Around the Green

Brandon Massey Wins Texas Cup Invitational

MCKINNEY – Brandon Massey of Fort Worth fired a second consecutive 2-under-par 69 to win his second Texas Cup Invitational by four strokes. The 2020 Texas Christian University commit battled all week at Stonebridge Ranch Country Club’s Dye Course to become the first two-time champion of the boys-only invitational.

“I haven’t won in a while,” Massey said. “I haven’t played in an individual tournament in a while so it’s huge for me.”

Massey, who won at Ridglea Country Club in 2017, displayed poise throughout the 54-hole championship. On Wednesday, the senior at Arlington Heights High School continued to demonstrate his composure.

After finding the left fescue on the par-5 third hole, Massey tried to punch his ball low under some overhanging branches. He didn’t get the ball high enough to clear the thick grass and only advanced it five yards. Massey punched his third shot down the fairway, played his approach shot to the green and two-putted for a bogey.

He made another bogey on the par-4 sixth and was four shots off the lead. However, as he had done all week, he didn’t waiver nor count himself out of the tournament. Massey strung together three consecutive birdies to card an opening nine 1-under-par 35.

He carried the momentum into the back nine and with a birdie on the par-3 12th was tied for the lead with Jacob Borow of Lake Jackson. Borow, who held a share of the 36-hole lead, struggled down the stretch and opened the door for the groups ahead of him.

Massey birdied the par-5 16th to take a one-shot lead with two holes to play. His tee shot on the par-3 17th was long, left and found the thick fescue over the green.

“I really wanted to make a par there and get out of there with a three,” Massey said. “I saw my lie and didn’t have much. I couldn’t go right at the flag so I took it a little left and hit it perfect.”

Massey pulled off an incredible pitch and found the putting surface 15 feet from the hole. He drained the par-putt to stay one-shot ahead of the field. After a routine par on the par-4 18th, Massey signed for his second 2-under 69 for the week and the low-round of the day. He finished at 3-over-par 216 for the championship.

The final two groups continued to struggle down the stretch. Borow and Ethan Fang of Plano carded 5-over-par 76s, while Byungho Lee of Houston posted a 3-over-par 74. In the end, Massey’s victory was a four-stroke margin.

“I struggled the first day, but you know we got it back on track,” Massey said.

On Monday, 25 mph gusts and rain showers in the morning made the playing conditions very difficult. He carded an opening round 7-over-par 78 and was tied for 26th.

Massey began the second round five shots off the lead, but he made a statement on moving day.  He carded five birdies en route the lowest round of the day and climbed 21 spots up the leaderboard into a tie for fifth. Massey’s goal on Wednesday was to climb five spots and he did for his second Texas Cup Invitational title.

“I hope to carry this momentum throughout the season and into the summer,” Massey said.

He plans to compete in the 21st Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship in June as well as a few USGA qualifiers before attending TCU in August.

Borow, Fang and Lee finished in a tie for second at 7-over-par 220. Andrew Spaulding of Spring, Jackson Drake of Lubbock and Nicholas Hance of Irving finished tied fifth at 10-over-par 223. Trevor Mierl of Austin and Jackson Naeger of Keller finished tied eighth at 11-over-par 224, while Alejandro Gonzalez of Queretaro, Mexico, Frisco’s Shivam Patel and Songge Jiang and Garrett Endicott of San Antonio rounded out the top-10 at 12-over-par 225.

The Texas Cup Invitational plays Stonebridge Ranch CC’s Dye Course as a par 71. The normal par-5 13th hole is played as a long par-4 for the championship. The second round was played at 6,841 yards.

The Texas Golf Association extends its sincere appreciation to the staff and members of Stonebridge Ranch Country Club as well as our volunteers for their integral part in making the 2020 Texas Cup Invitational a memorable and success event. To view the Final Leaderboard, click here. For more information on the Texas Cup Invitational, click here.