Around the Green

2015 Texas Amateur Set For June 18-21

DALLAS – The 2015 Texas Amateur presented by Insperity will be played June 18-21 at Bent Tree Country Club. Conducted by the Texas Golf Association since 1906, the 106th playing of the championship brings together the state’s most accomplished amateurs to compete for the H.L. Edwards Memorial Trophy.
 
This is the first Texas Amateur contested at Bent Tree and the sixth TGA major championship to be held at the club, including last year’s WTGA State Amateur. It’s only the 11th time in more than a century, and the first time in 40 years, that a club has hosted back-to-back men’s and women’s state amateur championships.
 
Bent Tree Country Club was founded in 1972 by Robert S. Folsom on what was then 200 acres of cotton fields and pasture land. Folsom, who would go on to serve as mayor of Dallas from 1976-81, hired golf course architect Desmond Muirhead to design the course. In 2002, the original Muirhead layout was skillfully restored and enhanced by Keith Foster. The result is a beautiful par-71 course highlighted by water features testing players on 14 of the 18 holes, and 62 strategically placed bunkers that define the driving zones and green complexes.
 
The TGA received 796 applications for this year’s Texas Amateur. It is the second-highest number of entries ever received, surpassed only by the 851 for last year’s championship at Brook Hollow Golf Club.
 
A total of 44 players were fully exempt from qualifying, including past champions Zach Atkinson of Colleyville and Doug Manor of Dallas. To determine the remaining 100 spots in the 144-player starting field, 18-hole qualifiers were held at 19 sites across the state from April 10-June 8.
 
The format for the championship is 72 holes of individual stroke play. After 36 holes the field will be cut to the low 54 scores and ties heading into the final two rounds.
 
Admission to the 106th Texas Amateur is free and spectators are encouraged to attend.
 
Once the action gets underway from Bent Tree, log on to txga.org for live scoring updates and daily recaps, as well as tee-times and pairings.
 
About Insperity
Insperity, a trusted advisor to America's best businesses for more than 25 years, provides an array of human resources and business solutions designed to help improve business performance. Insperity Business Performance Advisors offer the most comprehensive Workforce Optimization^TM solution in the marketplace that delivers administrative relief, better benefits, reduced liabilities and a systematic way to improve productivity.
 
2015 TEXAS AMATEUR STARTING FIELD NOTES
 
SCHEDULE OF PLAY:
Thursday, June 18 – First round, stroke play (18 holes). First wave tee-times begin at 7:30 a.m. off No. 1 and No. 10 tees; Second wave tee-times begin at 12:30 p.m. off No. 1 and No. 10 tees.
Friday, June 19 – Second round, stroke play (18 holes). First wave tee-times begin at 7:30 a.m. off No. 1 and No. 10 tees; Second wave tee-times begin at 12:30 p.m. off No. 1 and No. 10 tees. The field is cut after 36 holes to the low 54 scores and ties.
Saturday, June 20 – Third round, stroke play (18 holes). Tee-times begin at 7:30 a.m. off No. 1 and No. 10 tees.
Sunday, June 21 – Final round, stroke play (18 holes). Tee-times begin at 7:30 a.m. off No. 1 and No. 10 tees. Awards ceremony will commence immediately following the close of competition.
 
PAR AND YARDAGE: For the championship, Bent Tree CC will play approximately 7,081 yards with a par of 35-36–71.
 
ARCHITECT: Founded in 1972, Bent Tree CC was designed by Desmond Muirhead. In 2002, renowned architect Keith Foster skillfully reworked and upgraded Muirhead’s design into a more traditional and timeless layout.
 
PREVIOUS TGA CHAMPIONSHIPS AT BENT TREE: 2014 WTGA State Amateur, 2011 Texas Senior Amateur, 2006 Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play, 1993 WTGA State Amateur and 1991 Texas Mid-Amateur.
 
PAST AMATEUR CHAMPIONS: Doug Manor of Dallas (2013) and Zach Atkinson of Colleyville (2004).
 
