Regional Senior Amateurs Set for April 3-5

The Texas Golf Association’s 2023 men’s regional tournament series rolls on in the first week of April with the back-to-back playing of the North and South Senior Amateurs.

The North Senior Amateur will be held April 3-4 at Whitestone Golf Club in Benbrook, while the South Senior Amateur will be contested April 4-5 at Gus Wortham Park Golf Course in Houston.

Located about 12 miles southwest of Fort Worth, Whitestone Golf Club opened in 2000 and is a design collaboration between Jeff Brauer and Jay Morrish. Set on 150 acres of beautiful rolling land, the par-72 layout plays just over 6,450 yards from the middle set of tees. Gus Wortham Park Golf Course traces back over 100 years to when it opened in 1908 as the original site of Houston Country Club. The 6,388-yard, par-71 course, which has been owned by the City of Houston since 1973, was completely renovated and modernized in 2019 by the architectural firm of Finger Dye Spann, Inc.

First played in 2003, the Regional Senior Amateurs feature two age divisions: 55 and older (Senior) and 65 and older (Super Senior). Entries are open to male amateur golfers who meet the age requirements by the first round of tournament play, have an up-to-date WHS Handicap Index® not exceeding 8.4 (10.0 for Super Senior) 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 (60 Seniors, 24 Super Seniors) will play 36 holes of individual stroke play over two days with no cut. Each age division will compete from different tees and yardages, with separate champions recognized. Players who are 65 and older can opt to compete in the Senior Division at the time an entry form is submitted. The top 15 finishers and ties in the Senior Division, regardless of age, will earn exemptions into this year’s Texas Senior Amateur to be held Sept. 8-10 at Amarillo Country Club.

Starting times and pairings for the first round of both championships will be posted online the TGA website no later than March 31. Live scoring updates and daily recaps will also be available online once the action gets underway from Whitestone Golf Club and Gus Wortham Park Golf Course.

At the 2022 championships, Mike Booker of Houston secured his fifth overall South Senior Amateur title with a 36-hole total of 5-over-par 147 at Beaumont Country Club. Mike Vacek of Weimar finished at 8-over 150 to win the Super Senior Division for the second straight year. Neal Barfield of Dallas won the North Senior Amateur with rounds of 73-71 (+4) over 36 holes at The Golf Club of Dallas. Jim Quinn of Arlington took home the honors in the Super Senior Division with a 3-over 143 total.

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.

TGA Regional Senior Amateurs Set for March 30-April 6

The Texas Golf Association’s 2022 Regional Championship Series continues with the back-to-back playing of the North and South Senior Amateurs.

First up is the South Senior Amateur to be held March 30-31 at Beaumont Country Club. The North Senior Amateur will be contested April 5-6 at The Golf Club of Dallas.

Beaumont Country Club was established in 1906 and is one of the five founding member clubs of the TGA. The course was originally designed by Alex Findlay and opened for play the following year. Baxter Spann supervised a $2 million dollar renovation of the course in 2004. The Golf Club of Dallas opened for play in 1953 and was designed by the father-son team of Perry and Press Maxwell. The course was renovated in 2002 by past Masters champion Charles Coody.

First played in 2003, the Regional Senior Amateurs feature two age divisions: 55 and older (Senior) and 65 and older (Super Senior). Entries are open to male amateur golfers who meet the age requirements by the first round of tournament play, belong to a TGA Member Club, have a World Handicap System Index of 8.4 or less (10.0 or less for Super Senior), and reside in the region relative to their respective championship. The TGA uses the 31st parallel in Salado as the delineation between the North and South regions.

The format for both events is 36 holes of individual stroke play. Each age division competes from different tees and yardages, with a separate champion recognized. Players who are 65 and older can opt to compete in the Senior Division at the time an entry form is submitted. The top 15 finishers and ties in the Senior Division, regardless of age, will earn exemptions into this year’s Texas Senior Amateur.

Live scoring updates, daily recaps, as well as tee-times and pairings, will be available on the website once the action gets underway from Beaumont Country Club and The Golf Club of Dallas.

At the 2021 championships, Dave Davis of Saginaw secured his third North Senior Amateur title with a victory on the second playoff hole over John Derrick of Waco. The two finished regulation play tied at 2-under-par 142 at Wildhorse Golf Club in Denton. Gary Kirwan of McKinney also won the Super Senior Division for a third time by besting two-time overall champion John Grace of Fort Worth in a three-hole playoff. Both players finished 36 holes at 147 (+3). David Ortego of Spring carded rounds of 67-70 (-7) to capture the South Senior Amateur at Kissing Tree Golf Club in San Marcos. Ortego also won the event in 2015. Mike Vacek of Weimar finished at 146 (+2) to win the Super Senior Division.

