Houston’s Durbin Wins 86th Texas Senior Amateur

AMARILLO – Gary Durbin of Houston finished at 3-under-par after 54 holes at Amarillo Country Club and won the 86^th Texas Senior Amateur. This win marks Durbin’s third in the last six years.

“It’s beyond belief, one of my goals was to match my dear friend Mike Rice, who’s name is on that trophy three times,” said Durbin reflecting on his victory.

“Today was probably the toughest day, so you really had to hit some quality shots,” said Durbin. “This golf course you have to play from the fairway as it’s very tough to play from the rough.”

Durbin started the day one stroke back and found himself two back after a bogey on the par-3 second. He made birdie on No. 7, which gave him the lead, which he wouldn’t relinquish.

“I managed my game well today and kept hanging in there by making some key birdies,” said Durbin.

Durbin made a bogey on the par-4 10^th but bounced back with a birdie on the par-3 11^th. His drive found the right bunker on No. 12 and he was able to escape and get up-and-down for a par. He made par on Nos. 13-15 before knocking in a birdie on the par-4 16^th. He found the greenside rough on No. 17 and would make double-bogey, but still had a two-stroke lead on the 18^th tee.

He laid up short of the water and then hit a shot into the heart of the 18^th green. From there he two-putted for par and sealed his victory at Amarillo Country Club.

Burleson’s Lewis Stephenson finished solo second after posting the low round on Sunday. Stephenson made five birdies on the day, including the par-5 18^th which played right into the south wind. The past champion jumped up two spots on the day to claim runner-up honors.

San Antonio’s Bobby Baugh and Houston’s Sandy Pierce finished tied for third at even-par. Baugh was the 36-hole leader and finished with rounds of 69-68-76. Pierce is the defending Texas Senior Amateur Champion and fellow Champions Golf Club member with Durbin. Pierce was 4-over on the day after seven holes but finished 2-under in his last 11 to get to even-par overall.

Tray Tyner of Kerrville shot 1-under 70 and finished tied for fifth with Terrence Miskell of New Braunfels. Amarillo’s Kyle Kelting and Texarkana’s Chuck Gardner finished tied for seventh, while reigning Texas Golf Association Senior Player of the Year Mike Booker finished ninth.

The conditions were tough for the final day of the tournament, with winds gusting up to 35 miles per hour throughout the day. The winds switched out of the south, which serves as the prevailing wind, allowing Amarillo Country Club to show its strength.

This is the first time the Texas Senior Amateur has come out to Amarillo Country Club and the course put up a strong test over three days. The scoring average was 77.55 and the field produced a total of 506 birdies and five eagles for the week. The Texas Golf Association thanks the Amarillo CC staff, membership and committees for hosting this year’s event.

The Texas Senior Amateur is the state’s premier event for male golfers age 55 and older. This year’s championship featured a 144-player field that was made up from exemptions and 18-hole qualifiers. The qualifying schedule spanned across the state and saw more than 200 players attempt to qualify.

With this win Durbin secures 1,250 points towards the Senior Player of the Year. Mike Booker entered this week leading the 2023 Texas Senior Player of the Year race and earned 450 points with his ninth-place finish.

The 87^th Texas Senior Amateur will head to Byron Nelson Sports Club in Las Colinas next September. Qualifying sites will be announced by the new year and the players will take on the former tour stop.

For more information on the 86^th Texas Senior Amateur, click here. To see all the scores click here.

Baugh Leads Texas Senior Amateur after 36 Holes

AMARILLO – Bobby Baugh of San Antonio finished with back-to-back birdies on Saturday and climbed atop the 86^th Texas Senior Amateur leaderboard after two rounds. Baugh is 5-under through 36 holes at Amarillo Country Club.

“I had a really good drive on eight to set up a pitching wedge from 137 yards, which was hit to five feet and I made it,” said Baugh regarding his finish. “The final hole I hit a drive in the left rough, then missed the green to the left. Hit a flop shot to about six feet and I made the putt.”

Baugh hit 16 of 18 fairways and greens in his second round but credited his putter for his solid play on Saturday.

“That’s what I’ve been struggling the most with lately, the putting,” said Baugh. “I’ve hit the ball well and luckily the hole got in the way of the ball a few times today.”

Following rounds of 69-68 in the first two days, Baugh seeks the Texas Senior Amateur title and will play alongside the last two champions of the tournament.

