North Team Wins Texas Shootout

BRIEFLY: The North Team, captained by Mike Peck, wins the Texas Shootout at historic Galveston Country Club. After splitting Sunday’s single matches 18-18 with the South Team, the North Team wins 42.5-29.5.

 

TEAMS POINT SUMMARY

                              Foursomes          Four-Ball             Singles                 Total

North Team       10                            14.5                     18                       42.5

South Team        8                               3.5                       18                       29.5

 

GOLF COURSE: Founded in 1898, Galveston Country Club is situated on the shores of Lake Como, between West Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Originally located in an area called the Denver Resurvey, the club relocated three times in the early 1900s before settling into its present address on Stewart Road in 1946. Texas Golf Hall of Fame member Ralph Plummer designed the 18-hole course, which opened for play in the fall of 1947. The course was razed and rebuilt in 1961 after Hurricane Carla, and Carlton Gipson re-surfaced the greens in 1990. The architectural team of Peter Jacobson and Jim Hardy supervised an extensive course renovation project in 2003.

 

The creative par-72 layout weaves through a scenic landscape of native grassy areas, marshes, inlets, and stately palm trees. Measuring just over 6,500 yards from the back tees, the course is not long but it packs a punch of a different kind with narrow fairways, lighting-fast greens, numerous bunkers and penalty areas, and an ever-present gulf breeze that can make scoring well a difficult task.

 

WEATHER: Sunday’s weather was perfect for tournament golf with the temperature reaching a high of 75 degrees and minimal wind gusts up to 12 mph.

 

SUNDAY SINGLES MATCHES: Needing only 12 points to win, the North Team continued their strong play into Sunday morning’s singles matches. The North team secured 18 points during Sunday’s singles session to win the Texas Shootout.

 

MORE INFO: The Texas Shootout started in 2003 and quickly became a favorite on the TGA Schedule. The match play event wraps up the 2023 men’s championship season. Please visit www.TXGA.org for more information on the Texas Shootout.

 

Texas Shootout Leaderboard

Terrin Anderson Wins the South Amateur

Briefly: Terrin Anderson of Montgomery goes wire-to-wire to win the 2023 South Amateur. Anderson navigated his way around The Wilderness Golf Course at 7-under par 209 for three days, all while being chased by a swarm of players near the top of the leaderboard. This was Anderson’s first victory with the Texas Golf Association.

Final Results

Golf Course: The Wilderness Golf Club opened in 2004 and was designed by Jeffrey Brauer. Recognized as an Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary, the scenic layout weaves through and around hardwood forests, streams, marshes, and protected wetlands. For the South Amateur, the par-72 layout will play approximately 7,100 yards.

Weather: Friday’s opening round of the South Amateur welcomed players with clear blue skies and ideal scoring conditions. The temperature reached a high of 97 degrees, with a feels like of 109 degrees, and a light steady wind of 9 mph. While the hot temperatures remained constant throughout the weekend, players saw an increase in wind speeds with gusts up to 25 mph on Saturday and Sunday.

Top Finishers: Anderson posted rounds of 65-73-71 over his three days which included a key birdie during his final round on the par-4 17^th to secure his two-stroke victory. Anderson began the day with a two-stroke lead over the field but found himself trailing by one making the turn to the par-5 10^th hole. After a 1-over par 37 on his opening nine, Anderson settled down and found a comfortable rhythm which included birdies on three of his final five holes for a closing nine score of 2-under par, 34.

Finishing two shots off the lead in second place was Cedar Park’s Jonothan Kim, which included a 6-under par 66 in the second round, the lowest score of the day. In solo third place was Colt Tenpenny of Fulshear. Tenpenny, who was the only player in the field to shoot under par in all three rounds, finished at 4-under par 212 for the tournament. In a tie for fourth place at 2-under par 214 were Broc Haymon of League City and Logan Thomason of Montgomery. Thomason was the 2023 South Mid-Amateur champion earlier this March at The Clubs of Kingwood. Rounding out the top ten in a tie for sixth place was Blake Benson of Austin, Randy Lance of Spring, Christian Rodriquez of Houston, and Austin’s Andrew Tan and Tyler Blackwell. The quintet finished at even par 216.

