Hollis Sullivan wins Texas Super Senior Amateur; John Grace claims Legends Division

Hollis Sullivan wins Texas Super Senior Amateur; John Grace claims Legends Division

SUGAR LAND — Hollis Sullivan was able to overcome a five-stroke deficit heading into the final round of the Texas Super Senior Amateur to force a playoff and claim the championship. In the Legends Division, John Grace finished off his wire-to-wire win carding the lowest 54-hole total for a Legend player in Super Senior Amateur history at 216.

Leaderboard

Leaders: Sullivan, of Westworth Village, used a sensational final round to make his way up the leaderboard and claim the Super Senior Amateur in a playoff.  Sitting tied for 5^th heading into the final round after shooting 75-76 Sullivan needed to go low in the final round in order to give himself a chance at the championship.  Sullivan did just that; carding two birdies on the front nine and headed into his final nine at 1-under.  Sullivan made the turn inside the top three when the field around him started to slip.  Sullivan headed into hole 18 at 6-over while then leader David Leiss finished hole 16 three strokes ahead.  On hole 18, a 483-yard par 5, Sullivan needed at least a birdie to give himself a chance and went for the green in two leaving him twenty-five feet for eagle.  Sullivan stepped up and nailed the putt to finish his round at 3-under par 69 and 4-over par 220 for the tournament.  Leiss would then bogey hole 17 and then on hole 18 had to make a four-foot tester for par to force a playoff.  Sullivan and Leiss would move to a playoff on the hole Sullivan just eagled.  Sullivan hit his tee shot first and landed in the right fairway bunker, Leiss then stepped up and hit his drive into the water on the left side of hole 18.  Sullivan would hit wedge out of the bunker into the fairway, Sullivans next shot into the green left him 9 feet for birdie and two putts for the win.  Sullivan would make a par and claim the Texas Super Senior Amateur.  This is Hollis Sullivans first individual Texas Golf Association state championship.

John Grace, of Fort Worth, added to his already stellar Texas Golf Hall of Fame resume with the greatest Legends Division performance the Texas Super Senior Amateur has seen in its nine-year existence.  Grace opened up the week shooting an ever-par 72 that included five birdies on the card.  He would follow up his first round by carding another 72 in round two.  Grace would open the final round of play in the Legends Division with an eight-stroke lead over the field.  Grace’s play in the final round put a stamp on a phenomenal week for the multi-time Texas Golf Association state champion, shooting a third consecutive round of even par that included one birdie on hole 16.  This is Grace first win in the Legends Division at the Super Senior Amateur.  This is Grace 9^th individual Texas Golf Association State Championship.  He adds a Legends Division title to a crowded trophy shelf that includes the Texas Amateur, four Texas Mid-Amateurs, the Texas Senior Amateur, and the inaugural Texas Super Senior Amateur in 2015 at Fair Oaks Ranch.  Both Grace and Sullivan share a home club, Shady Oaks Country Club in Westworth Village a suburb of Fort Worth.

Top Finishers: In the Super Senior Division, David Leiss finished solo second after a final round 73 before falling short on the first playoff hole 18 to Sullivan.  Leiss spent most of the day as the leader until an untimely bogey on hole 17 opened the window for Sullivan. David Pocknall of San Marcos and Bobby Baugh of San Antonio finished tied for third after shooting 224 overall for the tournament.  Gary Durbin and 36-hole leader Jeff Kramer rounded out the top five of the Super Seniors at 226.

Adrian Walmsley of Dallas was recognized as the low net player of the Super Senior Division.

In the Legends Division, Bill Holstead of Wichita Falls finished runner-up to Grace after three rounds of 75-77-73-231.  Gary Kirwan of McKinney finished solo third place in the Legends Division at an overall 231.

Jay Trahan of Montgomery was recognized as the low net player of the Legends Division.

The 2024 Texas Super Senior Amateur saw two players hit a hole-in-one during the tournament.  During the first round Dave Moore of San Antonio carded a hole-in-one of the par three 17^th hole playing at 129 yards with his 9 iron.  The following day the soon to be Texas Super Senior Amateur Champion Hollis Sullivan hit a hole-in-one on hole 7 from 169 yards out with his 6 iron.  Hole 7 statistically played as the hardest hole on the golf course during the second round.

Course: Founded in 1957, River Bend Country Club is one of the Greater Houston area’s most acclaimed member owned country clubs. River Bend Country Club holds rich history that includes the club record once being held by Ben Hogan.   River Bend was designed by Press Maxwell Jr. who has had a hand in designing and renovating other famous courses throughout the United States like Prairie Dunes Country Club in Kansas, a course which his father originally designed.  In 2010 Jeff Blume added to the prestige of the club during a $1.4 million dollar renovation adding rolling fairways, extra bunkers, and changing some green complexes and installing Bermuda grass to the greens.  Blume again added to the course with an additional bunker renovation in 2019.

