Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Tournament winner
Neal claims Chick-A-Tee championship at Springdale Country Club.
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.
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 for- mer 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.”
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.