Golf: Collegiate/Am is an Andrews gem

ANDREWS Chris Bell hit 200 balls on the eve of the 25th Annual Andrews Collegiate/Am Golf Tournament and the Odessa College sophomore said he couldn’t recall one good shot.

“It was just like, ‘Oh no, what am I going to do?’ ” Bell said. “I was changing putters. I was changing drivers, changing the shafts on my drivers and I just came out here and just again enjoyed myself and it worked.”

Bell, who switched from a 37.5-inch putter to a 34-inch putter, finished with a 6-under-par 65 Saturday on the first day of the collegiate/am at Andrews County Golf Course. Bell had the low round of the day for the Wranglers, who are in first place going into today’s final round, and he gave credit to playing with four amateurs.

“It slowed me down a lot, obviously it was a long round playing with five players,” said Bell, a native of Glasgow, Scotland. “The first few holes I was being my usual self, wanting to go fast, wanting to go fast. Coach (Paul Chavez) said, ‘No, slow it down, slow it down.’ Just enjoyed it out there, I didn’t put any pressure on myself.”

The relaxed atmosphere is one of the benefits in the one-of-a-kind event, but it is far from the only one. The tournament features some of the best junior college teams in the country and doubles as a scholarship fundraiser.

The tournament provides each senior member of the Andrews High School boys and girls golf team with a $1,000 college scholarship. Each of the six participating programs — OC, Midland College, New Mexico Military Institute, New Mexico Junior College, McLennan Community College and Western Texas College — also receives $1,000 for it scholarship fund.

Tuition and fees at OC cost $1,890 during the 2010-11 academic year for students who are deemed to be “in district” residents. In other words, the money from the tournament could cover the cost of tuition and fees for one semester for a Permian High School graduate.

“That’s definitely significant,” Chavez said. “With budgets being reduced and being cut, we’re very appreciative of any donations we receive.”

The collegiate/am also donates $2,000 annually to the Andrews Downtown Lions Club. Thanks to the event’s sponsors, tournament committee member Lynn Sommers estimated about $110,000 has been donated to charities and scholarships during the life of the tournament.

One of those scholarship beneficiaries was on hand. Dylan Dockery golfed at Andrews High School and received a scholarship from the tournament when he graduated in 2007. That fall he played in the collegiate/am as a member of the Midland College golf team and he is participating as an amateur for a third time this year.

“I enjoy it because I get to give back what I got to somebody else,” Dockery said.

Another draw for the 144 amateurs is the opportunity to play alongside very talented college golfers, according to Dockery. A member of the field has gone on to win the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I national title six times since 2004. The competition also makes it appealing for the college programs.

“Any time you have a chance to play against that type of competition you’re gonna definitely benefit as a team because those are the same teams we’re going to be playing against for national qualifying,” Chavez said.

It’s not all about golf, though. The event affords amateurs the chance to socialize with the college golfers.

“We’re constantly talking, congratulating, helping read putts,” said Danny Mack, a four-time amateur champion with partner Ladell Stinnett. “That’s part of the reason we keep playing because it’s a fun tournament. I’ve never played with a college kid that wasn’t just real respectful and really just a good, good kid.”

While waiting to tee off on hole No. 18, Bell talked with the four amateurs in his party about golf in his homeland. He informed them that most courses in Scotland don’t have golf carts or caddies. To which Sommers asked: Who carries the beer?

Everyone had a good laugh and then Bell proceeded to birdie his final hole.

>> Follow Ryan Nilsson on Twitter at @RyanNilssonOA

Saturday, Andrews County Golf Course

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Team Totals

1. Odessa College 266; 2. McLennan Community College 271; 3. New Mexico Junior College 275; 4. Western Texas College 276; 5. Midland College 277; 6. New Mexico Military Institute 307.

Top 10 Medalists

1. Chase Chapman, McLennan Community College, 62; 2. Chris Bell, Odessa College, 65; 3t. Richard Farmer, Midland College, 67; 3t. Jamie Warman, Odessa College, 67; 3t. Willy Hogan, New Mexico Junior College, 67; 3t. Antonio Morales, Odessa College, 67; 3t. Mathias Boesmans, Western Texas College, 67; 3t. Blayne Street, Odessa College, 67; 9t. Julian Ililbertz, Western Texas College, 68; 9t. Jonathan Jones, New Mexico Junior College, 68.

Individual Results

Odessa College (266): Chris Bell 65; Jamie Warman 67; Antonio Morales 67; Blayne Street 67; True Graves 70; Logan Philley 75.

McLennan Community College (271): Chase Chapman 62; Greyden Blevins 69; J.T. Taylor 70; Andrew Johnson 70; Matt Lorence 71; Chapman Herwood 76.

New Mexico Junior College (275): Willy Hogan 67; Jonathan Jones 68; Camren Bergman 70; Marc Smith 70; Jacob Jameson 72; Richard James 74.

Western Texas College (276): Mathias Boesmans 67; Julian Hilbertz 68; Kyle Lucas 70; Matthew Whittaker 71; Guillermo Saldana 71; Felix Moesmang 71.

Midland College (277): Richard Farmer 67; Luke Richardson 70; Tyson Turnbow 70; Stephen Gage 70; Sean Lawrie 74; Blake Brorman 77.

New Mexico Military Institute (307): Brandon Jennings 72; Ryan Williamson 75; Truman Haeny 80; Grey Passmore 80.