Today’s Super Senior Division was contested at 6,178 yards while the Legends Division played at 5,720 yards for the first round.

Tournament History: First played in 2015, the Texas Super Senior features two age divisions: 65 and older (Super Senior) and 75 and older (Legends). Entries are open to male amateur golfers who meet the age requirements by the first round of tournament play and have a certified Handicap Index® of 12.4 or less (16.4 or less for Legends) issued through a TGA Member Club.

The format for the championship, is 54 holes of individual stroke play with no cut. Each age division competes from different tees and yardages, with a separate champion recognized. Prizes are also awarded to low Net scores in both Super Senior and Legends Divisions.

POY Points Race: By winning, Sullivan was awarded 1,000 points towards Texas Super Senior Player of the Year standings. Leiss received 750 for his runner-up performance. Pocknall and Baugh each earned 625 in a tie for third place. Durbin and Kramer received 575 for their tie for fifth.  A complete breakdown of the Texas Super Senior Player of the Year, including points allocation, can be found here.

What’s Next: The next event on the Texas Golf Association men’s calendar is the 115^th Texas Amateur to be played June 13-16 at Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas.  The next event on the men’s calendar that includes the Super Senior division will be the 96^th West Texas Amateur at Quicksand Golf Club in San Angelo on July 19-21.

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 Super Senior, click here.

Kramer, Grace Lead After Second Round of Super Senior Amateur

SUGAR LAND — Jeff Kramer of The Woodlands took the lead in the Texas Super Senior Amateur after a second round 72. In the Legends Division, Fort Worths’ John Grace extended his lead to eight shots following another round of even par.

Leaderboard

Leaders: Kramer followed up his first round 74 with another round of steady golf carding even-par 72 that included three birdies to sit at 146 overall through two rounds.  Kramer opened his round with a clean scorecard on the front nine that featured birdies on holes 1 and 4.  Kramer continued his solid play with a par and birdie on his first two holes on the back nine.  Kramer would finish the back nine 2-over after a bogey on hole 12 and a double bogey on hole 16.  He will head into the final round of the Super Senior Amateur just one stroke ahead of the field.  Grace began his second round with extremely steady play, carding a par on the first seven holes.  His clean card would not last the entire nine however when he slipped up with a bogey on hole 8.  Grace’s back nine started and ended on a high note carding birdies on 10 and 18.  Just like the first round Grace was able to keep a cool head following a bad hole.  After a bogey on hole 14 he immediately followed it up with a birdie on 15.  Another bogey on 16 was answered with the forementioned birdie on 18.  Grace sits at even par 144 the lowest two round total in the Legends Division in Super Senior Amateur history.  He will look to hold onto a sizeable lead heading into the final round.

In Contention: In the Super Senior Division, David Leiss of Houston sits one back of Kramer after a second round 70 that included five birdies.  First round leader Bill Ashley slipped down to solo third after a second round 6-over 78.  Bobby Baugh of San Antonio sits in fourth place at 150 overall.  Tied for fifth are Dick Stone of Bullard and Hollis Sullivan of Westworth Village at 151.

In the Legends Division, Bill Holstead of Wichita Falls remained solo second after an impressive 3-over-par 75 that included birdies on holes 16 and 18.  Holstead sits at 152 overall after the second round.  In third place is Dallas’ Dan Nicholson who also shot 3-over during the second round and is now at 156 for the tournament.  Rounding out the top five of the Legends Division are Gary Kirwan of McKinney in fourth place at 157 and Jay Trahan of Montgomery in fifth at 161.

Course: Founded in 1957, River Bend Country Club is one of the Greater Houston area’s most acclaimed member owned country clubs. River Bend Country Club holds rich history that includes the club record once being held by Ben Hogan.   River Bend was designed by Press Maxwell Jr. who has had a hand in designing and renovating other famous courses throughout the United States like Prairie Dunes Country Club in Kansas, a course which his father originally designed.  In 2010 Jeff Blume added to the prestige of the club during a $1.4 million dollar renovation adding rolling fairways, extra bunkers, and changing some green complexes and installing Bermuda grass to the greens.  Blume again added to the course with an additional bunker renovation in 2019.

Today’s Super Senior Division was contested at 6,210 yards while the Legends Division played at 5,805 yards for the second round.

Tournament History: First played in 2015, the Texas Super Senior features two age divisions: 65 and older (Super Senior) and 75 and older (Legends). Entries are open to male amateur golfers who meet the age requirements by the first round of tournament play and have a certified Handicap Index® of 12.4 or less (16.4 or less for Legends) issued through a TGA Member Club.