Dave Davis and Gary Kirwan Capture Titles at 2021 North Senior Amateur

Denton, TX – Dave Davis, of Saginaw, comes from behind in the final round of the North Senior Amateur to capture his third North Senior Amateur title since 2016. Davis fired a two-under par 70 on Friday to get into a playoff with defending Texas Senior Amateur Champion, John Derrick. After tying the first playoff hole, Davis sunk his birdie putt on the 18th green at Wildhorse Golf Club to capture the title.

Gary Kirwan, of McKinney, defeats first round leader of the Super Senior Division, John Grace, in a three hole playoff to capture the Super Senior Division title. Kirwan, like Davis, captured his third North Senior Amateur title since 2016. Both Kirwan and Davis have followed suit in capturing their respective titles in the same years; 2016 at Denton Country Club, 2019 at Eldorado Country Club, and now 2021 at Wildhorse Golf Club at Robson Ranch. The 2020 North Senior Amateur was canceled due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Being said, this feat by both Davis and Kirwan make it even more impressive of their feat of reclaiming their titles in the past four times the North Senior Amateur has been held.

First round leader Michael Jones finished in a tie for 14th after a final round 81. John Derrick, of Waco, fired a three-under par 69 which was good for low round of the tournament in the Senior Division. Finishing in a tie for third place was Grabury’s, Lelan Chiles and of Farmers Branch, Chris Goodspeed at even par for the 36-hole championship.

Finishing in a tie for 3rd place in the Super Senior Division was Tom Takes, of Weatherford. And in fourth place, Scott Munse of Plano with a 36-hole total 150, six over par.

LEADERBOARD

Senior Division
1st       Dave Davis             73-69—142*
2nd     John Derrick          72-70—142
3rd      Lelan Chiles           73-71—144
4th      Chris Goodspeed   71-73—144
T-5th  John Schaefer        74-72—146
T-5th  Rob Wands             72-74—146

*Won on 2nd playoff hole

Super Senior Division
1st         Gary Kirwan       72-75—147*
2nd       John Grace         71-76—147
3rd       Tom Takes          73-76—149
4th        Scott Munse       77-73—150
T-5th    Dub Huckabee   77-75—152
T-5th    Gary Tully           77-75—152
T-5th    Rick Lindsay       75-77—152

*Won on 3rd playoff hole

FULL LEADERBOARD

Weather: Thursday’s first round on Robson Ranch was cool but by early in the afternoon, the sun was shining bright with temperatures reaching the low 80 degrees. The wind was almost non-existent for majority of the day which gave players ideal scoring conditions at Wildhorse Golf Club. Friday’s round was almost a complete flip from Thursday; the wind was a consistent 15 mph with 25-30 mph gusts which added a challenge to the field. Temperatures hit 80 degrees by the end of the day for the lead groups finishing their last hole with partly cloudy skies.

Host Course: Designed by renowned Texas golf architect Gary Stephenson, the 27-hole championship course features strategically placed bunkers and penalty areas that present an enjoyable challenge for all golfers. Wildhorse Golf Club is located within the beautiful Robson Ranch in Denton, Texas. The North Senior Amateur was conducted on the South and West nines.

Next Up: The North Regional Series will take a break for now and resume back up in August for the North Amateur at The Bridges Golf Club on August 6th-8th.

The Texas Super Senior is next up on the championship schedule for the TGA. The top Super Seniors will be tested at beautiful Ridglea Country Club (North Course) in Fort Worth on April 19th-21st.

TGA Regional Senior Ams Set for April 5-9

The Texas Golf Association’s 2021 tournament season rolls on in early April with the back-to-back playing of the Regional Senior Amateurs.

First up is the South Regional Senior Amateur to be held April 5-6 at Kissing Tree Golf Club in San Marcos. The North Regional Senior Amateur will be contested April 8-9 at Wildhorse Golf Club at Robson Ranch in Denton.

Designed by Texas-based architect Gary Stephenson, Kissing Tree Golf Club opened in 2018. Located on the eastern edge of Hill Country, the course is part of the Audubon International program, which preserves and highlights the native environment. Wildhorse Golf Club at Robson Ranch also was designed by Stephenson and opened in 2002.

To accommodate a wide range of players, the Regional Senior Amateurs feature two age divisions: 55 and older (Senior) and 65 and older (Super Senior). Each age division competes from different tees and yardages, with a separate champion recognized. Players who are 65 and older can opt to compete in the Senior Division at the time an entry form is submitted.

The format for both championships is 36 holes of individual stroke play. The top 15 finishers and ties in the Senior Division, regardless of age, will earn exemptions into this year’s Texas Senior Amateur, to be held Sept. 24-26 at Westwood Golf Club in Houston.

The Regional Senior Amateurs were first played in 2003. The championships are open to male amateur golfers age 55 and older (65 and older for Super Senior), belong to a TGA Member Club, have a World Handicap System Index of 8.4 or less (10.0 or less for Super Senior), and reside in the region relative to their respective championship. The TGA uses the 31st parallel in Salado as the delineation between the North and South regions.

