By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
A longtime member of Del Rio’s golfing community was honored by friends and family with a tournament he himself was a part of for years.
When Ernesto “Neto” Hernandez passed away in February 2021, he took with him a piece of Del Rio’s golf history. Hernandez played for San Felipe High School and Del Rio High School, winning district championships for both schools, and relished his time with the sport. He watched his son, Ernesto “Ernie” Hernandez Jr., play for the Del Rio Rams and win a district championship for his team.
However, behind the scenes Hernandez was one of the leading organizers of golf tournaments in Del Rio and surrounding communities. For the annual Del Rio High School tournaments, Hernandez always presented a sportsmanship award, but the tournament that was nearest and dearest to his heart was the San Felipe Exes Memorial Golf Tournament.
The tournament was typically always held in conjunction with the Exes Reunion. It was a way for classmates to gather and reminisce about times gone by, remember those classmates who passed away, and compete for bragging rights and some light-natured ribbing while still raising funds for the Exes scholarships.
During the July 4 weekend, dozens of teams came together once more to honor Hernandez and his memory with the San Felipe Exes Ernesto “Neto” Hernandez Memorial Golf Tournament held at the San Felipe Springs Golf Course.
The four-man team of Zeke Bradford, Doyle Campbell, Doyle Kitchens and Eddie Ochoa won the tournament with a team score of 54.
The team of Oscar Cardenas, Mario Cuellar, Cat Sauceda and Mark Sauceda was second with a 57.
Finishing third was the team of Miguel Calderon, Miguel Calderon II, Charles Gambrel and Felipe Martinez, which shot a 58.
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Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