Regional POY: South Player of the Year points will be awarded to the top 30 finishers at the 2023 South 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 The Wilderness Golf Club, and our volunteers for their integral part in making the South Amateur a memorable and successful event. For more information on the South Amateur, click here.

Quarterfinal Matches Set at Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play

Azle — During Friday morning’s Round of 32 matches, eight of the top ten seeded players advanced to the afternoon’s Round of 16. The Round of 32 matches included five upsets with the higher seed winning and advancing. One stroke play qualifying medalist and three past champions advance to Quarterfinals after Friday afternoon’s Round of 16 matches.

Click here for full leaderboard

Round of 32: In Match 1, No. 1 seed Dave Davis of Saginaw defeated No. 32 seed James DeWitt of Dallas. Davis won the match 4 & 3 and was the first player to secure his spot in Friday afternoon’s Round of 16.

In Match 2, No. 31 seed Jared Jimenez of Heath upset No. 2 seed Jacob Walsh of Montgomery winning the match 5 & 4. The third match of the day was between No. 3 seed Aaron Hickman of Tyler and Richardson’s Bob Forneris. Hickman, a past Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play champion defeated No. 30 seed Forneris 4 & 2.

In Match 4, No. 4 seed Gant Bills of Plano defeated No. 29 seed Chris Pena of Rockwall 2 & 1. In the fifth match, No. 5 seed Scott Maurer of Dallas defeated No. 28 seed Jeffrey Juillerat of Fort Worth. Maurer closed out the match on the par-5 15^th to win 4 & 3.

In Match 6, No. 6 seed Matt Miller of McKinney defeated Justin’s Harris Graham 2 & 1. Graham was the No. 27 seed heading into match play. In Match 7, No. 7 seed Kendrick Vinar of Richardson defeated No. 26 seed Logan Fox of Harker Heights 3 & 2.

In Match 8, two-time past champion Colby Harwell of San Antonio upset No. 8 seed Jeff Dodson of Flower Mound. Harwell, the No. 25 seed, won the match 2 up. In the ninth match of the day, No. 9 seed and past champion Chris Wheeler of Addison defeated No. 24 seed Brad Phelps of McKinney 1 up.

In Match 10, Tyler’s Seth Murphy defeated Irving’s Tyler Palmer. Murphy, the No. 10 seed, defeated No. 23 seed Palmer 4 & 3. Match 11 was the first match of the day that needed extra holes, and the second upset of the Round of 32. The match was between No. 11 seed Michael Samp of Irving and No. 22 seed Eric Heinle of Houston. The pair went 19-holes before Heinle defeated Samp.

In Match 12, No. 13 seed Kyle Wesolowski of Fort Worth defeated No. 20 seed Chris Behney of Trophy Club. Wesolowski’s 6 & 4 win was the largest margin of victory in the Round of 32. In Match 13, No. 21 seed Andrew Grice upset No. 12 seed Jake Istnick. Grice, of Austin, defeated Dallas’ Istnick 1 up.

Match 14 was between No. 14 seed Brandon Grace of Mansfield and Dallas’ Derek Abel. The No. 19 seed Abel defeated Grace in 19 holes. In Match 15, past champion Anthony Estorga of Dallas defeated No. 18 seed Ted Waldrip. Estorga, the No. 13 seed, won the match 4 & 3. The final match of the Round of 32, Match 16, was between No. 16 seed Bryan Mitchell and No. 17 seed Matthew Sullivan. Sullivan, of Lewisville, upset Katy’s Mitchell 3 & 2.

Round of 16: Friday afternoon’s first match of the Round of 16, Match 1, was between No. 1 seed Dave Davis and No. 17 seed Matthew Sullivan. Sullivan kept the momentum going into the afternoon when he defeated Davis 3 & 2, knocking out the No. 1 seed. This was the second upset of the day for Sullivan, defeating another lower seeded player. Match 2 was the featured match of the afternoon including two past champions with Colby Harwell and Chris Wheeler. Wheeler, the No. 9 seed, defeated No. 25 seed Harwell 4 & 3 advancing Wheeler to tomorrow morning’s Quarterfinals against Sullivan.

In Match 3, No. 13 seed Kyle Wesolowski defeated No. 4 seed Gant Bills 4 & 3. Joining Wesolowski in the Quarterfinals is Andrew Grice who defeated No. 5 seed Scott Maurer 1 up in Match 4. Grice, the No. 21 seed,  is the highest seeded player advancing to the Quarterfinals and will face-off against Wesolowski.