PAST INDIVIDUAL STATE CHAMPIONS: John Bearrie of Arlington, 2012 Mid-Amateur and 2010 Mid-Amateur Match Play; Mike Booker of The Woodlands, 2013 Mid-Amateur Match Play and 2003 Mid-Amateur; Jess Bonneau of Houston, 2011 Mid-Amateur Match Play; Rob Couture of Dallas, 2008 Mid-Amateur; Clay Hodge of Bryan, 2013 Mid-Amateur; Ron Kilby of McAllen, 2014 and 2011 Senior Amateur; Terrence Miskell, 2008 Mid-Amateur Match Play, 2007 Mid-Amateur and Public Links; Stratton Nolen of Austin, 2014 Public Links and 2011 Texas State Junior; Mike Peck of Irving, 2013 Senior Amateur.
 
TOP FINISHERS RETURNING FROM THE 2014 TEXAS AMATEUR: Stratton Nolen of Austin (runner-up); Andrew Presley of Fort Worth (3rd); Kolton Crawford of Mansfield, Aaron Hickman of Addison and Andrew Ertel of The Woodlands, who all finished in a tie for 10th place.
 
2014-15 POSTSEASON COLLEGIATE HONORS: Kolton Crawford of Arkansas, Division I PING All-Region (Central); Garrett Fey of Dallas Baptist, Division II PING All-Region (South Central); J.T. Taylor of Sam Houston State, All-Southland Conference (First Team); Preston Stanley of Houston Baptist, All-Southland Conference (Second Team); Luke Sheehan of Stephen F. Austin, All-Southland Conference (Third Team); Michael Cotton of University of North Texas and Zander Lozano of UT San Antonio, Conference USA All-Freshman Team.
 
21.36: The average winner’s age of the past 11 Texas Amateurs.
 
MY GENERATION: Number of players in the starting field by age group: Teens – 36; 20s – 61; 30s – 20; 40s – 20; 50s – 6; 60s – 1.
 
YOUNGEST AND OLDEST: Thirteen-year-old Scott Roden of Lakewood CC in Dallas is the youngest player in the field. Carrying the banner for the old guard is decorated senior player Mike Booker of The Woodlands, who is 60.
 
UP-CLOSE AND PERSONAL: Scott Fawcett, a member of Bent Tree, got an up-close look at what it takes to win the Texas Amateur when he caddied for 2014 champion Will Zalatoris at Brook Hollow Golf Club. Fawcett also was on the bag a few weeks later when Zalatoris won the U.S. Junior at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands. Now as a contestant in the 2015 Texas Amateur, Fawcett gets a chance to see if he can turn his vast golf knowledge and first-hand experience into a memorable weekend on his home course.
 
WAY TO REPRESENT: Trophy Club Country Club has the most number of members in the starting field with five. Austin CC, Dallas Athletic Club, Lakewood CC, and Memorial Park GC each have four members in this year’s championship.
 
H.L. EDWARDS MEMORIAL TROPHY: The winner of the Texas Amateur receives custody of the H.L. Edwards Memorial Trophy, named in honor of Harry Lee Edwards, the “Father of Golf in Texas.” Edwards earned the nickname because he helped to establish the TGA in February of 1906, served as its first president and won the inaugural Amateur Championship. Additionally, Edwards was also a founding member of Dallas CC and Brook Hollow GC.
 
AMATEUR CHAMPIONS SUCCESSFUL ON TOUR: Nine former Texas Amateur champions have combined for a remarkable 57 wins on the PGA Tour: Ben Crenshaw (1972) – 19; Bruce Lietzke (1971) – 13; Mark Brooks (1979, 1981) – 7; Scott Verplank (1982, 1984-85) – 5; Bob Estes (1988) – 4; Charles Coody (1959) – 3; Earl Stewart, Jr. (1947) – 3; Don Massengale (1958) – 2; and Marty Fleckman (1964) – 1.
 
AMATEUR CHAMPIONS AND USGA NATIONAL CHAMPIONS: Will Zalatoris (2014), 2014 U.S. Junior Amateur; Kelly Kraft (2011, 2008), 2011 U.S. Amateur; Scott Verplank (1982, 1984-85), 1984 U.S. Amateur.