months ago and now lives in Edmond and plays with dozens of other top pros and amateurs at Oak Tree National. He is working with swing instructor Ryan Rody at Southern Hills Country Club.
“Really my swing has been off for about six years,” Dalke said. “I’ve been coming in too steep and not hitting it at all like I did in my junior days. I’ve only been up to see Ryan a couple of times but I think it already feels better and I’m really hoping for better days ahead.”
Hale and Dalke, like the rest of the players on the APT, are pretty much in mini-tour limbo as the fall approaches due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There won’t be opportunities to play their way onto the Korn Ferry Tour for 2020-21 except for Monday qualifiers. But they are making the most of it.
“You’ve just got to play in whatever you can,” Hale said. “The APT is going to have events for us this fall and there are other tournaments. Just got to try to keep getting better.”
Brendon Jelley of Tulsa, who won an APT event last month, shot a 5-under 65 in the final round to move into a tie for eighth at 14-under. Also tied for eighth was his former OSU teammate Zach Bauchou.
Cody Burrows of Chickasha and Oral Roberts finished at 12-under and tied for 16th. Former OSU golfers Hayden Wood of Edmond and Sam Stevens of Fort Worth tied for 21st at 10-under. Mesa Falleur, 16-year-old junior player from Muskogee who earned a spot during a qualifier, shot a final-round 70 and placed 50th at 3-under.
Brad Dalke
APT – Bravado Wireless Real Okie Championship Results
Dates: Aug 11 – Aug 14
Muskogee Country Club
1 Sam Fidone Lufkin, TX 68-63-69-62--262 -18 $25,000.00 T2 Blaine Hale Dallas, TX 66-67-66-64--263 -17 $7,333.33 T2 Grady Brame, Jr Hammond, LA 62-69-65-67--263 -17 $7,333.33 T2 Greg Eason Kissimmee, FL 65-65-69-64--263 -17 $7,333.33 T5 Charlie Holland Dallas, TX 66-66-68-64--264 -16 $3,715.00 T5 Kyle Pritchard Castroville, TX 65-66-68-65--264 -16 $3,715.00 7 Ben Geyer Arbuckle, CA 66-65-69-65--265 -15 $3,440.00 T8 Brendon Jelley Tulsa, OK 66-69-66-65--266 -14 $3,115.00 T8 Wesley Hunter Mobile, AL 69-66-67-64--266 -14 $3,115.00 T8 Sean Romero Texarkana, AR 66-68-67-65--266 -14 $3,115.00 T8 Zach Bauchou Forest, VA 68-68-66-64--266 -14 $3,115.00 T8 Austin Bautista Clearwater, FL 63-68-68-67--266 -14 $3,115.00 T13 Brad Dalke Edmond, OK 66-68-66-67--267 -13 $2,715.00 T13 Curtis Reed Castroville, TX 68-65-69-65--267 -13 $2,715.00 T13 Jake Hendrix Austin, TX 68-64-67-68--267 -13 $2,715.00 T16 Ryan Baca Sugar Land, TX 66-68-69-65--268 -12 $2,365.00 T16 Brian Rowell Broussard, LA 66-69-65-68--268 -12 $2,365.00 T16 Cody Burrows Chickasha, OK 69-67-65-67--268 -12 $2,365.00 T16 Sebastian Saavedra Buenos Aires 66-66-67-69--268 -12 $2,365.00 20 Cory Churchman Fort Worth, TX 67-68-67-67--269 -11 $2,140.00 T21 Zack Fischer Texarkana, TX 67-68-68-67--270 -10 $1,915.00 T21 Angelo Leyvani San Antonio, TX 66-69-70-65--270 -10 $1,915.00 T21 Sam Stevens Fort Worth, TX 66-70-68-66--270 -10 $1,915.00 T21 Hayden Wood Edmond, OK 68-65-68-69--270 -10 $1,915.00 T21 Tanner Napier Paris, TX 65-71-64-70--270 -10 $1,915.00 T26 Tom Gempel Parker, CO 69-65-68-69--271 -9 $1,540.00 T26 Zach Partin Lewisville, TX 65-69-66-71--271 -9 $1,540.00 T26 Jeremy Gandon Fort Worth, TX 63-70-69-69--271 -9 $1,540.00 T26 Zachary Olsen Memphis, TN 65-68-70-68--271 -9 $1,540.00 T26 Cory Whitsett Birmingham, AL 67-65-70-69--271 -9 $1,540.00 T31 Chandler Phillips Huntsville, TX 64-71-69-68--272 -8 $1,202.50 T31 Miguel Delgado Palm Beach Gardens, FL 71-64-69-68--272 -8 $1,202.50 T31 Hayden Foster Pottsboro, TX 69-66-67-70--272 -8 $1,202.50 T31 Bobby Hudson Dallas, TX 70-66-68-68--272 -8 $1,202.50 T35 Mark Walker Hurst, TX 68-67-66-72--273 -7 $990.00 T35 Jared Bettcher Auburn, AL 67-69-67-70--273 -7 $990.00 T37 Nick Arman Ellisville, MO 66-68-67-73--274 -6 $791.67 T37 Logan McCracken Oklahoma City, OK 67-67-68-72--274 -6 $791.67 T37 Gordon Neale Dove Canyon, CA 69-67-71-67--274 -6 $791.67 T37 Austin Smith Russellville, AR 68-65-69-72--274 -6 $791.67 T37 Cameron Peck College Station, TX 68-69-68-69--274 -6 $791.67 T37 Jon Trasamar Blue Earth, MN 68-69-69-68--274 -6 $791.67 T43 Brandon Pierce Covington, LA 66-68-71-70--275 -5 $622.50 T43 Sam Gillis San Jacinto, CA 67-69-72-67--275 -5 $622.50 T43 Brax McCarthy Fort Worth, TX 70-66-70-69--275 -5 $622.50 T43 Tyler Gann Rockwall, TX 70-66-70-69--275 -5 $622.50 T47 Franklin Corpening Fort Worth, TX 68-67-70-71--276 -4 $541.67 T47 Blake Pugh Southlake, TX 65-68-69-74--276 -4 $541.67 T47 Bennett Baker Tallahassee, FL 67-69-69-71--276 -4 $541.67 50 Mesa Falleur (a) Sallisaw, OK 69-68-70-70--277 -3 51 Andrew Wyatt Tulsa, OK 71-66-70-73--280 E $515.00 52 Chris Minton Houston, TX 70-67-76-68--281 +1 $510.00 53 Preston Stanley Katy, TX 70-66-73-73--282 +2 $505.00 54 Tate Fleming Pasadena, TX 73-64-70-78--285 +5 $500.00