Chris Wheeler wins North Mid-Amateur

Briefly: Chris Wheeler of Addison, TX captures the 2024 North Mid-Amateur, and earns low Mid-Master recognition, at The Courses at Watters Creek for his third TGA championship victory. Wheeler closed the event with a bogey free final round of 3-under par 69. Wheeler improved his scores each day and was the only player to record three rounds of par or better. Overall, Wheeler recorded rounds of 72-71-69 for a 4-under par 212. With this win Wheeler earns an exemption into the 115th Texas Amateur at Trinity Forest Golf Club

Wheeler duked it out against 36-hole co-leader Luke Condon throughout the better part of the final round. Condon held serve until the final three holes, which he played in 5-over par. Condon finished the championship in third place, which opened the door for Rob Couture. Couture stayed within striking distance after posting 73-73-146 after 36 holes. Couture recorded a bogey free final round of 3-under par 69 to finish at 1-under par 215 and work his way into second place for the championship. With his 2nd place finish, Couture will also earn an exemption into the 115th Texas Amateur.

Final Results

Golf Course: Formerly known as Chase Oaks and redesigned by the the Weibring/Wolfard team, The Courses at Watters Creek weaves through woodlands of red oak, cedar elm and pecan trees. Comprised of 419 Bermuda grass fairways and mini verde greens, The Courses at Watters Creek offers a challenge to all levels of players.

Weather: The players navigated a soft, wet course during Friday’s first round due to an inch of overnight rain. Temperatures ranged from the high 50’s in the AM to mid 60’s in the afternoon on the overcast day. Players experienced similar temperatures during Saturday’s second round, but the cloud cover broke for a sunny afternoon. Conditions ramped up for Sunday’s final round with wind speeds of 20 mph and 30 mph gusts.

Top Finishers: Dallas’s Will Strickler and Tyler’s Aaron Hickman both finished tied for fourth at 2-over par 218 overall. Hickman held the 36-hole co-lead coming into the final round, but moved backwards after a final round 78. Strickler’s championship was quite the opposite. After an uncharacteristic 82 in the opening round, Strickler recorded rounds of 7-under 65 & 1-under 71 to charge back into the top five.

Plano’s Paul McNamara, Richardson’s Kendrick Vinar, Lantana’s Chase Traughber, and Fort Worth’s Adam Valickus all finished tied for sixth at 3-over par 219 overall.

Regional POY: North Player of the Year points will be awarded to the top finishers at the 2024 North Mid-Amateur. The winning player will receive 900 points, followed by 750 for second, 650 for third, 600 for fourth, and 550 for fifth.  Points will be awarded through the top 30 players and ties. For Regional POY information, click here.

What’s Next: The North Regional Series will head to Walnut Creek Country Club in Mansfield, TX for the North Senior Amateur.

Registration for the 115th Texas Amateur is currently open and will close on March 27 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 of The Courses at Watters Creek, as well as our volunteers for their integral part in making the North Mid-Amateur a memorable and successful event. For more information on the North Mid-Amateur, click here.

Regional Mid-Amateurs Set for March 22-24

The TGA’s 2024 men’s regional tournament series continues this month with the North and South Mid-Amateurs. The championships will be held concurrently from March 22-24.

The North Mid-Amateur will be played on the Traditions Course at The Courses at Watters Creek in Plano. The South Mid-Amateur will be contested on a combination of the South and Shore nine-hole layouts at South Shore Harbour Country Club in League City.

This will be the fourth TGA championship held at Watters Creek and the third at South Shore Harbour. Watters Creek most recently hosted the 2023 North Four-Ball, won by Bobby Massa and Ryan Zamorano. The last TGA championship held at South Shore Harbour was the 2019 Women’s Eclectic, won by Anna Schultz.

Opened in 1986, the Traditions Course at Watters Creek was originally designed by Robert von Hagge and Bruce Devlin. It was remodeled by D.A. Weibring and Golf Resources Group in 2012. South Shore Harbour features three nine-hole courses (South, Shore, and Harbour) designed by Dave Marr and Jay Riviere. The original 18 holes, the South and Harbour Courses, opened for play in 1983, followed by the Shore Course, which opened in 1994.

First played in 2003, Regional Mid-Amateur entries are open to male amateur golfers who are 25 years of age or older by the tournament start date, have an up-to-date Handicap Index® not exceeding 8.4 issued through a member club of the TGA, and reside in the region relative to their respective championship. The delineation between the North and South regions is the 31st parallel that passes through the city of Salado.

Both championships are conducted using the same competitive format. The starting field of 84 players will play 54 holes of individual stroke play over three days with no cut. Along with crowning an overall champion, special recognition will be given to the low mid-master (player aged 40 and older). Regional performance points, which are applied to the yearlong North and South Regional Player of the Year races, are awarded to the top 30 finishers and ties. In addition, the top three finishers and ties in each event, as well as low mid-master, will earn exemptions into this year’s Texas Mid-Amateur to be held this fall at a site to be announced.