“I’m looking forward to tomorrow and feel a lot better after having a good round of putting.”

Joining Baugh in the final pairing on Sunday, will be Round 1 co-leaders Gary Durbin and Sandy Pierce of Houston.

Durbin shot even-par 71 in the second round. He was the winner of this event in 2021 and 2019 and looks to become the sixth three-time winner of this event. Durbin’s rounds of 67-71 have him at 4-under-par.

Pierce posted a round of 2-over 73 on Saturday and is the defending champion. He is looking to become the first back-to-back winner since Don Addington won in 1997-1998. Through 36 holes he has made eight birdies and four bogeys or worse and is 2-under-par.

Tied for fourth is Texarakana’s Chuck Gardner and Burleson’s Lewis Stephenson. Gardner played 2-under in his second round, making four birdies as he moved 12 spots up the leaderboard. Stephenson, who is also a two-time winner of this event, stayed consistent with rounds of 71-72 to get to 1-over.

Terrence Miskell of New Braunfels is in sixth place at 2-over-par, while Aledo’s Wayne Wright is in seventh at 3-over. Five players are tied for eighth at 4-over, two players tied for 14^th at 5-over and six players tied for 15^th at 6-over.

The tournament was cut following the second round with 58 players finishing at 10-over or better on Saturday.

Through 36 holes, the 144-player field amassed 435 birdies and played to an average score of 77.6 at Amarillo Country Club. There were five total eagles with three of them coming on the par-5 ninth which plays 502 yards. The course played 6,622 yards in the second round.

Amarillo Country Club underwent a renovation in 2013 and features a compact par-71 layout on the northwest side of town. The routing offers a variety of left-to-right and right-to-left holes that are bordered by trees. There are only six penalty areas around the routing with the perimeter being the lone boundary to avoid.

This is the first time Amarillo CC is hosting the Texas Senior Amateur and joins an exclusive list of past host sites such as Champions Golf Club, Oak Hills Country Club, Brook Hollow Country Club and Midland Country Club. The tournament was first held at San Antonio Country Club in 1937 and was held there for the first 23 years. The Texas Senior Amateur returned to West Texas for the first time since 2010, when Odessa Country Club hosted.

Temperatures started in the low 60s on Saturday and reached the low 90s by the afternoon. Winds were steady but not as strong as the previous day as gusts were up to 20 miles per hour in the afternoon.

The Final Round is set to begin at 8:00 am off the No. 1 and 10 tees on Sunday, September 10. Pairings can be viewed by clicking here. For more information on the 86^th Texas Senior Amateur, click here. To see all the scores from the first two rounds, click here.

Pierce and Durbin Share Lead at Texas Senior Amateur

AMARILLO – Sandy Pierce and Gary Durbin of Houston each posted rounds of 4-under 67 at Amarillo Country Club and sit atop the 86^th Texas Senior Amateur field after the first round. Both players are seeking another win in the Texas Golf Association’s Senior Amateur Championship.

Pierce’s round started off hot with birdies on the par-4 first, fourth and seventh holes and finished the front nine with a four on the par-5 ninth. He added another birdie on the par-3 12^th to get to 5-under, but made bogey on the par-4 12^th.

“All-in-all I’m thrilled,” said Pierce following his round. “Sixty-seven on this course is a great score for me.”

Pierce is defending his win from last year’s championship, which was held at Champions Golf Club in Houston. He posted rounds of 72-71-68 to get to 2-under overall and won in a playoff.

“Coming back this year and just seeing how many good players there are competing helped me realize what an achievement it was,” said Pierce. “As far as this week goes I’m going to try and keep doing what I’m doing and at the end of the week we’ll see where I stand.”

Durbin played in the afternoon and made an eagle on the par-5 ninth to get to 4-under-par and match the low score posted on Friday.

“I hit a really good drive and had 183 yards left, hit a seven iron to five feet and rolled it in,” said Durbin regarding his eagle on his last hole of the day.

Durbin is seeking his third victory in the Texas Senior Amateur after winning in 2021 at Westwood Golf Club and in 2019 at Deerwood Club. This is his first time playing Amarillo Country Club and he spoke about the importance of keeping the ball in the fairway.

“I think it’s critical at this golf course to drive the ball well,” said Durbin. “This is my first time being up at Amarillo Country Club and it’s a really good golf course.”