The format for the championship, is 54 holes of individual stroke play with no cut. Each age division competes from different tees and yardages, with a separate champion recognized. Prizes are also awarded to low Net scores in both Super Senior and Legends Divisions.

POY Points Race: Super Senior Player of the Year points will be awarded to the Top 20 finishers of Texas Super Senior. The champions will each get 1,000 points towards the statewide honor, followed by 750 for runner-up; 650 for third; 600 for fourth; and 550 for fifth. A complete breakdown of the Texas Super Senior Player of the Year, including points allocation, can be found here.

What’s Next: The final round of the Texas Super Senior will begin at 8:30 a.m. off holes No. 1 and No. 10 at Riverbend Country Club. The leaders of the Super Senior going last off hole No. 1 and the leaders of the Legends going last off hole No. 10.

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 Super Senior, click here.

Ashley, Grace Lead After Round 1 of Super Senior Amateur

SUGAR LAND — Bill Ashley of Levelland posted an opening round 1-under par 71 to lead the Texas Super Senior Amateur. Fort Worths’ John Grace holds a five-shot lead after a stellar round of even par 72 in the Legends Division after 18-holes.

Leaderboard

Leaders: Ashley made four birdies to three bogeys in his opening round to lead by three strokes in the Super Senior Division. Ashleys goal heading into round one was to “start and finish the round with the same golf ball”, a goal he was able to accomplish. Grace positioned himself a top the Legends Division leaderboard quickly after three birdies on holes 14, 16, and 17 in his first nine holes. Grace would shoot two-over-par 38 on his final nine holes but will still head into the second round with a sizable lead.

In Contention: In the Super Senior Division, Jeff Kramer holds solo second place after a two-over-par 74. Dick Stone of Bullard, Sam Manning of Dallas, and Hollis Sullivan of Westworth Village sit tied for third place heading into the second round after each shooting 75. In the Legends Division, Bill Holstead, of Wichita Falls, is alone in second place at five-over par 77. Dan Nicholson of Dallas and Jay Trahan of Montgomery round out the top three after both shooting nine-over-par 81.

Course: Founded in 1957, Riverbend Country Club is one of the Greater Houston area’s most acclaimed member owned country clubs. Riverbend Country Club holds a rich history that includes the club record once being held by World Golf Hall of Famer Ben Hogan. Riverbend was designed by Press Maxwell Jr. architect of other famous courses throughout the United States like Prairie Dunes Country Club in Kansas. In 2010 Jeff Blume added to the prestige of the club during a $1.4 million dollar renovation adding rolling fairways, extra bunkers, and changing some green complexes and installing Bermuda grass to the greens. Blume again added to the course with an additional bunker renovation in 2019.

Today’s Super Senior Division was contested at 6,372 yards while the Legends Division played at 5,937 yards for the first round.

Tournament History: First played in 2015, the Texas Super Senior features two age divisions: 65 and older (Super Senior) and 75 and older (Legends). Entries are open to male amateur golfers who meet the age requirements by the first round of tournament play and have a certified Handicap Index® of 12.4 or less (16.4 or less for Legends) issued through a TGA Member Club.

The format for the championship, is 54 holes of individual stroke play with no cut. Each age division competes from different tees and yardages, with a separate champion recognized. Prizes are also awarded to low net scores in both Super Senior and Legends Divisions.

POY Points Race: Super Senior Player of the Year points will be awarded to the top twenty (20) finishers of Texas Super Senior. The champions will each get 1000 points towards the statewide honor followed by 750 for runner-up, 650 for third, 600 for fourth and 550 for fifth. A complete breakdown of the Texas Super Senior Player of the Year, including points allocation, can be found here.

What’s Next: The second round of the Texas Super Senior will tee off at 8:30AM off holes #1 and #10 at Riverbend Country Club. Following the second round the field will be repaired based on scores with the leaders of the Super Senior going last off hole #1 and the leaders of the Legends going last off hole #10.

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 Super Senior Amateur, click here.

Randall Conn Wins North Senior Amateur; Tom Takes Claims Super Senior Division

Briefly: Trophy Club’s Randall Conn wins the North Senior Amateur title with a final round 72 to finish at five-over-par 145 for the tournament, to claim the win over the field by five strokes.  This is Conn’s first Texas Golf Association championship.

Tom Takes of Weatherford, claimed the Super Senior Division at 7-over-par 147, a one shot victory over second place Sam Manning of Dallas.  This is Takes first Texas Golf Association victory as well.

Final Results

Golf Course: This is the third Texas Golf Association regional championship at Walnut Creek Country Club. Most recently they hosted the 2019 North Four-Ball, won by Jason Schultz and Dru Fenimore. Located in Mansfield approximately 30 miles southwest of downtown Dallas, Walnut Creek Country Club opened in 1974 and was designed by Don January and Bill Martindale.  Walnut Creek Country Club has been rated as one of the best clubs in the DFW area by Avid Golfer every year since 2020.

