11th Annual United States Golf Teachers Cup
Played in Boulder City, Nevada

DOURIS WINS 11TH UNITED STATES GOLF TEACHERS CUP

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Aussie Prevails in 4-hole Playoff to Become Second International Champion… Largest Field and Purse in US Cup History

	James Douris 2006 United States Golf Teachers Cup Champion
	(From left to right) Bob Wyatt, James Douris, Geoff Bryant, Robert Kleabir and Mark Harman
	Christopher Richards 2006 United States Golf Teachers Cup Runner-Up

BOULDER CITY, NEVADA - Making perhaps the greatest shot in United States Golf Teachers Cup history, USGTF member James Douris from Australia defeated Trinidad & Tobago's Christopher Richards on the fourth playoff hole to win the 2006 championship, held November 2-3 at Boulder Creek Golf Club. Douris becomes the second international champion, following the 2004 title of Canada's Dave Belling.

Both Douris and Richards finished the 36-hole regulation play in three-under-par 141, which took them into a three-hole cumulative-score playoff. Douris looked to make quick work of Richards when he made birdie to Richards' bogey on the first playoff hole, a par-4. Richards, however, returned the favor on the par-5 second, making birdie to Douris' bogey to forge a tie. The third playoff hole produced some of the highest drama the championship has ever seen.

Richards' approach shot on the 375-yard par-4 missed the green just to the right. Douris then blasted his second-shot wedge from 100 yards over the green, down a slope and into the desert area, leaving him 90 feet from the pin. After taking his time to survey the shot, Douris elected to bump-and-run his ball into the slope, where it bounced several times up the hill, onto the green, and stopped five feet from the hole - a remarkable shot that fellow USGTF professionals in the gallery greeted with enthusiastic applause.

Unfazed, Richards then chipped to within inches, tapping in for a par. Douris then needed to make his five-footer to extend the playoff into sudden death. With a make-or-go-home scenario hanging over his head, the outwardly calm Douris rolled the ball right into the middle of the hole.

"I surveyed the slope and it was fairly firm, so that's why I decided to chip the ball into the hill," said Douris of his decision not to pitch the ball high onto the green.

The fourth hole, a 217-yard par-3, turned out to be decisive. Both players missed the green with their tee shots. Douris hit a pitch shot to two feet while Richards left his recovery shot 10 feet away. Richards missed his par putt, tapped in for bogey, and walked to the side of the green, removing his cap for the inevitable. Douris then rolled in his two-footer for the victory, taking the championship and the first-place prize of $3,500.

Playing in the Senior division in 2006, two-time defending Super Senior champion Jerry Moore of Raritan, New Jersey, continued his winning ways in defeating the "youngsters" with a two-round total of 147, earning $2,800. Perennial contender Joe Bernat of Surfside Beach, South Carolina, finally broke through to win his first Super Senior title with a score of 145, taking home $2,500. Jill Finlan Scally returned after a year's absence to win her second Women's title with a score of 156, earning $1,200.

A full field of 140 teaching professionals from around the USA and from several foreign nations convened for the $25,000 championship on day one at the Boulder Creek Golf Club, just outside of Las Vegas. Partly cloudy skies and temperatures that would reach into the 70's greeted the largest field in US Cup history. Richards, playing the finest golf in his US Cup career, paced the field with a 2-under 70 on the 7,072-yard Open division layout. Douris followed with a 71, as did Belling and Bernat. William Zachary of South Daytona, Florida, another perennial Super Senior contender, also was in at 71. Another shot back at 72 was five-time and defending champion Mark Harman of Guyton, Georgia, along with Moore and the youngest competitor in the field, 20-year-old Adam Sperry from Appomattox, Virginia. Defending Senior division champion Ron Platz from Greeley, Colorado, was another shot back at 73, as was fellow Senior Jeff Bates from High Bridge, New Jersey. With the strength at the top of the leaderboard, it would be hard for anyone else to come back and capture the title.

The final group on day two consisted of Richards, Douris, Belling, and Zachary. In the words of Belling, "The front nine was a birdie-fest. The game was on from the first tee shot." Belling and Richards made three birdies on the front nine, while Douris made two. At the turn, Richards was -4 for the championship, with Douris and Belling at -2. Zachary three-putted several times and fell out of contention. No one in the other groups mounted a charge.

The back nine saw steady play from the three remaining contenders, and after the 15th hole, Douris, Belling, and Richards were tied for the lead at -3. Douris looked to be fading, with a bogey six at the par-5 16th dropping him a shot behind Belling and Richards. However, Douris' tee shot at the 156-yard par-3 17th to three feet set him up for an easy birdie, while Belling made bogey to fall out of the lead. Heading into 18, Richards and Douris were tied for the lead at -3.

An unfortunate double bogey for Belling ended his tournament, while Richards and Douris made routine pars, setting up their dramatic playoff encounter.

