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Laughlin and Del Rio strengthen ties in golf tournament

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Evan M. Ross
  • 47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  The Laughlin and Del Rio communities celebrated their long-standing friendship in the form of the 40th annual Commander's Golf Tournament at the Leaning Pine Golf Course here Oct. 12 through 14.

Colonel Tom Murphy, 47th Flying Training Wing commander, several past Laughlin commanders and several prominent members of the Del Rio community competed in the tournament. The players were arranged into 12 teams of four and played in a 'best-ball' format, meaning that only a team's best overall score from a hole was counted.

Murphy's first-place team included retired Lt. Gen. Clark Griffith, former Air Education and Training Command vice-commander, Mr. Kurt Lemp, Military Affairs Association President, and was anchored by Lt. James Powers of the 87th Flying Training Squadron, who also won the tournament's contest for 'Longest Drive.'

Murphy's team won the tournament with a two-day total score of 123, beating the second place team of Mike Perez, Jerry Neighbors, Servando Gonzales and Darren Johnson by two strokes, who finished with a score of 125. The third-place team of Larry Mariner, Travis Mariner, Frank Mallory and Tod Townsend finished with a score of 126.

Col. Andrew Brabson, 47th Operations Group commander won the tournament's putting contest, and Mr. Bob Wood, former maintenance director, won the 'Closest-to-the-Pin' contest hitting the ball within three feet of the pin from the tee on a par-3 hole.

After the tournament, however, Murphy said that how his team finished was not the most important part of the tournament.

"It's great to have our friends from the Del Rio community come play with us, and it really helps build our friendships with them. We could not do what we do here at Laughlin without Del Rio," Murphy said.

Capt. Harrison Stell, the tournament organizer, said that the Del Rio community continuously sponsors pilot training classes and gives to Laughlin in so many ways that Laughlin owes them a debt of gratitude.

"The tournament is a great opportunity for us to give back our local friends and show them what they mean to us," Stell said.