In third place is Terrence Miskell, who shot 3-under 68 in his opening round. The New Braunfels native was even-par through his first ten holes but made birdie on four of his next five holes. He dropped a shot on the par-4 eighth and made par on the ninth, which was his final hole, to finish at 3-under and one stroke behind the leaders.

Bobby Baugh of San Antonio made eagle on the par-5 18^th to finish at 2-under 69. Baugh was one of four players to finish in red numbers on the par-71 layout at Amarillo CC, which played to 6,685 yards in the First Round.

Amarillo’s Ralph Ellis posted a score of even-par 71 and sits tied for fifth. Burleson’s Lewis Stephenson equaled his even-par score on Friday and is a two-time champion of this event (2016 & 2018).

Five players finished tied for seventh at 1-over, while four players finished tied for 12^th at 2-over heading into Saturday’s second round.

Amarillo Country Club was established in 1919 and boasts a deep tradition of hosting amateur and professional events. The club hosted the Amarillo Open in 1990, which was won by Lindy Miller from Fort Worth. The course saw a renovation in 2013 by D.A. Weibring and Steve Wolfard before hosting the 2016 Women’s Senior Stroke Play and the 2018 West Texas Amateur, which are both conducted by the Texas Golf Association.

This year’s field features 144 of the top senior golfers in the state, including 10 past champions as well as the reigning Senior Player of the Year. Players earned their way into the tournament through exemptions or competing in one of five qualifiers around the state. This was the first year, the TGA installed 18-hole qualifying for the Texas Senior Amateur.

Temperatures started in the low 60s on Friday but crept up into the mid-90s by 2:00 pm. The winds also intensified for the afternoon wave with gusts out of the north up to 35 miles per hour.

The Second Round is set to begin at 7:45 am off the No. 1 and 10 tees on Saturday, September 9. Pairings can be viewed by clicking here. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the low 54 players and ties heading into Sunday’s Final Round.

For more information on the 86^th Texas Senior Amateur, click here. To see all the scores from the first round, click here.

Top-Seeded Sinz Advances to Quarterfinals at 102nd Women’s Texas Amateur

BULLARD – University of Alabama senior Elina Sinz showed a dominant performance against two talented opponents on Wednesday at Eagle Bluff Country Club to advance to the Quarterfinals at the 102nd Women’s Texas Amateur.

After defeating No. 32 seed Euben Shim of Woodway 6&4 in the morning’s Round of 32, Sinz found herself 2 up through 9 holes in the Round of 16 against Granbury’s Mason Lewis, a sophomore at the University of North Texas. Sinz played steady on the back nine before closing things out on 16.

Sinz will face Irving’s Hunter Nugent tomorrow in the quarterfinals in a highly anticipated matchup between two well-experienced players.

31st seed McKinney’s Amari Smith upset No. 2 seed Kate Prickell in the round of 32 winning 2 up. “The number one thing is I just like to have fun with match play and remain calm,” Smith shared after the round. The University of North Georgia senior then went on to make another upset by defeating Austin’s Vera Yi. Smith made the top 32 for match play by winning in a playoff on Tuesday during the Qualifying Round and she is just getting started.

The three, four, and five seeds all advanced into the Round of 16. The fourth seed Sydney Givens of Austin showed her toughness by winning her match in 19 holes. Givens went on to win in dominant fashion in her Round of 16 matchup by winning 5 and 4. Givens is going into her senior year at Vandergrift High where they just claimed a 6A State Championship in women’s golf.

Arlington’s Madison Le upset seventh-seeded Tristan Gabbard in dominant fashion winning 3&2 in a Round of 32 match. Le went on to win again in an impressive 4 and 3 showing over Madison Brown. “I didn’t have my best stuff on Tuesday and learned a lot from it,” Le shared after the match.

Irving’s Hunter Nugent had a dramatic day and claimed her spot in the quarterfinals via winning in 19 holes in the Round of 32 and 1 up in the Round of 16. “I don’t feel like I played my best in the morning,” Hunter shared. “I made it up with par on 18 though to win the match and just made the putts that needed to count.”

Lubbock’s own Haley Vargas played some incredible golf today by winning 1 up in the Round of 32 and 2 up in the Round of 16 to move into the Quarterfinals. “I had a few miscued shots here and there but struck it really well coming in,” the senior at Kansas State shared. Vargas takes on a very hot Sydney Givens tomorrow in an exciting Quarterfinal matchup.

