Around the Green

Texas Four-Ball Set for Aug. 27-29

The 46th Texas Four-Ball, the second of this year’s four men’s major amateur championships conducted by the Texas Golf Association, will be played Aug. 27-29 on the Apple Rock Course at Horseshoe Bay Resort.

Located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, Horseshoe Bay Resort is home to a trio of award-winning golf courses, Slick Rock, Ram Rock and Apple Rock, all designed by World Golf Hall of Fame member Robert Trent Jones, Sr. Apple Rock, the last of the three courses built, opened in 1985 and recently underwent an extensive renovation overseen by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., the legendary architect’s eldest son. The months-long, multimillion dollar project included building new greens, tees and bunkers, as well as the installation of a state-of-the-art irrigation and drainage system to enhance playing conditions.

“We are extremely excited to have the opportunity to return to Horseshoe Bay Resort for this year’s Texas Four-Ball Championship,” said Chris Untiedt, TGA Tournament Director. “The newly renovated Apple Rock Course is a wonderful and complete test of golf and will provide a formidable challenge for the state’s best amateur golfers.”

Perched atop some of the highest land in the Horseshoe Bay community, Apple Rock is one of the most scenic and breathtaking golf courses in Texas. The 6,999-yard, par-72 layout features dramatic elevation changes, rolling fairways, chiseled bunkers, undulating green complexes and unforgettable views of Lake LBJ.

“Apple Rock truly captures what playing golf in the Texas Hill Country is all about,” said Anthony Holder, Horseshoe Bay Resort’s Director of Golf. “Robert Trent Jones designed a course that incorporates the wildlife, sweeping vistas, lake views, protruding rocks and other native areas into the golf experience all while disrupting as little as possible.”

The 2021 Texas Four-Ball will feature an 80-team starting field comprised of three age divisions playing from different tees with separate champions crowned: Championship (25 years and older), Senior (55 and older) and Super Senior (65 and older). The format is 54 holes of four-ball stroke play. After the completion of 36 holes, the field will be cut to the low 40 teams, including ties.

At the 2020 championship, held on the Weiskopf Course at Bentwater Yacht & Country Club in Montgomery, Jason Schultz of Allen and Russell Williams of Prosper posted a 54-hole total of 26-under-par 190 to win the Championship Division. Steve Love and Mike Peck, both of Irving, finished at 20-under 196 to win the Senior Division. The Lufkin team of Ford Cartwright and John Kennedy won the Super Senior title with a 16-under 200 total.

Live scoring updates, daily recaps, as well as tee-times and pairings, will be available at txga.org once the action gets underway from Horseshoe Bay Resort.

This year’s Texas Four-Ball is a continuation of the long-standing relationship between the TGA and Horseshoe Bay that dates to the resort’s earliest days. Over the years, the Central Texas landmark has been a proud supporter of amateur golf and has hosted many different TGA championships, including the Texas Amateur, Women’s Texas Amateur, Texas Junior Amateur, Texas Senior Amateur, Women’s Four-Ball and Texas Father-Son, to name a few.

“The Horseshoe Bay Resort prides itself on the relationship we have with Texas Golf Association and are honored to have hosted some of the best amateur players in the state at our facility,” Holder said.