Christmas 19—Muskogee Golf Club is the type of course Sam Fidone likes.
Fidone won two of the first three All Pro Tour’s Health and Wellness Center Real Okie Championships at the course in 2020 and 2021.
He shot 18-under par in ’20 and 16-under par in ’21 and won a total of $50,000. Fidone said the course plays well with his strengths, such as his wedges, and it helps that he’s won this tournament before.
“I feel well-equipped to play well here,” Fidone said. “This is my kind of golf course for some reason. The course definitely suits my eyes into the greens and there’s a lot of opportunities for wedges, which tends to be my strong suit.”
Fidone’s favorite hole on the course is the 518-yard par-5 18th hole. He is 14-under par — six birdies, four eagles and three pars — in the 13 rounds he’s played at the course. He birdied the hole Wednesday.
Fidone finished Wednesday’s round 5-under par, including three consecutive birdies to finish his round. Fidone said he feels his first round has set him up nicely for the rest of the tournament.
“This round gives me a lot of confidence,” Fidone said. “I’ve actually been on vacation the past two weeks and got here last night, so getting out here today helped.”
Fidone has played on the APT for 11 years following his college career at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He’s had stints on the PGA Latin Tour and the PGA Canadian Tour. Fidone played in two PGA Tour events in 2020 as well.
The All Pro Tour has been in operation since 1994. The tour is not affiliated with the PGA Tour or the Korn Ferry Tour, but has produced golfers who’ve won on the PGA Tour. Masters winners Bubba Watson and Scottie Scheffler competed on the All Pro Tour. Scheffler is ranked No. 1 in the World Golf Ranking.