In the last matchup of the Round of 16, Kerrville’s Raleygh Simpson upset 3rd-seeded Alise Kundson on No. 18. Raleygh shared “I feel great. I sunk two great short putts on the last two holes to secure the win.” Raleyghs birthday is tomorrow and received a nice early present for securing a ticket in the quarterfinals.

The heat played a larger role today. The morning started in the low 80s with cloudy weather and calm winds. Closer to 11 A.m. the sun came out and the temperature climbed into the high 90s. By 3 P.M. the heat index reached 105.

Three of the 16 matches in the morning’s Round of 32 went to extra holes, highlighted by a 21-hole marathon between Spicewood’s Emma Vonn Hoffmann and Coppell’s Lauren Rios. Von Hoffmann showed her toughness and finished it out on a fun but challenging third hole at Eagle’s Bluff Country Club.

The Championship Match Play Bracket’s Quarterfinals begin Thursday at 8 a.m. The Semifinals follow in the afternoon, setting the stage for the Final Match on Friday morning. For more information on the 102nd Women’s Texas Amateur, click here.

Carnes, Eng and Peck Win at 94th West Texas Amateur

ODESSA – Casey Carnes of Schertz wins the 94^th West Texas Amateur at Odessa Country Club with an overall score of 10-under, 206. Kelly Eng of Austin captures the Senior Division at 5-under, while Mike Peck of Irving wins the Super Senior Division at 1-under.

Full Leaderboard 

Leaders: Casey Carnes, who was the leader after the first round, posted rounds of 68-71-67 to get to 206 overall and three strokes ahead of the field. He started the day with three straight birdies on holes two through four and added another two on Nos. 10 and 11. He made his final birdie on the par-4 14^th, dropped a bogey on the par-4 15^th, and finished at 5-under 67. Kelly Eng captured the Senior Division after shooting 3-under 69 on Sunday. The Austin native finished strong in the Final Round, making four birdies in his closing nine holes to no bogeys. His 211 total was one stroke better than the field. Mike Peck of Irving won the Super Senior Division after shooting 4-under 68. He started with birdie on four of his first six holes and was able to coast to victory. He added a final birdie on the par-4 ninth, which was his 54^th hole of the week. 

Top Finishers: Nolan Otto of Big Spring finished runner-up in the Championship Division after shooting rounds of 69-69-71. Tied for third was Midland’s Josh Pasco, Dallas’ Justin Thompson and Snyder’s Jake Leatherwood. Addison’s Christopher Wheeler finished sixth, while Houston’s Bryant Hiskey II finished seventh and three players tied for eighth. In the Senior Division Iraan’s Joe Sconiers finished runner-up to Eng at 4-under 212 followed by defending West Texas Amateur Senior Division Champion Mike Booker at 1-over 217. Lewis Stephenson finished fourth, while three players tied for fifth in the division. In the Super Senior Division, Granbury’s Lelan Chiles and Irving’s Michael Puls tied for second at 4-over 220, while Bobby Haney of New Braunfels finished fourth. Mickey Jones and Doug Hopton-Jones finished tied for fifth.

Golf Course: Odessa Country Club was founded in 1939 after the 167 acres of land was purchased for $2,500. The course was designed by John Bredemus and the layout features Bermuda grass fairways and bent grass greens. Odessa Country Club is hosting the West Texas Amateur for the third time in the tournament’s 94 years. The last West Texas Amateur to be held at OCC was in 2015, with Mark Jones Jr. capturing the title.

Weather: Temperatures started in the low 80s in the morning and crept up to the high 90s in the afternoon. There was a calm breeze around 15 miles per hour throughout the day with a clear sky over Odessa.

Tournament History: Carnes 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 towards 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 returns to the DFW area as the Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play takes place at Denton Country Club. 84 of the state’s top Mid-Amateurs will duel it out starting Wednesday, July 21.

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

Wheeler Leads West Texas Amateur After 36 Holes

ODESSA – Christopher Wheeler of Addison leads the 94^th West Texas Amateur at Odessa Country Club’s Old Course.  Houston’s Mike Booker leads the Senior Division at 4-under, while Irving’s Michael Puls leads the Super Senior Division at 1-under.