Top finishers in the 11th annual United States Golf Teachers Cup, held November 2-3 at Boulder Creek Golf Club, Boulder City, Nevada. 7,072 yards, par 72.

x-James Douris $3,500 71-70 - 141 Open
Christopher Richards 2,000 70-71 - 141 Open
Dave Belling 1,200 71-73 - 141 Open
y-Joe Bernat 2,500 71-74 - 145 Super Senior
Mark Harman 1,000 72-73 - 145 Open
Adam Sperry 700 72-75 - 147 Open
z-Jerry Moore 2,800 72-75 - 147 Senior
David Bond 700 78-69 - 147 Open
Jeremy Dueck 450 76-72 - 148 Open
Miguel Suarez 450 77-71 - 148 Open
Michael Sidlinger 74-75 - 149 Open
Carlos DeBarros 1,800 75-74 - 149 Senior
Kirtis Tyler 75-75 - 150 Open
Ron Platz 1,100 73-78 - 151 Senior
Bill Zachary 1,300 71-81 - 152 Super Senior
William Gunderman 1,300 76-76 - 152 Super Senior
Walter Abraham 500 75-78 - 153 Super Senior
Bill Bath 75-78 - 153 Open
Tipo Toomalatai 600 76-77 - 153 Senior
Dan Meyers 600 78-75 - 153 Senior
Gary Dozier 500 78-75 - 153 Super Senior
Jin Han Park 80-73 - 153 Open
Jeff Bates 133 73-81 - 154 Senior
Ken Butler 133 78-76 - 154 Senior
Tom Stanley 133 79-75 - 154 Senior
Versie Adams 82-73 - 155 Super Senior
Dominic Cerreto 77-78 - 155 Open
Larry Mitchell 78-77 - 155 Senior
Herbert Con 80-75 - 155 Open
Mark Mathews 77-78 - 155 Open
Watt Lowther 78-78 - 156 Super Senior
a-Jill Finlan Scally 1,200 79-78 - 157 Women's
Javier Brun 77-80 - 157 Open
William Nightingale 78-79 - 157 Super Senior
Willi Fehling 80-77 - 157 Super Senior
Mike Stevens 83-75 - 158 Senior
Anthony Benny 75-83 - 158 Senior
Perry Rende 81-77 - 158 Open
Kenneth Morton 78-80 - 158 Open
Mark Shimamura 80-78 - 158 Open
Frank Atlee 82-77 - 159 Open
Martin Mills 76-83 - 159 Open
Bruce Sims 82-78 - 160 Senior
Douglas Pierce 79-81 - 160 Senior
Gene Moretti 80-80 - 160 Super Senior
Brian Powers 77-83 - 160 Open
Ricky Campbell 79-81 - 160 Open
John Havens 78-82 - 160 Super Senior
Donald Chapman 84-77 - 161 Super Senior
Louis Cannegieter 81-80 - 161 Super Senior
Eddie Pecina 82-79 - 161 Open
Mike Choate 79-83 - 162 Senior
Richard Kim 81-81 - 162 Open
Alan Vickers 78-84 - 162 Senior
Terry Askren 78-84 - 162 Senior
Feliciano Zamudio 78-84 - 162 Open
Cole Golden 81-81 - 162 Open
Florencia DeRolz 400 83-80 - 163 Women's
Bert Boyce 82-81 - 163 Super Senior
Alonzo Dyer 82-81 - 163 Super Senior
Michael Edwards 82-81 - 163 Senior
Ron Longoria 80-83 - 163 Open
Theodore Coffron 79-84 - 163 Open
Andy Rosales 85-78 - 163 Super Senior
Stuart Powell 85-78 - 163 Super Senior
Dong Hoon Yoo 84-80 - 164 Super Senior
James Mita 83-81 - 164 Senior
Donald Drane 80-84 - 164 Senior
Jeffrey Campbell 79-85 - 164 Open
Mike Priseler 87-77 - 164 Super Senior
Merle Rogers 84-82 - 166 Super Senior
Glen Stoklosa 85-81 - 166 Open
Geoff Bryant 90-76 - 166 Senior
Booth Kates 85-81 - 166 Senior
Norman Marks 85-81 - 166 Open
Preston Browning 80-86 - 166 Super Senior
Kern Doucet 83-84 - 167 Open
Rick Jones 83-84 - 167 Open
Craig Fulton 83-84 - 167 Open
Bill Standley 80-87 - 167 Super Senior
John Linton 86-81 - 167 Super Senior
George Patrick 86-81 - 167 Super Senior
Bob Wyatt 84-84 - 168 Senior
Michael Havens 88-80 - 168 Senior
David Hunt 87-81 - 168 Senior
Mike Ritter 85-83 - 168 Senior
James Drumm 84-85 - 169 Open
John Spjut 88-81 - 169 Super Senior
Tim Crough 87-82 - 169 Senior
Gordon Dale 84-86 - 170 Super Senior
Greg Salazar 88-82 - 170 Senior
Robert Kleabir 87-85 - 172 Open
Ray Holder 87-85 - 172 Super Senior
Mike Perez 88-84 - 172 Super Senior
Keith Friesen 86-86 - 172 Senior
Dave Butterfield 85-87 - 172 Super Senior
Joe Barber 80-93 - 173 Senior
Bill Fogelsong 91-82 - 173 Senior
Steve Bennett 88-85 - 173 Open
Adam Kuzinski 85-88 - 173 Open
Michael Brown 88-87 - 175 Open
Rick Lauzon 90-86 - 176 Senior
Curt Treichler 86-90 - 176 Super Senior
Glen Mason 94-85 - 179 Super Senior
Tom Egan 91-88 - 179 Super Senior
Aubrey Matthews 91-88 - 179 Senior
Philip Ayers 90-90 - 180 Senior
Bruce Williams 86-94 - 180 Senior
Mason Richardson 94-87 - 181 Senior
Dean Pittenger 88-93 - 181 Super Senior
Benny Javier 91-93 - 184 Senior
Daniel Twomey 99-85 - 184 Senior
Omar Morales 104-81 - 185 Senior
Marvin Merritt 94-92 - 186 Super Senior
Jack Wagner 98-88 - 186 Super Senior
Charles Simon (a) 94-93 - 187 Open
Janine Bruinenberg 91-96 - 187 Women's
Laurie Morenting 96-91 - 187 Women's
Kenneth Medeiros 96-94 - 190 Open
John Hegburg 99-92 - 191 Senior
Rob Ruley 96-98 - 194 Open
Pat Church 100-94 - 194 Women's
Cynthia Annett 101-95 - 196 Women's
Rich Chandler 99-97 - 196 Senior
Gale James 101-96 - 197 Women's
Greg Johnson 106-106 - 212 Senior
Tony Coulstock 114-103 - 217 Senior
Andy Wills 77- - WD Open
Jim Mullen 84- - WD Open
J. D. Winkle 88- - WD Super Senior
James Webster 91- - WD Open
Dan Lopez - WD Senior
Mark Parker 90- - NC Senior
Earl Hines 90- - NC Open
John Ray 91- - NC Senior
David Vaught - NC Open
Tom Morris - NC Open
Peter Louis - DQ Super Senior
Yves Therrien - DNS Open
Daniel Jarvie - DNS Open