Weather: Tuesday’s opening round of the North Senior Amateur presented an extreme challenge to the players with overcast skies and strong winds out of the northwest blowing at 25-30 mph all day with gusts up to 40 mph. Tuesday’s high reached into the upper 60s. Wednesday welcomed the players with slightly better conditions, the wind continued to blow out of the northwest at about 8-10 mph and gusts up to 20 mph. The final round temperature reached the low 70s.

Top Finishers: Conn fired a very impressive three-over-par 73 in the first round of the North Senior amateur in brutal conditions with wind gusts reaching upwards of 40 mph.  Conn recorded one birdie during his first round on the par 3 fourth hole.  Conn shot 72 in the final round, running away from the rest of the field by taking advantage of much better playing conditions.  Conn put a stamp on his victory with an eagle on hole 18.

Tim Mauser, of Aledo, fired rounds of 74-75-150.  Mauser entered the final round one back of Conn after the tough first round playing conditions and started strong with a birdie on the first hole of the final round but Conns stellar play was enough to pull away from the field. 2022 and 2023 North Senior Amateur Champions Neal Barfield of Dallas and Jon Schaefer of Plano finished in a tie for third place after round of 79-72-151 and 76-75-151, respectively.  Rounding out the top five were David Johnson of Trophy Club and Lee Sandlin of Dallas who both finished at twelve-over-par for the tournament.

Super Senior Division: Takes played consistent golf over the two days with rounds of 74-73-147 to claim the Super Senior Division of the North Senior Amateur by one stroke over Sam Manning.  Takes and Manning were neck and neck throughout the entire final round with Manning firing four birdies to make a strong run at Takes.  However, it would end up being a par on hole 16 that would be the deciding factor in Takes’ win as Manning finished bogey, bogey, birdie versus Takes par-bogey-birdie. Finishing in third place Michael Puls of Irving, shot 76-74-150.  Gary Kirwan of McKinney and Russell Cox of Woodway rounded out the top five with tournament totals of 152 and 153.

Player of the Year: Senior and Super Senior Player of the Year points will be awarded to the top finishers at the 2024 North Senior Amateur. The winning player in each division will receive 500 points, followed by 400 for second, 300 for third, 200 for fourth, and 100 for fifth. For Senior and Super Senior POY information, click here and here.

 What’s Next: The next event in the Regional Series will be the 96^th West Texas Amateur at Quicksand Golf Course in San Angelo. Registration will open to players from all over Texas on May 22^nd and the event will have three divisions – Open, Senior, and Super Senior. The final event in the North Regional Series will be the North Amateur held at Tempest Golf Club in Gladewater, TX. Registration for the North Amateur will open on June 12^th.

More Info: The Texas Golf Association extends its sincere appreciation to the staff, members of Walnut Creek Country Club, and our volunteers for their integral part in making the North Senior Amateur a memorable and successful event. For more information on the North Senior Amateur, click here.

Parmar and Loya win Alamo Shootout

Universal City  – Shiv Parmar of Selma cards a final round of 3-under 68 to win the Boys Division of the Alamo Shootout at 9-under 133 at Olympia Hills Golf and Event Center. Marissa Loya of San Antonio wins the Girls Division carding a final round 2-over 73 for a two-day total 3-over 145.

Full Leaderboard

Champions: Shiv Parmar of Selma continued his stellar play at the Alamo Shootout, after carding a first round 65, Parmar followed it with a final round 68 to finish at 9-under 133. Parmar’s final round was highlighted by a back nine that clinched the championship carding birdies on five of the nine holes.  Parmar, a host club member, noted that practicing on the Olympia Hills greens weekly definitely helped him in securing the victory.  Parmar birdied fifteen of thirty-six holes on the weekend. In the Girls Division, San Antonio’s Marissa Loya overcame a two-shot deficit coming into the final round to claim the championship.  Loya used five birdies and consistent play over the final eighteen holes to shoot 2-over 73 and win the division by five shots.

Top Finishers: Austin’s Sterling Hurd finishes second at 7-under 135. Hurd entered the final round tied with Parmar at 6-under.  Hurd’s final round front nine saw three bogeys, however like Parmar he turned his game up for the final nine holes.  Hurd eagled the par five seventeenth hole to put extra pressure on Parmar, but the comeback fell just short. Selma’s Aadi Parmar, young brother of Shiv, rounded out the Boys Division top three finishers carding rounds of 68-72-140 for the event. In the Girls Division, San Antonio’s Danielle Bailey finished in second five shots behind Loya after rounds of 73-77-150. Lindsay Kneer leader after round one carded a final round 83 to finish the Alamo Shootout at 153.

