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The latest golf-related news, notes, and feature stories from the TGA.

Josh Irving and Will Osborne Defend Their Title at 2018 North Four-Ball

Euless, TX – Josh Irving and Will Osborne carded a six-under-par 65 to capture the North Four-Ball Championship for the second year in a row. Three teams tied for second with a round of five-under-par 66. The North Four-Ball Championship was reduced to a 18 hole Championship after TGA Officials canceled Saturday’s round due to inclement golf course conditions.

Starting off the first hole, Irving and Osborne got off to a shaky start with a bogey on the par four second. Over the next 10 holes though, the duo carded five birdies and an eagle on the reachable par five, 10th. Irving began the run that eventually lead them to victory on the 420 yard, par four, fourth. After their second and last bogey of the round on the 431 yard, par four, 13th, Irving and Osborne came into the 18th hole needing a birdie to overcome the crowded leaderboard. History was to repeat itself as they birded the last hole in the 2017 North Four-Ball at Sky Creek Ranch Golf Club to beat the hard fought duo of Zach Atkinson and Brad Gibson, who added another second place to their resume.

Joining Atkinson and Gibson for a three way tie of second place was Christopher Wheeler and Derek Abel and Blake Vinson and David Klaudt. Playing in the same pairing, Atkinson/Gibson and Wheeler/Abel both played stellar golf as both teams managed to keep their scorecard clean of any bogeys. Gibson/Atkinson started their hot round early as they birdied the first two of three holes. Vinson and Klaudt carded six birdies with their lone bogey on the 425 yard, par 4, first, their first hole of the day.

After Saturday’s round of the North Four-Ball Championship was canceled due to inclement weather and course conditions, TGA Officials has reduced the Championship to 18 holes on Sunday. The last time the North Four-Ball was reduced to an 18 hole Championship was in 2014 when the team of Scott Maurer and Peyton Cook shot 11-under, 61. Maurer and Cook finished this year two shots behind Irving and Osborne, good for a tie for 5th place.

Texas Star Golf Course received to date on Saturday, nine inches of rain over the past week and made the golf unplayable. However, with a break in the weather with the sun appearing Saturday afternoon and favorable conditions on Sunday, players were treated with a warm 65 degrees and sunny day by mid-morning.

Teams finishing in the top five (and ties) receive an exemption into the 2018 Texas Four-Ball Championship to be played at challenging Maridoe Golf Club in Carrollton, Texas. The Texas Four-Ball Championship will be played on May 10th-12th, with a change in schedule during the week in observance of Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 13th.

The Texas Golf Association would like to thank all the members, grounds staff, as well as the professional staff at Texas Star Golf Course for their superior efforts in getting the golf course prepared with what they were dealt in the days leading up to the North Four-Ball. The TGA North Regional Series will continue next at Diamond Oaks Country Club for the North Mid-Amateur Championship on March 23rd-25th. For complete results and information regarding the North Four-Ball, click here.