The El Rancho Chico Golf Club held its annual Player-of-the-Year Tournament on January 7, 2024, at Bidwell, celebrating the accomplishments of its top golfers. Travis Shute emerged as the Player of the Year in the white tee men’s division, while Ben Heerema claimed the title in the yellow tee senior division. Both players distinguished themselves by accumulating the highest points throughout the year in monthly tournaments.
The tournament featured the top twenty point leaders from both divisions, plus ties. To encourage participation, the club offered additional payouts for gross and net skins as well as closest-to-the-pin contests. In the white tee division, Shute topped the leaderboard with 2,900 points, edging out Miles Tegarden by just 25 points. The competition was fierce, with only 750 points separating the top ten players, highlighting a year of intense rivalry.
In addition to Shute and Tegarden, the top finishers in the white tee division included Shawn Anderson, Adam Almand, and Steve Vance, among others. In contrast, the yellow tee senior division saw Heerema dominate, finishing a significant 1,025 points ahead of second-place Jeff Nedved. The remaining top positions were filled by players such as Pat Goodwin and Ed Anderson.
The tournament also featured standout performances in both gross and net categories. Rio Gates recorded the overall low gross score in the white tee flight with a round of 77. Teagarden achieved the overall low net score of 69, narrowly missing the Player of the Year title. Other notable net category finishers included Evaro with a score of 70 and Shawn Anderson with 74.
In the yellow tee flight, Nedved secured the overall low gross with a score of 71, while Lane Bates led the net category at 67. The competition in both divisions was marked by close finishes and competitive spirit.
The event also included various skins contests, with notable winners in the white tee flight including Evaro and Adam Almand. In the yellow tee division, Heerema and Bates shared the spoils. The closest to the pin contests featured impressive shots, with players like Nedved and Kimmelshue demonstrating their skills.
In addition to the Player of the Year tournament, the Bidwell Women’s Golf Club hosted a “TOE” game for its weekly tournament. Participants counted scores on holes beginning with the letters T, O, and E for their nine-hole game. Kelly MacKinnon recorded the low gross score of 87, while standout performances in the game category included Becky Callas and Betty Linzy.
The Chico-Paradise SIR’s Golf Club also held a 4-Man Scramble Tournament at Bidwell, attracting 52 players. The top team of Greg (Henry) Brown, Jeff Day, AJ Haggard, and Don Krysakowski finished with a score of 62.6. Closest to the pin contests added excitement, showcasing talented players across various holes.
As winter weather affected some tournaments, the camaraderie and competitive spirit remained strong among local golfers. The El Rancho Chico Golf Club’s events continue to foster a vibrant golf community, with players eagerly anticipating the challenges and camaraderie of the upcoming season.