Starting times and pairings for the first and second rounds will be posted on the TGA website no later than March 19. Live scoring updates and daily recaps will also be available online once the action gets underway from The Courses at Watters Creek and South Shore Harbour Country Club.

At last year’s North Mid-Amateur, hosted by Rockwall Golf & Athletic Club in Rockwall, C.J. Brock won the title with rounds of 72-70-69. His 5-under-par 211 total was good for a one-stroke margin of victory over Brock Mulder. Brock and Mulder also finished 1-2 for low mid-master. Logan Thomason posted a 54-hole total of 3-over 219 on the Forest Course at The Clubs of Kingwood in Kingwood to capture the 2023 South Mid-Amateur by one shot over a quartet of players tied at 220. Otto Iskandar, one of the four second place finishers, claimed low mid-master honors.

CJ Brock wins North Mid-Amateur

Briefly: CJ Brock of Rockwall, TX captures the 2023 North Mid-Amateur at Rockwall Golf & Athletic Club.  Brock, a member at Rockwall GA&C was able to piece together three rounds of even or better, the only player in the field to do so this week under some harsh conditions between the rain Friday and strong winds Saturday with rounds of 72-70-69 for a 5-under-par 211.  With this win Brock captures his first Texas Golf Association Championship and earns an exemption into the 114^th Texas Amateur at The Clubs at Houston Oaks. 

Brock was able to hold off challenger Brock Mulder who shot a 4-under-par 68 in the final round to finish 4-under-par 212 for the tournament.  The final hole was the deciding factor in for the win, Brock hit a bunker shot to one foot to save par on 18. Mulders final putt on from just off the fringe missed the cup by 3 feet left that would have forced a playoff.  With his 2nd place finish, Mulder will also earn an exemption into the 114^th Texas Amateur.

 Final Results 

Golf Course: Laid out along the wind-swept shores of Lake Ray Hubbard, Rockwall Golf and Athletic Club, formerly known as The Shores Country Club, was designed in the late 1970s by Ralph Plummer and Jeffrey Blume.  Rockwall’s layout is a typical 7,000-yard-plus Plummer layout with Bermuda grass fairways and greens. Plummers design splits the course into two completely different nines with the front nine playing on Lake Ray Hubbard and the back nine playing within the Rockwall neighborhood.

Weather: Players were greeted with less-than-ideal conditions during Friday’s round. Rain and lightning postponed play by 1 hour and 45 minutes. Rain continued for the majority of the morning creating very damp general area play. Saturday’s weather lightened up and gave the players a slightly chilly beautiful morning, the wind picked up in the afternoon blowing steady out of the West.  Sunday’s conditions were the best of the tournament with temperatures starting in the mid 50s and getting to 70s by the afternoon and little to no wind.

Top Finishers: CJ Brock played steady strategic golf over the 3 day tournament carding rounds of 72-70-69, after his second round the host club member at Rockwall GA&C stated “I know the course, I know the greens, I just have to go out and execute the shots.” And execute he did, being the only player in the field to not have a round over par for the tournament and cementing his championship with his final round 69.  Brock carded 6 birdies each of his final two rounds to hold off the rest of the field.

Brock Mulder of McKinney finished in second place, Mulder also a member at Rockwall saved his best round for last.  Mulder started the second round at even par for the tournament 144.  His final round Mulder carded six birdies to only two bogies to finish one shot behind Brock at 212.

Finishing in third Kendrick Vinar of Richardson.  Vinar, like Mulder, saved his best round for last carding a 68 highlighted by an eagle on hole 3 a 529 yard par 5.

Regional POY: North Player of the Year points will be awarded to the top finishers at the 2023 North Mid-Amateur. The winning player will receive 900 points, followed by 750 for second, 650 for third, 600 for fourth, and 550 for fifth.  Points will be awarded through the top 30 players and ties. For Regional POY information, click here. 

What’s Next: The North Regional Series will head to Whitestone Golf Club in Benbrook, TX for the North Senior Amateur. 

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 Rockwall Golf & Athletic Club as well as our volunteers for their integral part in making the North Mid-Amateur a memorable and successful event. For more information on the North Mid-Amateur, click here. 

Regional Mid-Amateurs Set for March 24-26

The Texas Golf Association’s 2023 men’s regional tournament series continues this month with the North and South Mid-Amateurs. The championships will be held concurrently from March 24-26.

The North Mid-Amateur will be played at Rockwall Golf & Athletic Club in Rockwall. The Clubs of Kingwood’s Forest Course in Kingwood will be the host site for the South Mid-Amateur.