x - Won playoff on fourth hole
y - Super Senior division champion
z - Senior division champion
a - Women's division champion

History of the United States Golf Teachers Cup

Year                 Champion                     Score               Location

1996                Edward Lee                   74                  St. Augustine, Florida
1997                Shawn Clement              73                  Bonsall, California
1998                Mark Harman                 71                  Port St. Lucie, Florida
1999                Brian Lamberti              223                  Port St. Lucie, Florida
2000                Mark Umphreyville         71                   Fayetteville, Pennsylvania
2001                Mark Harman               152                  Jensen Beach, Florida
2002                Mark Harman               142                  Milton, Florida
2003                Mark Harman               144                  Las Vegas, Nevada
2004                David Belling                147                  Springfield, Louisiana
2005                Mark Harman               142                  San Antonio, Texas

(Tournament played at one round 1996-98 and 2000, and three rounds in 1999.  Tournament adopted a permanent two-round format in 2001.)

1996 – Edward Lee of New Orleans overcame cold weather and high winds to become the first Unites States Golf Teachers Cup champion.  Faisal Qureshi of Sri Lanka finishes second.

1997 – Shawn Clement, playing both right- and left-handed and with a style reminiscent of the great Moe Norman’s, became the US Cup’s first Canadian champion.

1998 – Mark Harman from Pensacola, Florida, earns his first US Cup victory to follow up his 1997 World Golf Teachers Cup championship.

1999 – Brian Lamberti, Granite Springs, New York, wins the only three-round tournament in US Cup history.

2000 – Mark Umphreyville, San Marcos, California, headed east to become the first, and so far only, Western resident to win the championship.

2001 – Mark Harman, playing the tough Eagle Marsh course in cold weather and extremely high winds, shoots the highest winning two-round total in US Cup history.

2002 – Mark Harman becomes the first to successfully defend his championship, shooting a final nine of 31 to overcome a two-stroke deficit.

2003 – Mark Harman hangs on for a one-stroke victory over newcomers David Belling and Senior player Terry Anderson.

2004 – David Belling, Sarnia, Ontario, captures his first US Cup title to go along with his World Golf Teachers Cup championship from 2003.

2005 – Mark Harman wins his fifth US Cup title in a 3-hole playoff over Thomas Wartelle.