Match 5 was between No. 31 seed Jared Jimenez and No. 15 seed Anthony Estorga. After defeating the No. 2 seed in this morning’s Round of 32, Jimenez was defeated by past champion Estorga 4 & 2. In Match 6, No. 10 seed Seth Murphy defeated No. 7 seed Kendrick Vinar 1 up, advancing to the Quarterfinals for the second consecutive year. With the Round of 16 victory, Murphy will be paired against Estorga in the Quarterfinals.

In Match 7, No. 3 seed Aaron Hickman defeated No. 14 seed Brandon Grace. The past champion showcased his experience with closing birdies on the par-4 17^th and par-5 18^th to win the match 1 up. Hickman was the lone stroke play qualifying medalist to advance to the weekend. The final match of the day, Match 8, was between No. 6 seed Matt Miller and No. 22 seed Eric Heinle. After a conceded two-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18^th, Miller defeated Heinle 2 up and secured the final spot in the Quarterfinals and will play against Hickman.

Course: Cross Timbers Golf Course in Azle will be the host site for the 25^th Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play. Opened in 1995, Cross Timbers Golf Course was designed by Texas-based architect Jeffery Brauer. Routed through a secluded woodland area near Ash Creek, the strategic 6,734-yard, par-72 layout features significant elevation changes, tree-lined fairways, natural penalty areas, and well-protected, contoured greens.

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 84 players competing in an 18-hole stroke play qualifying round. From there, the low 32 players will advance to the match play portion of the championship. Matches will take place over three days, with 36-holes being played Friday and Saturday for those who continue to advance, and an 18-hole championship match to crown our champion 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. For more information about TGA Statewide Player of the Year points, click here.

What’s Next: Quarterfinal matches will begin at 7:30 am on Saturday, July 29. Following those matches, the semifinal matches start in the afternoon beginning at 12:30 pm.

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 25^th Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play, click here. To see all the scores from Cross Timber Golf Course, click here.

Five Players Tie for Medalist Honor at Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play

Azle — Five players tied for medalist honor at 4-under par 68 in the stroke play qualifying round of the 25^th Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play. The cut line for the low 32 players into the match play portion of the championship was 4-over par 76.

Click here for full leaderboard

Leaders: Dave Davis of Saginaw, Jacob Walsh of Montgomery, Aaron Hickman of Tyler, Gant Bills of Plano, and Scott Maurer of Dallas were among the five players tying for medalist honor at 4-under par 68. Of those five players, Davis will be the No. 1 seed heading into match play followed by Walsh at No. 2, past Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play champion Hickman at No. 3, Bills at No. 4, and Maurer at No. 5.

In Contention: Joining past champion Hickman in the match play portion of the championship are fellow past champions Chris Wheeler of Addison, Anthony Estorga of Dallas, and Colby Harwell of San Antonio. Wheeler, who was the 2021 champion, carded an even par 72 will be the No. 9 seed and face off against No. 24 seed, Brad Phelps of McKinney. Estorga, the 2018 past champion, will be the No. 15 seed and will play against No. 18 seed Ted Waldrip of Grapevine. Harwell, a two-time past champion in 2017 and 2019, will be the No. 25 seed paired against Jeff Dodson of Flower Mound, the No. 8 seed.

Course: Cross Timbers Golf Course in Azle will be the host site for the 25^th Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play. Opened in 1995, Cross Timbers Golf Course was designed by Texas-based architect Jeffery Brauer. Routed through a secluded woodland area near Ash Creek, the strategic 6,734-yard, par-72 layout features significant elevation changes, tree-lined fairways, natural penalty areas, and well-protected, contoured greens.

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 84 players competing in an 18-hole stroke play qualifying round. From there, the low 32 players will advance to the match play portion of the championship. Matches will take place over three days, with 36-holes being played Friday and Saturday for those who continue to advance, and an 18-hole championship match to crown our champion 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. For more information about TGA Statewide Player of the Year points, click here.

What’s Next: Round of 32 matches will begin at 7:30 am on Friday, July 28. Following those matches, the Round of 16 matches start in the afternoon beginning at 1:00 pm.

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 25^th Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play, click here. To see all the scores from Cross Timber Golf Course, click here.