The 2020 championships were canceled due to health concerns stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Dave Davis of Saginaw won the 2019 North Regional Senior Amateur with a 36-hole total of 1-under 143 at Eldorado Country Club in McKinney. Local resident Gary Kirwan finished at 4-over 148 to win the Super Senior Division. At the 2019 South Regional Senior Amateur held at River Crossing Club in Spring Branch, Scott Smith of Houston captured the overall title with a final round 4-under 68 to finish at 141 (-3). Michael Arnold of Windcrest claimed the Super Senior title with a two-day total of 146 (+2).

Live scoring updates, daily recaps, as well as tee-times and pairings, will be available once the action gets underway from Kissing Tree and Wildhorse.

Davis Captures 2019 North Senior Amateur; Kirwan Wins Super Senior Division

Briefly: Dave Davis shot the low round of the tournament to capture his second North Senior Amateur title. Davis’ two-under-par, 70, included two birdies and 16 pars. Much like Davis, Gary Kirwan captured his second Super Senior Division after posting an even round 72 on Thursday at Eldorado Country Club. Davis and Kirwan both won their previous respective titles in 2016 at Denton Country Club in Argyle, TX.
 
Leaderboard:
Senior Division
 

1. Davis, Dave (Saginaw) – 73-70 – 143 (-1)
2. Corson, Larry (Dallas) – 74-72 – 146 (+2)
3. Cooper, Brent (Dallas) – 74-73 – 147 (+3)
4. Stumpf, Brad (Lewisville) – 76-73 – 149 (+5)

T5.  Quinn, Jim (Arlington) – 79-71 – 150 (+6)
T5.  Peck, Mike (Irving) – 76-74 – 150 (+6)
T5.  Finnin, Michael (McKinney) – 74-76 – 150 (+6)
 
Super Senior Division

1. Kirwan, Gary (McKinney) – 76-72 – 148 (+4)
2. Holstead, Bill (Wichita Falls) – 76-75 – 151 (+7)

T3.  Turner, Ed (Richardson) – 79-74 – 153 (+9)
T3.  Hopton-Jones, Doug (Mansfield) – 77-76 – 153 (+9)
T3.  Lindsay, Rick (Rockwall) – 74-79 – 153 (+9)
 
Final Round Results
 
Golf Course: Located in McKinney, Eldorado Country Club combines a great golf experience with unmatched beauty of the McKinney landscape. Eldorado was established in 1981 by golf course designer Gary Roger Baird. The course features tight tree-lined fairways with strategically placed slopes off the tee to test every level of play. Eldorado CC’s small greens challenge players to be accurate on their approach shots to give them the best look at the hole. Eldorado CC is playing at 6,559 yards for the Senior Division and 6,087 yards for the Super Senior Division.
 
Weather: Overnight storms gave the course a shower but rain and the wind stayed away once tee times started. The cloudy conditions and slight breeze gave the players ideal scoring conditions with the sun peeking through around noon. The temperature reached 70 degrees with the breeze switching to out of the West at 7 mph.
 
Winner’s Info: Davis, who lives in Saginaw, started his final round with seven straight pars before grabbing his first of two birdies on the 370 yard par four, 4^th. Davis’ other birdie came on the 12^th hole after hitting a nice approach to eight feet. Putting from above the hole in a treacherous position, Davis made the slippery left-to-right putt before making his way into the clubhouse with six more pars.
 
Kirwan, who lives in McKinney, began his round off the 10^th hole where he started with two bogeys over the first seven holes. Kirwan then had back-to-back birdies on the 17^th and 18^th hole as he made the turn. Kirwan mimicked his outward nine of two bogeys and two birdies on the front nine to card a level round 72.
 
This is déjà vu for the North Senior Amateur as both Davis and Kirwan stood victories in their respective divisions at the 2016 North Senior Amateur that was hosted by Denton Country Club.
 
In contention: Wayne Wright, who shared the lead overnight in the Senior Division finished in a tie for eighth. Larry Corson finished runner-up to Davis after he moved up the leaderboard with a final round of even-par 72. Brent Cooper and Brad Stumpf both posted a final round of one-over-par 73 to finish in third and fourth place, respectively. Two other players, Jim Quinn and Lewis Stephenson, shot an under par round in the tournament with a final round one-under-par 71.
 
In the Super Senior Division, Bill Holstead of Wichita Falls finished runner-up after posting a two-day tournament total of seven-over par 151. Ed Turner, Doug Hopton-Jones, and Rick Lindsay round out the top of the leaderboard in a three-way tie for third.
 
What’s Next: The next TGA Championship will be the Texas Super Senior Amateur at Ridgewood Country Club in Waco, TX on April 23-25^th. New this year to this Championship is the addition of a Net recognition in which all players will compete based off their handicap. To view the entire Texas Golf Association calendar, click here.
 
More Information: The TGA extends its sincere appreciation to the membership and staff at Eldorado Country Club for hosting the 2019 North Senior Amateur. The TGA also sends thanks to the many championship volunteers that assisted over the last two days with refereeing and as starters. For more information on the North Senior Amateur, you can visit the Championship Homepage here.