Full Leaderboard 

Leaders: Christopher Wheeler leads the Championship Division by one stroke after his 4-under 68 on Saturday. The reigning Texas Golf Association Player of the Year made five birdies in the second round. He started with a birdie on the par-5 tenth and finished with a birdie on the par-4 ninth. His rounds of 68-69 have him at 7-under and looking for his first victory in the West Texas Amateur. Mike Booker is seeking his second straight win in the Senior Division of the West Texas Amateur and leads the division by two strokes heading into the final round. Booker’s round of 3-under 69 featured four birdies and one bogey as he climbed to the top of the leaderboard. Michael Puls continues to hold the lead in the Super Senior Division after shooting rounds of 69-74. Puls struggled on Saturday, making four bogeys and two birdies, but holds a four-stroke lead in the division.

In Contention: Trailing Wheeler in the Championship Division are Jake Leatherwood of Snyder and Nolan Otto of Big Spring. Leatherwood matched Wheeler’s 4-under 68 on Saturday with five birdies and an eagle on the par-4 fourth. Otto, who was tied with Wheeler after the first round, added another five birdies to his tally but made two bogeys en route to his consecutive 3-under 69. Both players will join Wheeler in the final group off the No. 1 tee on Sunday. Austin’s Dan Depasquale and Schertz’s Casey Carnes are tied for fourth at 5-under, while Dallas’ Justin Thompson is in sixth at 4-under. In the Senior Division, Austin’s Kelly Eng sits in second at 2-under. Joe Sconiers of Iraan is in third, followed by Midland’s Rick Houston. Three players are tied for fifth in the Senior Division. In the Super Senior Division, Irving’s Mike Peck trails Puls at 3-over, while Doug Hopton-Jones, Bobby Haney, and Lelan Chiles are tied for third at 5-over.

Golf Course: Odessa Country Club was founded in 1939 after the 167 acres of land was purchased for $2,500. The course was designed by John Bredemus and the layout features Bermuda grass fairways and bent grass greens. Odessa Country Club is hosting the West Texas Amateur for the third time in the tournament’s 94 years. The last West Texas Amateur to be held at OCC was in 2015, with Mark Jones capturing the title.

Weather: Temperatures started in the low 80s in the morning and crept up to the high 90s in the afternoon. There was a calm breeze around 10 miles per hour throughout the day with a clear sky over Odessa.

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. Pairings for the Final Round are available by clicking here. 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.

Carnes Cards 4-under 68 to Lead West Texas Am

ODESSA – Casey Carnes leads the Championship Division of the 94^th West Texas Amateur after shooting 4-under 68 at Odessa Country Club’s Old Course. Mike Booker and Kelly Eng are tied atop the Senior Division, while Michael Puls leads the Super Senior Division at 3-under.

Full Leaderboard

Leaders: Casey Carnes of Schertz made five birdies en route to his 4-under 68 on Friday. Carnes started with a birdie on the par-5 10^th and added another on the par-4 14^th before dropping a stroke on the par-4 18^th. He made three birdies coming home to build his one-stroke lead. In the Senior Division, Mike Booker of Houston and Kelly Eng of Austin lead at 1-under. Booker made an eagle on the par-5 sixth and made the turn at 3-under. He made two bogeys coming home to fall back to 1-under. Eng made four birdies in his final nine holes, including the par-4 14^th and the par-3 17^th to shoot 71. In the Super Senior Division Irving’s Michael Puls posted 3-under 69 on Friday and leads by four strokes. Puls tallied six birdies on the day, including three in a row on holes 12-14.

In Contention: Trailing Carnes in the Championship Division are Christopher Wheeler of Addison, Nolan Otto of Big Spring and Dan Depasquale of Austin. Wheeler, who is the reigning TGA Player of the Year, got off to a slow start but made birdie on three of his final eight holes to get to 3-under. Otto’s card was busy in the opening round, with seven birdies, two bogeys and double-bogey. Depasquale finished with two birdies in his final three holes and made four in his final nine holes to get to 2-under. Jake Leatherwood, Andrew Lawson and Logan Diomede are all tied for fifth at 2-under, while four players are tied for seventh at 1-under. In the Senior Division, Koy Stribling of Odessa and Terrence Ray Miskell of New Braunfels are tied for third at even-par, while five players are tied for fifth and six players are tied for 10^th. In the Super Senior Division Marshall Morgan of Fort Worth and Doug Hopton-Jones of Mansfield are tied for second at 1-over, while Mike Peck, Bobby Haney and Lelan Chiles are tied for fourth.

