Big night arrives for three inductees

Chris Jenkins and Brent Winston got a jump on Arkansas State Golf Association Hall of Fame activities over the weekend as teammates in the Randy Beaver Cup.

The event featuring the state’s top amateurs playing a team of Arkansas PGA professionals was won by the amateurs, including Jenkins and Winston. The duo will be inducted tonight along with Dawn Darter at Chenal Country Club in Little Rock.

In past years, Jenkins had pairings responsibilities at the Beaver Cup. Last weekend, that was left to captains Stan Lee and David Shirey, who put Jenkins and Winston together in Saturday’s opening four-ball matches. The pair came through with a 3-and-2 victory and went

a combined 3-0-2 as the amateurs reclaimed the championship 19½-12½.

“It was a fun time playing with Brent,” Jenkins said. “We got to talk about the hall of fame and just enjoyed the experience and won a match for the team in the process.”

Jenkins, who will turn 49 in December, is the youngest of four golfing brothers along with Rick, Bruce and Tim. They were introduced to the game by their father Dick Jenkins. Chris Jenkins said his father and Bruce, an all-conference player at the University of Arkansas who drowned in the early 1980s, will be on his mind tonight.

“It’s one of those real special nights when you reflect a little bit more,” Jenkins said. “I’m sure there will be some emotion there. I was 11 when Bruce passed away. My golf hadn’t started yet, but his had. He will probably get in at some point, and that will be a real difficult time on the emotions.”

A two-time all conference selection at Arkansas State University, Chris Jenkins didn’t have professional golf aspirations, instead getting into the insurance business. His record 10 Fourth of July Classic victories are part of his more than 40 designated tournament championships. He also won the State Amateur and State Match Play

titles in 1999.

Winston, a Sheridan native, played at Arkansas and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where he was a two-time All-Sun Belt Conference selection. He won ASGA Match Play titles in 1994 and 1995, and the 1995 State Amateur to win the player of the year championship. Winston, 46, turned professional in 1995, qualifying for the PGA Tour’s St. Jude Classic in 1998 and 2000, but he was relegated to mini-tours for about 15 years before recently regaining his amateur status.

“Chris is a very good friend, and it is such a treat for both of us to be going in together,” said Winston, who also said his speech will be emotional after the death of his father in June. “I am very excited, but very nervous about speaking in front of everyone. It will definitely be a trying time standing up there.”

Darter, 59, is the head professional at The Greens at North Hills (formerly North Hills Country Club) in Sherwood. She played collegiately at the University of Oklahoma and qualified for

three U.S. Women’s Opens.

“I feel entering the hall of fame has allowed my career to come full circle,” Darter said. “I will have people at the banquet from former assistant pros through the years to people I have taught to kids of theirs I have taught.”

One of those students is Blytheville Country Club professional Bo Smith, who was 12 when she taught him. Smith, who has been at Blytheville for 18 years, later caddied for Darter in her third U.S. Open attempt.

“It’s been fun watching these kids grow up,” said Darter, who had stops in Jacksonville, Blytheville and Las Vegas before returning to North Hills in 2010. “They’ve used golf as a successful launch to their career endeavors.”

Along with Cary Maddox and Mike Smith, Darter started the PGA Central Region Tour and PGA Junior League, earning countless junior golf and merchandising awards.

Other honorees tonight include the ASGA Players of the Year: Miles Smith, amateur men; Julie Oxendine, amateur women; Mackenzie Lee, junior girls; Connor Gaunt, junior boys; Trey Schaap, mid-senior men; Tracy Harris, senior men; Pat Elliott, senior women; Bill Wrentz, super-senior men; Charlie Angel, masters men; Rhonda Haynes, masters women.

The PGA Professional and PGA Player of the Year also will be announced.