Around the Green

Texas Shootout Set For October 24-26

The 2015 Texas Shootout will be played October 24-26 at Dallas National Golf Club.
 
“We’re thrilled to be hosting our first-ever event at Dallas National,” said Ryan Finn, the TGA’s Managing Director of Championships. “This outstanding course, coupled with the club’s legendary hospitality, will certainly make for a memorable experience for the Shootout teams.”
 
Designed by celebrated golf course architect Tom Fazio, Dallas National open in 2002 and has been among Golf Digest’s Top 100 Courses in America since 2005 (currently No. 61) and the magazine’s choice as Best in State since 2007.
 
The Texas Shootout, an invitation-only event, features the top 12 players (eight mid-amateurs and four seniors) from North Texas squaring off against their counterparts from South Texas in a Ryder Cup-style competition.
 
Players earn their way onto their respective teams by accumulating points throughout the year in designated TGA regional and statewide tournaments, as well as USGA national championships. The TGA uses the 31st parallel in Salado as the delineation between the North and South regions.
 
Of the eight mid-amateurs selected from each region, four come from the TGA Statewide Player of the Year point standings and four from the Regional Player of the Year point standings. The top four North and South senior players are chosen based on the Statewide Senior Player of the Year point standings.
 
The format for the Shootout includes foursome, four-ball and singles matches. A total of 24 matches will be played over two days. Each match is worth 3 points – 1 point each for front nine, back nine and 18 – making for 72 available points. The first team to accumulate 36.5 points is the winner.
 
Helmed by playing-captain Mike Booker of The Woodlands, the South Team scored a 39.5-32.5 win over the North squad in the 2014 Texas Shootout at Miramont Country Club in Bryan. With the victory, the South leads the overall series 7 to 5.
 
Once the action gets underway from Dallas National, log on to txga.org for live scoring updates and daily recaps, as well as tee-times and pairings.
 
2015 TEXAS SHOOTOUT NOTES:
 
North Team: Scott Abbott (Dallas), Zach Atkinson (Colleyville), Rob Couture (Dallas), Brad Gibson (Plano), Aaron Hickman (Addison), Clay Hodge (Tyler), *Jerry Hudgins (Tyler), Joshua Irving (Dallas) Will Osborne (Fort Worth), *Chuck Palmer (Dallas),*Mike Peck (Irving) and *Lewis Stephenson (Mansfield).
 
South Team: *Mike Booker (The Woodlands), Nicholas Cristea (Houston), Taylor Dio (The Woodlands), John Hunter (Houston), Justin Kaplan (Houston), Randy Lance (Spring), *Ivan Lawson (Cypress), *David Leiss (Houston), Scott Loving (Conroe), *Larry Nunez (Austin), Jay Reynolds (Austin), and Ross Wilhelm (San Antonio).
 
*Indicates senior player representative
 
Schedule of Events:
 
Saturday, October 24
1:00 – 1:20 p.m. – Practice Rounds – North
1:30 – 1:50 p.m. – Practice Rounds – South
6:00 p.m. – Cocktail Reception & Match Draw
 
Sunday, October 25
8:00 – 8:50 a.m. – Foursome Matches
12:30 – 1:20 p.m. – Four-Ball Matches
6:30 p.m. – Player Dinner
 
Monday, October 26
8:00 – 9:28 a.m. – Singles Matches; Awards Presentation following conclusion of play.