DeCordova Bend CC Wins 2023 Texas League Play

Briefly: Granbury’s DeCordova Bend Country Club wins 2023 Texas League Play Playoffs. The club defeated Eagle Pointe Golf Club 8-4 during Sunday’s Championship matches.

 

Final Results

 

Golf Course: Located about 15 miles west of downtown San Antonio, Hyatt Hill Country Golf Club boasts three nine-hole courses designed by Arthur Hills and Associates. The original 18 holes, the Lakes and Oaks Courses, opened for play in 1993. The Creeks Course was added in 2005. Encompassing more than 200 acres, the three nines blend together seamlessly, yet each offers distinct settings from links-style undulating grasslands to a parkland backdrop with tree-shaded plateaus and tranquil lakes and ponds. The Texas League Play Playoffs were played on the Oaks and Creeks courses, with the Oaks being the front nine and the Creeks being the back nine.

 

Weather: Starting on Thursday, and ending on Sunday, the Texas League Play Playoffs had ideal scoring conditions with near perfect golf weather. The field played through light Thursday morning showers before seeing blue skies and mid to high 80-degree temperatures throughout the weekend.

 

Championship Match: Sunday’s championship between DeCordova Bend CC and Eagle Pointe GC was all squared as the matches made the turn splitting points 2 to 2. On the back nine DeCordova Bend CC turned the momentum making a late charge, winning the back nine 3.5 to 0.5 and the overall 2.5 to 1.5. DeCordova Bend’s last two matches posted clean sweeps, winning six points between the two matches.

 

Semifinal Matches: Saturday’s semifinals started with a matchup between Brownwood CC and DeCordova Bend CC. The top overall seeds playoff run came to an end when DeCordova Bend CC defeated them 11 to 1 and secured the first spot in the championship. Eagle Pointe GC and red-hot Nutcracker GC squared off in the second group of semifinal matches. Previously winning their quarterfinals match 12 to 0, the club ran out of steam as they fell the Eagle Pointe GC. Eagle Pointe GC defeated Nutcracker GC 7.5 to 4.5 and punched their ticket to the championship match.

 

Quarterfinal Matches: Friday’s matches got started again with Brownwood CC as they matched up against Ridglea CC in Match 1. Coming down to the wire, both clubs had all eyes on Brownwood’s Chad Calvert as he lined his putt on 18 green to send the club to the semifinal matches. Under pressure, Calvert rolled in his putt to secure the 6.5 to 5.5 win and advance Brownwood CC to the next round. The second set of matches was between DeCordova Bend CC and Sweetwater CC. DeCordova Bend CC defeated Sweetwater CC with another strong showing from team captain Kevin Grimes and partner Chris Bayler. The duo again took all three points in their matchup leading to an 8 to 4 victory. Match 3 featured Eagle Pointe GC and The Sports Club of Las Colinas. Eagle Pointe defeated Las Colinas 9 to 3, securing their spot in the semifinals. Nutcracker GC won the fourth set of matches with an impressive 12 to 0 victory over Hackberry Creek CC, which had not been done before in the playoffs before.

 

Round of 16 Matches: Thursday’s first matches off were between top seeded Brownwood CC and Odessa CC – Links. Brownwood CC defeated Odessa CC 7 to 5, winning the West Texas showdown. In the second set of matches Ridglea CC defeated Green Tree CC – North 8 to 4. The third group of matches in the Round of 16 featured Tierra Verde GC and DeCordova Bend CC. DeCordova Bend CC won the match 8 to 4, with three of those points coming from team captain Kevin Grimes and his partner Chris Bayler. Matchup 4 was between Sweetwater CC and TPC Craig Ranch. Sweetwater CC won the matchup 10.5 to 1.5 while not giving up a single full point in the set of matches. In Match 5, Eagle Pointe GC defeated San Angelo CC 7.5 to 4.5. The Sports Club of Las Colinas advanced to the quarterfinals after an unfortunate withdraw from the club they were matches up against for Match 6. The second to last group of matches, Match 7, was between Nutckracker GC and defending champions Odessa CC – Old. Nutcracker GC got the better of the defending champions and won the match 9.5 to 2.5. Match 8, the final matches of the Round of 16, Hackberry Cree CC defeated Green Tree CC – East 6.5-5.5.