Situated along the northeastern edge of Lake Ray Hubbard, Rockwall Golf & Athletic Club (formerly The Shores Country Club) was originally designed by Ralph Plummer and opened in 1979. Jeffery Blume supervised a comprehensive remodel of the course in 2012. The Forest Course at The Clubs of Kingwood, considered the most challenging of the five layouts at the 90-hole facility, opened in 1992 and was designed by the architectural firm of Finger Dye Spann, Inc.

First played in 2003, Regional Mid-Amateur entries are open to male amateur golfers who are 25 years of age or older by the tournament start date, have an up-to-date WHS Handicap Index® not exceeding 8.4 issued through a member club of the TGA, and reside in the region relative to their respective championship. The delineation between the North and South regions is the 31st parallel in Salado.

Both championships are conducted using the same competitive format. The starting field of 84 players will play 54 holes of individual stroke play over three days with no cut. In addition to crowning an overall champion, special recognition will be given to the low mid-master (player aged 40 and older). The top three finishers and ties in each event, as well as low mid-master, will earn exemptions into this year’s Texas Mid-Amateur to be held Sept. 29-Oct. 1 at Midland Country Club in Midland.

Starting times and pairings for the first and second rounds will be posted on the TGA website no later than March 21. Live scoring updates and daily recaps will also be available online once the action gets underway from Rockwall Golf & Athletic Club and The Clubs of Kingwood.

At last year’s North Mid-Amateur, hosted by Paris Golf & Country Club in Paris, Jason Schultz of Allen won the overall division in a playoff over Scott Maurer of Dallas. The two finished tied at 7-under-par 203 at the end of regulation play. Schultz also claimed low mid-master honors. Daniel Depasquale of Austin posted a 54-hole total of 6-over 222 at Forest Creek Golf Club in Round Rock to capture both the overall and mid-master titles at the 2022 South Mid-Amateur.

Schultz Wins 2022 North Mid-Amateur

BRIEFLY – Jason Schulz of Allen recorded a birdie on the first playoff hole of the North Mid-Amateur at Paris Golf and Country Club to capture the championship. Schultz and Scott Maurer of Dallas both finished 7-under-par after 54 holes. Schultz and Maurer entered the final round tied 5-under-par for the tournament. On the 18th hole Schultz lost his ball and made a 15-foot putt to save bogey while Maurer was able to get up and down for par to force the playoff. Schultz has now gone back-to-back in regional championship events winning the 2021 North Amateur at the Bridges Golf Club in Gunter. Along with the championship, Schultz was also awarded the Mid-Master recognition for the highest finish of players in the field 40 and older.

LEADERBOARD:
T1 Maurer, Scott Dallas -7 67 68 68 203
T1 Schultz, Jason Allen -7 70 65 68 203
3 Johnson, Robert Abilene -2 65 75 68 208
4 Wheeler, Christopher Addison -1 70 71 68 209
T5 Strickland, Mark Frisco 1 70 70 71 211
T5 Bills, Gant Plano 1 70 69 72 211
T7 Sullivan, Matthew Lewisville 2 67 75 70 212
T7 Ezmerlian, Gary Fort Worth 2 69 73 70 212
9 Fraley, Justin Allen 3 73 70 70 213
10 Kelley, Kyle Rowlett 4 72 71 71 214

Complete Results

GOLF COURSE: Paris Golf and Country Club was built in 1916, making it one of the oldest courses in Texas, and redesigned in 2000 by PGA Tour player John Adams. The course features elevation changes and small Bermuda grass undulating greens that will test even the best golfers. The course is Par 70 set at just over 6,300 yards.

WEATHER: Friday’s first round temperatures ranged from 50 degrees to 75 degrees. The first round featured the least amount of wind for the weekend blowing at about five mph all day. Round 2 the wind picked up blowing at about 20 mph during the second half of the day with gusts up to 30 mph. The final round temperatures reached 78 degrees with the wind once again blowing between 20 and 30 mph.

Winners Info: Jason Schulz fired rounds of 70-65-68 to finish tied for the lead after 54 holes. Schultz only required one playoff hole to win the championship making birdie on hole number one. Schultz made three birdies on the back nine in the final round to stay in contention with Maurer and managed to save bogey on 18 after Maurer got up and down for par.

In Contention: Scott Maurer was tied for the lead entering the final round and finished tied for first after 54 holes after shooting three consecutive rounds under par 67-68-68. Maurer was able to save par on hole number 18 after hitting the ball left into thick mud. On the playoff hole Maurer attempted to drive the green and ended with a par.

WHAT’S NEXT: Registration for the 113th Texas Amateur qualifying end on March 30 at 5pm. The 2022 North Senior Amateur takes place at Golf Club of Dallas April 5-6. The North Four-Ball at Tempest Golf Club takes place April 9-10.

MORE INFO: The Texas Golf Association extends its sincere thanks to the staff and members at Paris Golf & Country Club as well as the volunteers that made this event a great success.