Golf Course: Odessa Country Club was founded in 1939 after the 167 acres of land was purchased for $2,500. The course was designed by John Bredemus and the layout features Bermuda grass fairways and bent grass greens. Odessa Country Club is hosting the West Texas Amateur for the third time in the tournament’s 94 years. The last West Texas Amateur to be held at OCC was in 2015, with Mark Jones capturing the title.

Weather: Temperatures started in the low 80s in the morning and crept up to the high 90s in the afternoon. There was a calm breeze around 10 miles per hour throughout the day with a clear sky over Odessa.

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 second round of the West Texas Amateur is set to begin at 7:30 am on Saturday, July 16. The Championship Division will go off in the morning wave, while the Senior and Super Senior Divisions switch to the afternoon wave. Following the second round, each division will be cut in half before Sunday’s Final Round.

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

Barfield and Quinn Win at North Senior Amateur

Dallas — Neal Barfield of Dallas won the Senior Division of the North Senior Amateur after firing a 1-over 71 amidst windy conditions on Wednesday. Jim Quinn of Arlington completed his wire-to-wire victory of the Super Senior Division with rounds of 67-76 at Golf Club of Dallas.

Click here for full leaderboard

Leaders: Barfield made four birdies in his second round and posted the low score on Wednesday in both divisions. His 4-over total pushed him two strokes ahead of the field as he won the North Senior Amateur for the first time. Quinn started steady in round two, going out at even-par 35, but ran into a four-hole stretch where he played 6-over. He finished with three pars and five strokes ahead of the field.

In Contention: In the Senior Division, Burleson’s Lewis Stephenson and Grapevine’s Michael Goff finished tied for second at 6-over, while Irving’s Steve Love and McKinney’s Donald Oconnor finished fourth and fifth. In the Super Senior Division, two-time reigning champion Gary Kirwan of McKinney finished runner-up to Quinn, followed by Rockwall’s Rick Lindsay in third, Irving’s Michael Puls in fourth and Jacksonville’s Dick Stone in fifth.

Course: Golf Club of Dallas is hosting the North Senior Amateur for the second time. The course was designed by Perry and Press Maxwell and opened in 1953. The last time the North Senior Amateur was at GC of Dallas was in 2010, which saw Jim Mundell win the Senior Division and Randy Wolff win the Super Senior Division.

Tournament History: The North Senior Amateur is in its 13^th year on the schedule and is the second regional event in North Texas in 2022. The tournament is a 36-hole stroke play event with players competing in two separate divisions. The Senior Division is comprised of players that are 55 years and older, while the Super Senior Division is made up of players that are 65 years and older.

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.

Player of the Year: Points were awarded to the top five finishers of each division for the Senior Player of the Year and Super Senior Player of the Year. The champions each got 500 points towards the statewide honor followed by 400 for runner-up, 300 for third, 200 for fourth and 100 for fifth. The Regional Senior Amateurs were the first opportunity for players to earn points in those races.

What’s Next: The TGA heads out to Tempest Golf Club for the North Four-Ball, which was rescheduled from it’s original February date due to severe weather. Qualifying has commenced for the 113^th Texas Amateur and sites are scattered across the state for the next few months. The Legends Junior Tour heads to the Austin area for the rescheduled Jimmy Demaret Junior Classic at Crystal Falls Golf Club on April 9-10.

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 North Senior Amateur, click here. To see all the scores from Golf Club of Dallas, click here.

South Wins Jackie Burke Cup

TYLER – The South Team wins the Jackie Burke Cup for the first time since 2013 with a 37-11 victory at Willow Brook Country Club.

The Jackie Burke Cup is a team match play event modeled after the Ryder Cup. Each team features 12 players as North Texas takes on South Texas. Each match is worth two points and the team with the most points after Sunday will win the cup.

Willow Brook Country Club is located in Tyler, Texas and is hosting the Jackie Burke Cup Matches for the first time. The par-71 layout challenges the players as they have to manage their way around a hilly terrain and avoid the trees. The course joins a stellar list of clubs to have hosted the Jackie Burke Cup including Whispering Pines Golf Club, Champions Golf Club, Brookhollow Country Club, Spanish Oaks Golf Club, Miramont Golf Club, Escondido Golf and Lake Club and The Clubs at Houston Oaks.

