Around the Green

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

Sandy Pierce Wins 85th Texas Senior Amateur on Home Course

HOUSTON – Champions Golf Club Member Sandy Pierce won the 85th Texas Senior Amateur in a one-hole playoff over Andy Hydorn of Houston. Pierce fired a final round 3-under 68 that included back-to-back birdies on the sixteenth and seventeenth holes to put himself in the playoff.

Pierce, a member of Champions Golf Club for 49 years, rolled in a seven-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to capture the victory. Fittingly, Pierce lives on Jackrabbit, the course being used for the championship.

“It’s really special. I live on this golf course and to win an event of this stature is a big deal, a thrill, and an honor,” Pierce said of what this victory means to him. “I couldn’t be more excited.”

Pierce saved his best for last. He came into Sunday’s final round five shots back of the lead after rounds of 1-over 72 and even-par 71 but went low to cap the championship off.

“I was playing pretty good all day,” Pierce said. “I was hitting the ball in play and pretty solid. I had a few putts go in later in the round. That was really the difference. I played pretty solidly the first couple days and gave away a few strokes here and there, but this afternoon, particularly the last nine holes, a couple putts went in and that was the difference.”

Pierce joins elite company not only on the Frank M. Lewis Trophy but also as a winner on the historic grounds of Champions Golf Club, a place that has seen Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus win.

“I’ve got so many lifelong friends out here at Champions,” Pierce said of how he’ll celebrate the win. “I love this place. I’ll probably just go in and hang out with my buddies for a little while and kind of let it all soak in. I’m thrilled and honored…I really am.”

Hydorn, a former member of Champions Golf Club, finished runner-up after being defeated in the playoff. He shot a final round 2-over 73 that included five birdies. Ultimately, a quadruple bogey on the par-3 eleventh hole proved to be costly.

Three players finished in a tie for third at even-par for the championship. Past champion Mike Booker of Houston, Amarillo’s Kyle Kelting, and New Braunfels’ Terrence Miskell all put together valiant efforts on Sunday but came up just short.

The Texas Golf Association would like to extend a big thank you to the Champions Golf Club staff and their wonderful members for being gracious hosts leading up to and during this year’s 85th Texas Senior Amateur.

Champions Golf Club was founded in 1957 by World Golf Hall of Fame members Jack Burke Jr. and the late Jimmy Demaret. Located approximately 20 miles northwest of downtown Houston, Champions features 36 holes that weave through a rolling landscape of tall pine trees, creeks, and waterways. Designed by Ralph Plummer, the Cypress Creek Course opened in 1959, followed by the Jackrabbit Course designed by George Fazio, which opened in 1964 and is the course that was used for this week’s Championship. Tom Fazio, George’s nephew, supervised a renovation of the Jackrabbit Course in 2002. Chet Williams led a renovation of the Cypress Creek Course in 2018.

For more information on the 85th Texas Senior Amateur, click here.