Event Format: The Alamo Shootout is a 36-hole stroke play event with players competing in two divisions: Boys 12-18 and Girls 12-18. The field was selected based on the order of player signups.

Weather: Morning temperatures were in the low to mid 40’s and climbed to the high-50’s in the afternoon. The wind was much more a factor for the final round with gusts up to 25 mph by the afternoon. Skies were partly cloudy throughout the day.

Golf Course: Designed by Finger, Dye, Spann Group and opened in 2000, Olympia Hills Golf & Event Center is a premier 18 hole golf and event center located in the heart of Hill Country, Olympia Hills features Bermuda grass and some incredible elevation changes.  Olympia Hills is most known for its massive live oaks that are seen throughout the golf course.  The Boy’s Division played from approximately 6,636 yards and the Girl’s Division played from 5,729 yards.

What’s next: The LJT starts the 2024 golf season on January 20-21 with the Winter Classic at The Wilderness Golf Club in Lake Jackson, TX.

For more information on the Alamo Shootout, click here.

Parmar, Hurd, and Kneer Lead at Alamo Shootout

Universal City – Shiv Parmar of Selma and Sterling Hurd of Austin both fired an impressive 6-under 65 at Olympia Hills Golf & Event Center to lead the Boys Division of the Alamo Shootout after the first round. Lindsay Kneer of Round Rock shot a 1-under 70 to take a two stroke lead in the Girls Division heading into the final round.

Leaderboard:

Full Leaderboard

Leaders: Sterling Hurd, class of 2026, carded seven birdies and one eagle on the day and was bogey free through his first 13 holes.  Shiv Parmar, also in the class of 2026, spent most of the day chasing Hurd on the leaderboard but his nine birdies ended up being enough to enter tomorrow’s final round in a share of the lead.  In the Girls Division, Lindsay Kneer finished with a two-stroke lead over second place. Kneer carded three birdies on the day on holes #2, #13, & #15.

In Contention: Trailing Parmar and Hurd by one stroke in the Boys Division is Austin’s Yi Wen Huang. Huang carded six birdies in the first round to only one bogey.  In a three-way tie for fourth heading into the final round are Daniel Ferguson of Duncanville, Aadi Parmar of Selma, and Cameron Villareal of San Antonio. In the Girls Division, Marissa Loya of San Antonio sits two strokes off the lead after posting a 1-over 72.  Three players are tied for third place in the Girls Division at 2-over 73 after the first round.

Event Format: The Alamo Shootout is a 36-hole stroke play event with players competing in two divisions: Boys 12-18 and Girls 12-18. The field was selected based on the order of player registration.

Weather: Temperatures started in the low-60’s in the morning with a misting rainfall through the first half an hour of tee times, once the rain passed temperatures rose to the high 70s. Players faced three to seven mile per hour winds out of the southwest.

Golf Course: Designed by Finger, Dye, Spann Group and opened in 2000, Olympia Hills Golf & Event Center is a premier 18 hole golf and event center located in the heart of Hill Country, Olympia Hills features Bermuda grass and some incredible elevation changes.  Olympia Hills is most known for its massive live oaks that are seen throughout the golf course.

What’s next: The Final Round of the Alamo Shootout is scheduled to begin at 8:00 AM on Sunday the No. 1 & 10 tees. At the conclusion of play on Sunday, the top finishers will be awarded.

For more information on the Alamo Shootout, click here.

Condon, Tyner win at Tournament of Champions

Briefly: Luke Condon of Kaufman fired rounds of 70-68 for a total 138, four-under-par to capture the Tournament of Champions Open Division,  Trey Tyner of Kerville ran away from the competition to capture the Senior Division title at the Tournament of Champions with the only two rounds under par 70-70-140.

Final Results

Golf Course: Champions Golf Club was created and opened by World Golf Hall of Famers and Masters Champions Jack Burke Jr. and Jimmy Demeret.  Opened in 1956 the Cypress Creek designed by famed golf course architect Ralph Plummer.  The Jackrabbit course followed closely behind, opened in 1959 and designed by George Fazio and renovated in 2002 by Tom Fazio.  Champions Golf Club has hosted some of golfs biggest events including the Ryder Cup, U.S. Open and Women’s Open, the U.S. Amateur, and many more.

Weather: Saturday’s first round saw players tee off at a temperature of 98 degrees, temperatures reached up to 104 degrees, humidity was at 37%.  Sunday’s final round was equally hot with the temperature again reaching 103 degrees.

