Wheeler Claims Top Seed at Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play

Briefly: Christopher Wheeler earned the top seed in the Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play after a bogey-free stroke play qualifying round of 6-under-par 65 at Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas. Friday begins the marathon 32-player, single-elimination bracket to crown a state champion.

Stroke Play Qualifying Leaderboard:

1 Christopher Wheeler   Addison    -6    65

2 Drew Evans                  Houston    -4    67

3 Johnny Begzos             Dallas       -5    68

T4 7 players                                      -1    70

Leaderboard/Results

Golf Course: Opened in 2016, Trinity Forest was designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. Built in the Great Trinity Forest and surrounded on its edges by thousands of majestic hardwood trees, the classic links-style course artistically meanders through an open meadow of rolling, rumpled sand recalling the wind-swept land of Great Britain or the coastline of the Northeastern U.S.

Weather: Mostly sunny with a high in the mid-90s and a slight breeze out of the south.

In contention: After all the scores were verified, there was a playoff at 3-over 74 for the 32nd position in Match Play. The one-hole playoff saw 5 players vying for one spot. Clayton Rodriguez of San Antonio birdied the first play-off hole to clinch the 32nd seed.

What’s Next: Friday morning’s Round of 32 begins at 7:30 a.m., and the Round of 16 takes place tomorrow afternoon at approximately 1 p.m.

More Info: For more information on the Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play, visit the tournament homepage here.

Abel and Wheeler Win North Four-Ball

FARMERS BRANCH – Christopher Wheeler of Addison and Derek Abel of Dallas captured the 2021 North Four-Ball after a one-hole playoff. Playing in the last group with first-round leaders Gary Ezmerlian and Colby Amparan of Fort Worth, Wheeler and Abel shot a final-round 6-under 66 at Brookhaven Country Club’s Masters Course to finish tied with Ezmerlian and Amparan after 36 holes. The two teams went back to the 18th tee and Wheeler and Abel came out on top after a bogey on the hole.

LEADERBOARD

1. Wheeler / Abel 67 – 66 – 133
2. Ezmerlian / Amparan 66 – 67 – 133
3. Pickavance / Collier 68 – 68 – 136
4. Anderson / McNamara 68 – 69 – 137

FULL LEADERBOARD

Top Finishers – Wheeler and Abel came into the final round one stroke back of the leaders. They shot the low round of the day to finish in a tie with Ezmerlian and Amparan. Wheeler and Abel came out on top in the one-hole playoff. Ezmerlian and Amparan shot the second best round at 5-under 67, but it wasn’t enough to keep their lead. Colby Pickavance and Clark Collier shot consistent rounds of 68-68, 8-under 136 overall. Rhett Anderson and Paul McNamara finished in fourth place after a 3-under 69 in the final round Sunday.

Weather: Saturday and Sunday’s weather was sunny with a high both days around 70 degrees.

Host Course: Brookhaven Country Club, nestled in the small Dallas suburb of Farmers Branch, has 54 holes of golf. The North Four-Ball was contested on the Masters course. The course extends to 6,879 yards, with tight fairways. The Jeff Brauer redesign tests players with their woods and putters.

Next Up: The North Regional Series next event will be at The Golf Club @ Twin Creeks for the North Mid-Amateur March 26-28.

For more information on the North Regional Series and North Four-Ball, please visit www.TXGA.org.