Around the Green

Championship Match Set at Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play

Argyle – During Saturday morning’s Quarterfinals, top seeded players continued to play well as three of the four top seeds all advance to the afternoon Semifinal Matches. In the afternoon Semifinal Matches, the top two remaining seeds fall creating a No. 4 vs No. 9 Championship Match.

Quarterfinal Matches: In the first match of the Quarterfinals, Match 1, Colleyville’s Zach Atkinson continued his dominance as he defeated No. 9 seed Clay Fullick of Conroe 7 & 6. The No. 1 seed has made few mistakes on the course with only three bogeys through 58 holes thus far, which includes Thursday’s 18-hole stroke play qualifying round. In Match 2, No. 4 seed Rob Couture of Celina defeated No. 12 seed Seth Murphy of flint. One down in the match heading into the par-5 17^th hole, Couture hit his approach shot to 18-feet and made the birdie putt to tie the match going to the 18^th hole. On the 18^th hole, Couture hit another solid approach shot to 20-feet and rolled in his second consecutive birdie to win the match 1-up, advancing to the Semifinals.

The third match of the Quarterfinals was between No. 10 seed Scott Maurer of Dallas and No. 7 seed Jason Schultz of Allen. Maurer was down one heading into the 18^th hole and made birdie three to extend the match. Going back to the par-4 1^st hole, Schultz made a routine par to win the match in 19 holes. In Match 4, the final match of the morning Quarterfinals, No. 3 seed Matt Miller of McKinney defeated No. 6 seed Jace Moore of Keller. Moore was 2 up with four to play in the match when Miller found something. That something was four consecutive birdies on holes 15, 16, 17, and 18. Miller’s birdie stretch was enough to win the match 1-up and secure the last spot in the afternoon Semifinals.

Semifinal Matches: In the first match of the afternoon Semifinals, Match 1, No. 1 seed Zach Atkinson of Colleyville was up against No. 4 seed Rob Couture of Celina. The No. 4 seed was going up against heavy favorite Atkinson, who had carded 24 birdies and a lone eagle through his four previous rounds. Couture didn’t let that phase him as he continued to play smart and consistent, and making putts when they mattered most. His Semifinals scorecard was bogey free through 16 holes and included five birdies, to Atkinson’s one bogey and three birdies. While Atkinson got his tournament birdie count to an impressive 27 birdies, he ultimately fell short to Couture who won the match 3 & 2 and secured his spot in Sunday’s Champion Match.

In Match 2 of the Semifinals, No. 7 seed Jason Schultz of Allen defeated No. 3 seed Matt Miller of McKinney 2 & 1. It was a strong showing for Miller as he was competing in his first ever Texas Golf Association championship. Schultz, who earned the final spot in tomorrow’s Championship Match, made four birdies on the round. His fourth and final birdie of the afternoon was the match clinching putt on the par-5 7^th green. Schultz and Couture will go head to head tomorrow morning in the Championship Match to crown the 2022 Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play Champion.

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Course: Denton Country Club is hosting the Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play while celebrating the club’s centennial 100^th anniversary. The member-owned club opened in 1922 as a 9-hole course and later expanded to 18 holes in 1969. It was originally designed by Texas Golf Hall of Fame architect Ralph Plummer. The course has undergone several modifications through the years, most notably in the mid-1980s when Dick Nugent oversaw an extensive renovation and modernization project.

Tournament History: The Mid-Amateur Match Play is open to players 25 years of age or older and hold a handicap index of 5.4 or less. The unique format starts with 90 players competing in an 18-hole stroke play qualifying. From there, the low 32 players will advance to the match play portion of the championship. Matches will take place over three days, with a champion being crowned on Sunday morning.

POY Points Race: Statewide Player of the Year points will be awarded to the top players making it to the Round of 16. The champion will receive 750 points towards the statewide honor followed by 500 for runner-up, 400 for semifinalists, 200 for quarterfinalists, and 100 for Round of 16 participants.

What’s Next: Sunday’s Championship Match will start at 7:30 am tomorrow.

About the TGA: The Texas Golf Association was established in 1906 with a mission to promote the playing and advancement of the royal and ancient game of golf in Texas. The association is one of the most respected in the country with an ongoing commitment to its members, contestants, volunteers and all who strive to preserve the great traditions of the game.

For more information about the Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play, click here. To see all the scores from Denton Country Club, click here.