Top Finishers: Luke Condon, Open Division champion, qualified for the Tournament of Champions through the Medalist North Series in 2023, came into the final round tied with three other players after Saturdays’ first round play on Champions Golf Clubs Jackrabbit course.  Condons first round consisted of four birdies and three bogeys.  Condon said of the Jackrabbit course “the course is sneaky hard, you don’t have to hit a bad shot and you can still get penalized.”  His second round on the Cypress Creek course saw him shoot the second lowest score of the day three-under-par 68 which was just enough to claim the championship.  Condon shot a tournament high six birdies on Cypress Creek including hole 17 which would be the deciding birdie in the Tournament of Champions.

Trey Tyner, qualified for the Tournament of Champions through the Medalist Hill Country in 2023, used a stellar first round on Jackrabbit to put distance between himself and the other senior division competitors.  Tyner fired the only round under par for the Senior Division in the tournament and he did so on both Jackrabbit and Cypress Creek.  Tyner only carded bogey or worse on two holes for the entire tournament, finishing with five birdies across both courses.

Finishing in second place in the Open Division was Conroe’s Clay Fullick.  Fullick entered the final round two shots behind the leaders after a one-over-par 72. Fullick used the lowest round of the tournament to make a furious run at the championship shooting 67 in the final round and going three-under-par for his final nine holes.  His comeback attempt would fall one stroke short after Condon made birdie on 17 to move to four-under-par for the championship.  Tied for third place for the tournament Joey Gullion and Carson Cooper both from Spring.  Gullion and Cooper were both co-leaders after round one firing one-under-par 70 on Jackrabbit.  Gullion and Cooper then fired the same score on Cypress Creek two-over-par 73.

Finishing second in the Senior Division Steven Trafton of Jonestown, Trafton fired rounds of 76-77 for a total 153 for the Tournament.  Rounding out the top three in the Senior Division were Duncan Burch of Marble Falls and John Vidales of Deer Park who both shot 155 for the event.

Medalist POY: The 2023 Medalist Season has officially concluded, to view final player of the year point standings click here.

What’s Next: With the conclusion of the TGA Regional series and Tournament of Champions, next on the state championship schedule is the Texas Four-Ball.  The Four-Ball will be contested August 18-20 at Pinecrest Country Club in Longview. Texas Mid-Amateur qualifying is underway for the TGA with sites scattered across the state for the next two months. The 40^th Texas Mid-Amateur will be hosted by Midland Country Club September 29-October 1.

More Info: The Texas Golf Association extends its sincere appreciation to the staff, members of Champions Golf Club their time and effort made the Tournament of Champions a memorable and successful event. For more information on the Tournament of Champions, click here.

Andrew Chow wins North Amateur

Briefly: Andrew Chow of Coppell overcame a one-shot deficit heading into the final round of the North-Amateur to win by one stroke. Chow a member of the University of Texas at Dallas golf team used consistent play over three days at Thorntree to finish the championship at seven-under par 209, all while competing in temperatures that cleared 103 degrees all three days of the tournament. This is Chow’s first victory with the Texas Golf Association.

Final Results

Golf Course: Thorntree Golf Club was built in 1983 by the Richard Mai Family. For five years, it played host to the Byron Nelson qualifying tournament, PGA Tour stage qualifying, and sectional qualifying for the Texas State Open. Rated as one of the toughest courses in the Dallas/Fort Worth area by the Dallas Business Journal, this challenging course provides a test for any competitive golfer.

Weather: First, second, and the final round began with players teeing off with temperatures in the low 90’s.  Afternoon temperatures peaked at 104 degrees all three days.  All three days the skies were clear.

Top Finishers: Chow posted rounds of 68-69-72 over his three days which included a birdies on the 8^th and 9^th holes to secure his even par finish in the final round.  Chow began the day seven-under par, one shot back of the round two leaders.  Chow’s second round included six birdies including a string of three straight on holes two, three, and four. Chows final round even par 72 was enough to secure the victory as his final group competitors both shot over par for the final round.

Finishing in second place was Wylie’s Brandon Shong.  Shong entered the final round in a tie for the lead after two stellar round of 69-67, however a quadruple bogey on the sixth hole of the final round proved too much to overcome.  Shong would finish the tournament one shot back of Chow at six-under par 210. In third place for the tournament Justin Bates of Highland Village.  Bates fired rounds of 71-71-70 to finish four-under par.  Rounding out the top five were Texas Tech University commit Ben Gregg of Dallas, TX who used a final round 68 to vault into the top five for the tournament finishing at three-under par.  Daniel Moon of Temple, Alex Huang of Plano, and Gant Bills of Plano all finished tied for 5^th place at two-under par 214.  Bills entered the final round tied for the lead however a final round 78 did not secure a victory.

Regional POY: North Player of the Year points will be awarded to the top 30 finishers at the 2023 North Amateur with the champion will receive 1,000 points. For Regional POY information, click here.