Leading 19-5 heading into the Singles Matches on Sunday, the South Team took care of business early winning the first three matches of the day and securing the six points needed to win. San Antonio’s Nathan Marion secured the clinching points for the South Team with a 7&6 win over Tate Littman in Match 15. Marion secured six total points for the South Team over the weekend in his first appearance at the Jackie Burke Cup. Andrew Tan and Austin Hofferkamp also went 3-0-0 for the South Team in 2021.

The last time the South Team won the Jackie Burke Cup was at Traditions Club in 2013. The temperatures were frigid as the South won 25-23. This year’s South Team scored the most points in the history of the event en route to the victory. The previous highest total was 34 points by the North Team at Wichita Falls in 2019.

Weather was great again on Sunday with temperatures in the low 40s to start the day and then in the high 60s later in the afternoon. Winds were a little stronger on the second day, ranging around 10 miles per hour.

Along with the Jackie Burke Cup going to the South Team, players of the year were announced. Austin’s Sam Dossey was the Boys 15-18 Player of the Year, while Cedar Park’s Jiyu Han won Girls 12-18 Player of the Year and Plano’s Rhett O’Rear received the Boys 14 & Under Player of the Year. Austin’s Andrew Tan was named the 2021 James A. Ragan Sportsman of the year.

To see all the scores from the Jackie Burke Cup, click here. For more information on the event, click here.

South Blitzes North and Leads Jackie Burke Cup

TYLER – The South Team holds a 19-5 lead after the first day of the Jackie Burke Cup Matches at Willow Brook Country Club. The South Team is seeking it’s first cup win since 2013.

The Jackie Burke Cup is a team match play event modeled after the Ryder Cup. Each team features 12 players as North Texas takes on South Texas. Each match is worth two points and the team with the most points after Sunday will win the cup.

Willow Brook Country Club is located in Tyler, Texas and is hosting the Jackie Burke Cup Matches for the first time. The par-71 layout challenges the players as they have to manage their way around a hilly terrain and avoid the trees. The course joins a stellar list of clubs to have hosted the Jackie Burke Cup including Whispering Pines Golf Club, Champions Golf Club, Brookhollow Country Club, Spanish Oaks Golf Club, Miramont Golf Club, Escondido Golf and Lake Club and The Clubs at Houston Oaks.

The South Team jumped out to a quick 12-0 lead after sweeping the morning Four-Ball Matches against the North Team. Brian Comegys and Trenton Mierl got the scoring going early with a 3&2 win over Sam Jenkins and Carter Patterson. Jonathan Kim and Ethan Parker picked up the next two points with a 5&4 win over Daniel Moon and Elvis Steen. Sam Dossey and Andrew Tan won 3&2, while Nathan Marion and Treed Huang won 2&1 and Jiyu Han and Emma Von Hoffmann won 4&2. The only match that managed to get to No. 18 was Match 5 which saw Austin Hofferkamp and Shiv Parmer hold off Rhett O’Rear and Reese Roberts after O’Rear chipped in for birdie on the par-4 18^th.

The North Team got on the board in the afternoon after Trevor Algya and Preston Cooper beat Comegys and Mierl 2&1 in the Foursomes Matches. The South Team answered back when Hofferkamp and Parmar won their match 5&4 and then Dossey and Tan won 2&1. Parker and Marion paired up to win 3&1, while Kim and Huang tied with Moon and Sam Jenkins. Adrienne Ahn and Jenna Madden won the final match of the day 2-up and secured two points for the North Team.

Temperatures started in the 30s on Saturday, but the sun eventually came out and the winds stayed steady around five miles per hour.

The Final Round of the Jackie Burke Cup is Singles Matches with tee times starting at 7:30 am. Following the conclusion of the Final Round, the cup will be awarded to the winning team or the North Team if there is a tie.

The last time the South Team won the Jackie Burke Cup was at Traditions Club in 2013. The temperatures were frigid as the South won 25-23. This year’s South Team is only 15 points behind most points scored by a team in the Jackie Burke Cup, when the North won 34-14 at Wichita Falls Country Club.

To see all the scores from Saturday at the Jackie Burke Cup, click here. For more information on the event, click here.