 

TGA League Play: Texas League Play is open to all TGA members clubs that meet the club eligibility requirements. Participating clubs establish a four-club conference and compete over an eight-week regular season. The regular season consists of six interconference matches including three home and three away matches. Eight players represent each club on match day and play Four-Ball matches. Points are awarded in a Nassau style scoring with each of the four matches being worth three points.

 

What’s Next: The Texas Golf Association will head to Hockley for the playing of the 114^th Texas Amateur Championship. The 114^th Texas Amateur will be the first major of the year on the men’s competition schedule.

 

More Info: The Texas Golf Association extends its sincere appreciation to the staff, members of Hyatt Hill Country Golf Club, for their integral part in making the Texas League Play Playoffs a memorable and successful event. For more information on the Texas League Play, click here.

Fulmer and Alden Win South Four-Ball

Briefly: Austen Fulmer and Jonathan Alden overcome a two-shot deficit in final round to win the 2023 South Four-Ball. The duo from Cedar Park finished with a tournament score of 129, 15-under par, after rounds of 64 and 65. This was good for a one shot victory of a crowded leaderboard with 19 teams under par for the weekend.

Final Results

Golf Course: Vaaler Creek Golf Club, located off U.S. Highway 281 between Austin and San Antonio, opened in 2009 and was designed by Michael Lowry. The par-72 course played approximately 6,864 yards for this year’s South Four-Ball.

Weather: The weekend consisted of mostly cloudy and overcast skies during the South Four-Ball. Cool mornings and warmer afternoons were a consistent trend for the player. Along with a one hour and 15-miunte fog delay Sunday morning, players had to navigate wind gusts up to 30 mph.

Top Finishers: Fulmer and Alden finished the weekend bogey free while carding one eagle and 13 birdies. The pairs strongest golf came when it mattered most down the stretch on Sunday afternoon. Trailing by two strokes on the 14^th tee the team went birdie, birdie, birdie on holes 14, 15, and 16 to take a one-shot lead over the field. Back-to-back pars on the two closing holes was enough to take the clubhouse lead at 15-under par, and ultimately win the tournament.

Finishing one shot off the lead in second place was the team of Thomas Immenschuh and Sean Ferris. Round one leaders Carson Cooper and Grant Doggett finished in third place with a score of 131, 13-under par. Tied for fourth place was Colin Peck/Warren Smith and Marshall Roenigk/Nickolas Martinez. Both teams finished at 9-under par, 135.

Regional POY: South Player of the Year points will be awarded to the top finishers at the 2023 South Four-Ball. The winning team will receive 400 points, followed by 250 for second, 200 for third, 150 for fourth, and 100 for fifth. Points will be awarded to both players on the team individually. For Regional POY information, click here.

What’s Next: The South Regional Series will head to The Clubs of Kingwood for the 2023 South Mid-Amateur. The event will be played March 24-26 on the Forest Course.

Registration for the 114^th Texas Amateur is currently open and will close on March 29 at 5:00 PM. For more information and to register for the Texas Amateur, click here.

More Info: The Texas Golf Association extends its sincere appreciation to the staff and members of Vaaler Creek Golf Club as well as our volunteers for their integral part in making the South Four-Ball a memorable and successful event. For more information on the South Four-Ball, click here.

Schultz Wins Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play

Argyle – Jason Schultz of Allen wins 3 & 1 to claim the Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play Championship. This is Schultz’s second Texas Golf Association win of the year, previously winning the North Mid-Amateur at Paris Golf and Country Club in late March.

Championship Match: In Sunday morning’s Championship Match, No. 4 seed Rob Couture of Celina went head-to-head against No. 7 seed Jason Schultz of Allen. Couture struck first with a par on the par-4 first to go 1-up through early. The two tied the 2^nd hole with a pair of pars keeping the match at Couture 1-up. On the 187-yard par-3 3^rd hole, Couture made birdie from 30-feet to go 2-up in the match. Both players stuck it close on the 4^th hole and made birdie three and then another pair of pars on the 5^th to keep the match status at 2-up in favor of Couture through 4 holes. A bridie on the par-4 6^th hole for Schultz to get to 1-down was what he needed to shift the momentum in the match. He would go on to make three more birdies on the 7^th, 8^th, and 9^th, making it four consecutive birdies. Schultz’s birdies on the 7^th and 9^th matched Couture’s birdies, but his birdie on the par-3 8^th hole was enough to get the match to all tied up.