What’s Next: With the conclusion of the 2023 TGA Regional Series, next on the state championship schedule is the Texas Four-Ball. Registration for the Four-Ball will close on August 9 at 5:00 pm, the Four-Ball will be contested August 18-20 at Pinecrest Country Club in Longview. Texas Mid-Amateur qualifying is underway for the TGA with sites scattered across the state for the next two months. The 40^th Texas Mid-Amateur will be hosted by Midland Country Club September 29-October 1.

More Info: The Texas Golf Association extends its sincere appreciation to the staff, members of Thorntree Golf Club, and our volunteers for their integral part in making the North Amateur a memorable and successful event. For more information on the North Amateur, click here.

Adams, Eng, and Hopton-Jones win at the 95th West Amateur

Abilene – Will Adams of Odessa runs away from the field and wins the 95^th West Texas Amateur at Diamondback National Golf Club with an overall score of 19-under, 194. Kelly Eng of Austin captures the Senior Division at 3-under in a playoff, while Doug Hopton-Jones of Mansfield wins the Super Senior Division in a playoff at 1-under.

Full Leaderboard 

Leaders: Will Adams goes wire to wire to claim his first West Texas Amateur championship.  The West Texas native from Odessa fired three stellar rounds of 63-64-67.  Adams finished round one with a three-shot lead on the field and never looked back.  He began his tournament with 5 straight birdies and an eagle and carded a bogey-free 64 in round two. This is Adams’s second Texas Golf Association championship win after claiming the 2019 North Amateur championship at The Courses at Watters Creek. Kelly Eng captured the Senior Division after shooting even par 71 on Sunday. His 210 total put him into a playoff where he won on the first hole. Doug Hopton-Jones of Mansfield won the Super Senior Division after 72-68-72 for a tournament total of 212 one-under-par.  Hopton-Jones won with a par on the first playoff hole, #10, against Mike Peck of Irving.  Hopton-Jones claims his third West Texas Super Senior Championship in the last five years after back-to-back wins in 2019 and 2020 at Midland Country Club and Bentwood Country Club.  Hopton-Jones adds to his West Texas Amateur Championship legacy after also claiming the championship division in 2002. Hopton-Jones pulled himself into contention with a three-under-par 68 in the second round and his par-par finish on holes eight and nine were enough to force the playoff.

Top Finishers: Davis Seybert of Midland finished runner-up in the Championship Division after shooting rounds of 68-71-64. Tied for third was Austins Jake Sitterle, Wheelers Gaitlin Goad, and Fulshears Colt Tenpenney. Jake Leatherwood of Snyder. And Scott Roden of Dallas finish in a tie for sixth. Rounding out the top ten in the champions division are Lubbock’s Jackson Drake and Austins Andrew Grice with a total of 208. In the Senior division, Houston’s Mike Booker finishes in second after a playoff with Eng. Burleson’s Lewis Stephenson and Kingwoods Jeff Bellnap finish tied for third at a total of 212. New Braunfels Terrance Miskell finished in solo fifth while John Pierce of San Antonio finished right behind him in sixth. Fort Worths Vern Spurlock, The Woodlands Ron Byrd and Austins John McClure all finished tied for seventh with a total of 215. Finishing out the top ten were Joe Sconiers, Donald Oconnor, John Stollenwreck, Rick Houston, and Chris Hartenstein all with a total of 216. In the Super Senior Division, Irving’s Mike Peck finished second, losing in the first playoff hole after firing rounds of 71-68-73 for a one-under-par 212. Gary Tully of Woodway rounds out the top three at 3-over-par 216.  Bobby J Haney of New Braunfels and Lee Sandlin of Dallas finished fourth at four-over-par 217.

Golf Course:  An 18-hole championship golf course developed by Lytle Creek Golf Links, a company headed by Abilene resident and 1971 Masters Champion Charles Coody. Mr. Coody, Williams, Gill, and Associates designed the par 71, 7,000-yard course, which opened in November of 1999 and features bent-grass greens and hybrid Bermuda grass fairways, roughs, and tees. Lytle Creek runs throughout the site and comes into play on seven of the holes. Additional lakes were also built on the site. Naturally occurring rock outcroppings on the site and native vegetation in the rough provide the course with unique character. 

Weather: Temperatures started in the mid-70s in the morning and crept up to the high 90s in the afternoon. There was no wind in the morning, but a slight breeze picked up in the afternoon with clear blue skies in Abilene.

Tournament History: Adams joins some amazing past champions such as Charles Coody, Billy Maxwell, Bob Estes, and Alex Moon. This year’s event saw more than 300 signups and the 144-player field was cut to 73 players after Saturday’s second round.

