2009-12-10

Utopia Lions Club Golf Tournament ‘big success’

By Marilyn Chalmers

Members of the Utopia Lions Club held their first annual Golf Tournament on Nov. 14, at Golf Utopia. Sixteen teams with 62 golfers participated in the picture-perfect weather. All participants agreed: “A great time was had by all!”

Capturing first place were Bruce Phillips, Mark Phillips, Brett Phillips and Cory Phillips of Port Lavaca. Second place went to Sid Mauldin, Steve Thompson, Tom Mauldin and Philip Thompson from Utopia and Sabinal’s Jeff Jones, Billy Mitchell, Justin Epp and Kayla Spence took third.

Utopia Golf Products, a local company that makes state-of-the-art putters, donated two TXRII putters as prizes. Michael Hillis won one for the longest drive and Jack McClain received the other for being closest to the pin.

Utopia Lions Club members who helped prepare and served a Tex-Mex meal of tamales, beans and trimmings to tournament participants included Mary and Lee Barton, Jean Findling, Steve and Susan Merrifield, Gay Zunker, Sid Chaney, Wayne Canion, Inez Smith and Marilyn Chalmers. Members also assisted with registration.

“A big Utopia-style thanks goes out to Golf Utopia, Robert Sullivan and Utopia Golf Products for a fantastic tournament, use of the golf course and facilities, and donation of the putters, noted a spokesman for the golf tourney. “Thanks also to everyone who played in the tournament and those behind-the-scenes workers who helped make the Utopia Lions Club Golf Tournament a huge success!”

Proceeds from the fundraiser will help with local community projects.