Tied at the turn, both players made pars on the 10^th, 11^th, and 12^th to keep the match tied through 12 holes. Schultz made birdie on the par-4 13^th hole to take his first lead of the match. On the 14^th hole, the pair each made birdie three to keep the match status Schultz 1-up. Both players made par on the par-4 15^th before Schultz made a birdie two on the 16^th going 2-up and dormie in the match. Schultz found the fairway on the par-5 17^th and hit a near perfect shot reach the green in two, 11-feet short of the flag. Couture missed his birdie putt and conceded the eagle putt to Schultz, giving him a 3 & 1 match victory.

Click here for full leaderboard

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: By winning, Schultz was awarded 750 points towards Statewide Player of the Year standings.

What’s Next: The TGA will conducting their North and South Amateurs to close out the regional series. The regional amateurs are schedule to be played simultaneously, August 5-7. Next on the state championship schedule is the Texas Four-Ball. With registration closed, the Four-Ball will be contested August 19-21 at Comanche Trace in Kerrville. Texas Mid-Amateur qualifying is underway for the TGA with sites scattered across the state for the next two months. The Texas Mid-Amateur will be hosted Abilene Country Club September 23-25.

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.

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.

Click here for full leaderboard

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.

Quarterfinal Matches Set at Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play

Argyle – During Friday morning’s Round of 32 matches, all but two lower seeded teams advanced to the Round of 16, including all the top 12 seeds. In the afternoon Round of 16 Matches, six single-digit seeds found their way to the Quarterfinal Matches.

Round of 32: In Match 1, No. 1 seed Zach Atkinson of Colleyville defeated No. 32 seed, and host club exemption, Zach Sams of Argyle 4 & 3. Atkinson was 6-under through 15 holes before winning the match. His round included four birdies and a 115-yard hole out for eagle on the par-4 5^th.

In Match 2, No. 16 seed Rick Sulzer of Carrollton defeated No. 17 seed John Brewer of Dallas. Sulzer finished the match on the 15^th hole with a par to win 4 & 3. The third match of the day was between two-time Mid-Am Match Play champion Colby Harwell of San Antonio and Highland Village’s Jeff Froese. Harwell, the No. 8 seed, defeated No. 25 seed Froese 6 & 4.

In Match 4, No. 9 seed Clay Fullick of Conroe defeated No. 24 seed Chris McCrary of Southlake. Fullick closed out the match with a bridie on the 214-yard par-3 16^th to win 3 & 2. In the fifth match, No. 4 seed Rob Couture of Celina defeated No. 29 seed Eric Heinle of Conroe 2 & 1.

In Match 6, No. 20 seed Brent Battson of Houston upset No. 13 seed Marshall Roenigk of College Station. After both players made birdie on the par-4 18^th hole to keep the match tied, Battson made par on the 19 hole to advance to the Round of 16. In Match 7 between No. 5 seed John Stollenwerck of Dallas and No. 28 seed Harris Graham of Argyle needed extra holes before Stollenwerck defeated Graham in 21 holes.

In Match 8, No. 12 Seth Murphy of Flint defeated No. 21 seed Gary Ezmerlian of Fort Worth. Murphy carded seven birdies enroute to his 5 & 3 victory. In Match 9, No. 2 seed Kevin Doskocil of Benbrook took on No. 31 seed Brett Woolston of Prosper. The No. 2 seed carried his momentum from stroke play qualifying as Doskocil won the match 2 & 1.

In Match 10, Dallas’ Scott Maurer upset No. 15 seed Kiley Hardy of Spring Branch 5 & 4. Maurer was the 18^th seed going into match play. Match 11 included No. 7 seed Jason Schultz of Allen and No. 26 seed Dan Depasquale of Austin. Schultz defeated Allen 3 & 2. Schultz

In Match 12, host club member and No. 10 seed Kent Yarbrough of Denton defeated No. 23 seed Kyle Robbins of Keller 3 & 2. In Match 13, No. 3 seed Matt Miller of McKinney defeated No. 30 seed Michael Hailey of Frisco 5 & 4. Match 14 was between No. 14 seen Sean Heidrick of McKinney and No. 19 seed Ryne Carter of Carrollton. Heidrick ended the match on hole 16 defeating Ryne 4 & 2.

