Around the Green

Avery Ranch GC to Host State Public Links

Avery Ranch Golf Club to Host the 2013
Public Links

May 29-June2, 2013

Avery Ranch Golf Club in Austin will play host to the 2013
Public Links Amateur. This will be the third TGA event hosted by Avery Ranch,
but the first statewide TGA championship. In 2004, Avery Ranch hosted the South
Four-Ball, and in 2008 they hosted the South Amateur.

Avery Ranch Golf Club is known as one of Austin’s top golf
courses.  Completed in 2002, the Andy
Raugust design blends panoramic vistas and gentle rolling hills with oak-lined
fairways and a 60-acre lake. Players are sure to love the meticulously
manicured Tif Eagle greens and 419 Bermuda tees and fairways. A difficult front
nine, and unique back nine, are sure to challenge the players and provide an
exciting atmosphere for this great championship.

The State Public Links is scheduled for 18 holes of stroke
play qualifying on Thursday, May 30, 2013 with the low 32 players advancing to
the match play portion of the championship. First and second round matches will
be played on Friday. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be played Saturday,
with the finals on Sunday. Entries are open to male amateur golfers who are
members of the Texas Golf Association, are residents of the state of Texas, and
have a USGA Handicap Index of 8.4 or less. Additionally, all applicants must
meet the USGA definition of a public golfer (i.e., applicants may not have held
privileges of any course that does not extend playing privileges to the general
public, or privileges of any private club maintaining its own course as of
January 1^st, 2013).

In 2012, Michael Smith caught fire and cruised to a 5&3
victory over Calvin Clyde in the finals at Woodforest Golf Club. Smith narrowly
advanced to the finals by beating Mitchell Mcleroy is a semi-finals match that
went 19 holes.