TGA Player of the Year: Points were awarded to the top 20 finishers for the West Texas Amateur in the Men’s Regional Points Race. The champion got 1,000 points toward the statewide honor followed by 800 for runner-up, 700 for third, 650 for fourth, and 600 for fifth. To see the complete breakdown of points available, click here.

TGA Regional Series: The TGA Regional Series is made up of four events for each region of North and South Texas. There is a Regional Four-Ball, Mid-Amateur, Senior Amateur, and Amateur for both the North and South. The West Texas Amateur also serves as an event in the Regional Series and is open to any players in the state of Texas that meet eligibility.

What’s Next: The Texas Golf Association heads to Azle, TX as the Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play takes place at Cross Timbers Golf Course. 84 of the state’s top Mid-Amateurs will duel it out starting Thursday, July 27.

For more information on the West Texas Amateur, click here.

Adams builds lead at West Texas Amateur

Abilene – Will Adams builds on his lead in the second round finishing with a seven-under 64.  Chris Hartenstein leads the Senior Division at 4-under, while Mike Peck leads the Super Senior Division at 3-under.

Full Leaderboard 

Leaders: Will Adams maintains his lead in the Championship Division after his seven-under-par 64 on Saturday. He grows his lead after finishing bogey free in round two, carding three birdies on the front nine and four on the back nine.  Adams heads into the final round fifteen-under-par with an eight stroke lead on the next closest competitor. Adams, a product of West Texas playing for Odessa College in 2021 is looking to claim his first victory in the West Texas Amateur and his first TGA victory since the North Amateur in 2019. Chris Hartenstein of Austin is leading the Senior division by one stroke heading into the final round. Hartenstein fought for every hole in the second round today, putting up four birdies to finish with a one-over-par 72, Hartenstein is seeking his first West Texas Amateur Senior Division win. Mike Peck of Irving showed off his toughness and worked his way into the lead heading into the final round. Finishing with 68, Peck carded four birdies to only one bogey and went bogey-free on the back nine to claim the lead after 36 holes. Peck is in a familiar position as he held the 36 hole lead in 2022 before going on to win the Super Senior Division at Odessa Country Club (Old Course) last year.

In Contention: Trailing Adams in the Championship Division is Colt Tenpenny at seven-under-par. Scott Roden of Dallas is in third at six-under-par. Wheelers Gatlin Goad, San Antonios Patrick Kahanek, Celinas Rob Couture, and Snyders Jake Leatherwood share fourth place at five-under-par.

In the Senior Division, Kelly Eng of Austin and Mike Booker of Houston are tied for second at three-under-par. Booker and Kelly are the past two champions of the West Texas Amateur Senior Division and both look to take home the title again. Rick Houston of Midland and Ron Byrd of The Woodlands are tied for fourth at two-under-par.

In the Super Senior Division, Mansfield’s Doug Hopton-Jones trails Peck at two under, while Lee Sandlin of Dallas sits in third at even-par. Super Senior Division 18 hole leader Bobby J Haney of New Braunfels heads into the final round in fourth at one-over-par.

Golf Course:  An 18-hole championship golf course developed by Lytle Creek Golf Links, a company headed by Abilene resident and 1971 Masters Champion Charles Coody. Mr. Coody, Williams, Gill, and Associates designed the par 71, 7,000-yard course, which opened in November of 1999 and features bent-grass greens and hybrid Bermuda grass fairways, roughs, and tees. Lytle Creek runs throughout the site and comes into play on seven of the holes. Additional lakes were also built on the site. Naturally occurring rock outcroppings on the site and native vegetation in the rough provide the course with unique character. 

Weather: Temperatures started in the low 80s in the morning. Temperatures rose to the high 90s in the afternoon with some light humidity. There was a calm breeze around 5-10 miles per hour throughout the day with cloud cover moving in and out of Abilene.

Tournament History: The West Texas Amateur is a 144-player tournament across three divisions. This Regional Event is open to all residents of Texas and has boasted some amazing past champions such as Charles Coody, Billy Maxwell, Bob Estes, and Alex Moon. This year’s event saw more than 300 signups.

TGA Regional Series: The TGA Regional Series is made up of four events for each region of North and South Texas. There is a Regional Four-Ball, Mid-Amateur, Senior Amateur, and Amateur for both the North and South. The West Texas Amateur also serves as an event in the Regional Series and is open to any players in the state of Texas that meet eligibility.

What’s Next: The Divisions were all cut in half following the second round and the Final Round is scheduled to begin at 7:30 am off the No. 1 and 10 tees. The Championship Division will tee off No. 1, while the Super Senior and Senior Divisions will tee off the No. 10 tee. A champion will be crowned on Sunday and cement his legacy in West Texas Amateur history.

For more information on the West Texas Amateur, click here.