In Match 15, No. 6 seed Jace Moore of Keller defeated No. 27 seed Steven Williams of College Station 4 & 3. The final match of the Round of 32, Match 16, was between No. 11 seed Judd Pritchard of Fort Worth and No. 22 seed Kade Miller of Lorena. Pritchard won his match against Miller 4 & 3 and advanced to the Round of 16.

Round of 16: In Match 1, No. 1 seed Zach Atkinson of Colleyville kept the momentum going into the afternoon. Atkinson closed out No. 16 seed Rick Sulzer of Carrollton on the 13^th hole winning the match 6 & 5. He continued to put his strong game on display carding six birdies through 13 holes. The second match to go off was between No. 8 seed Colby Harwell of San Antonio and Conroe’s Clay Fullick, who was the 9^th seed. Fullick made four birdies during his afternoon round which was enough to close out the match on hole 16 winning 3 & 2.

In Match 3, No. 4 seed Rob Couture of Celina defeated No. 20 seed Brett Battson of Houston 3 & 2. Couture’s steady play was enough for him to win his match and advance to Saturday’s Quarterfinals. Match 4 was between Dallas’s John Stollenwerck and Flint’s Seth Murphy. Murphy, the No. 12 seed knocked off No. 5 seed Stollenwerck with a 3 & 2 match victory.

In Match 5, No. 18 seed Scott Maurer of Dallas defeated No. 2 seed Kevin Doskocil of Benbrook. Down one in the match heading into the par-5 17^th hole, Maurer hit his second shot to 17-feet and made the eagle putt to tie up the match going to the 18^th hole. Playing roughly 274-yards, Maurer drove the green on the short par-4 18^th hole and rolled in the 12-foot eagle putt to win the match with an eagle-eagle finish. Match 6 was between No. 7 seed Jason Schultz of Allen and No. 10 seed Kent Yarbrough of Denton. Yarbrough was the last host club member remaining in the field and fell just short to Schultz. Schultz defeated Yarbrough 1-up with an impressive 20-foot birdie putt on the 18^th hole.

In Match 7, McKinney’s Matt Miller and Sean Heidrick needed extra holes to determine who would be advancing to the Quarterfinal Matches. Miller, the No. 3 seed, defeated No. 14 seed Heidrick on the 19^th hole. The final match of day, Match 8, was between No. 6 seed Jace Moore of Keller and No. 11 seed Judd Pritchard of Fort Worth. Moore carded five birdies and an eagle on the round to defeated Pritchard 4 & 3 and secure the last spot in tomorrow’s Quarterfinals.

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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: Quarterfinal matches will begin at 7:30 am on Saturday, July 23. Following those matches, the semifinal matches start in the afternoon beginning at 12:30 pm.

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.

Atkinson Earns Medalist Honors at Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play

Argyle — Zach Atkinson of Colleyville earned medalist honors after firing a 7-under 64 in the stroke play qualifying round of the Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play. Atkinson will be the No. 1 seed in the match play portion of the championship.

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Leaders: Atkinson made eight birdies and a lone bogey during his qualifying round. Starting on No. 1, his first birdie of the day came on the par-3 third hole which played 173 yards. After a bogey on the par-4 fifth, Atkinson got hot when he rolled in five consecutive birdies on holes 6-10. At 5-under through 10 holes he carded two more birdies to finish his round at 7-under. Atkinson will face off against Denton Country Club member Zach Sams of Argyle in the opening round of matches.

In Contention: In Thursday’s stroke play qualifying round players had to card 2-over 73 or better to avoid a playoff for 32 spots on the line. With eight players tied for 27^th place at 3-over-par, a sudden death playoff was conducted to determine the final six spots of the match play bracket. The No. 2 seed going into match play is Kevin Doskocil of Benbrook who shot 6-under 65 during qualifying. One shot back of Doskocil was McKinney’s Matt Miller who will be the No. 3 seed. Four players finished tied at 68 making up seeds 4-7 including Rob Couture, John Stollenwerck, Jason Schultz, and Jace Moore.

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: Round of 32 matches will begin at 7:30 am on Friday, July 22. Following those matches, the Round of 16 matches start in the afternoon beginning at 1:00 pm.

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.