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.

Regional Amateurs Set for Aug. 4-6

Thorntree Golf Club in DeSoto and The Wilderness Golf Club in Lake Jackson will be the host sites for the North Amateur and South Amateur, respectively. The championships will be held concurrently from Aug. 4-6.

Built by the Richard Mai family, Thorntree Golf Club opened in 1983. The parkland-style course features a number of elevation changes, mature trees lining the fairways, and contoured greens guarded by deep bunkers. 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.

First played in 2003, Regional Amateur entries are open to male amateur golfers who 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.

The format for the 84-player starting field in both Regional Amateurs is 54 holes of individual stroke play with no cut. The top three finishers and ties receive automatic exemptions into the 2024 Texas Amateur. Additionally, the top two mid-amateur (age 25 and older) finishers and ties earn exemptions into this year’s Texas Mid-Amateur to be held Sept. 29-Oct. 1 at Midland Country Club.

Starting times and pairings for the first and second rounds of both championships will be posted on the TGA website no later than Aug. 1. Live scoring updates and daily recaps will also be available online once the action gets underway from Thorntree Golf Club and The Wilderness Golf Club.

At the 2022 championships, Jason Schultz of Allen successfully defended his North Amateur title with rounds of 72-69-67 at Harbor Lakes Golf Club in Granbury. His 8-under-par 208 total was good for a two-stroke margin of victory over Joe Seth Murphy of Flint. It was the third TGA title of the season for Schultz, who earlier in the year won the North Mid-Amateur and Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play. Brian Comegys of Austin carded rounds of 67-71-68 at Victoria Country Club for a wire-to-wire victory at the South Amateur. Comegys finished at 10-under 206 and five strokes ahead of runner-up David Harrison of San Antonio.

Regional Amateurs Set for Aug. 5-7

The 2022 North and South Regional Amateur Championships will be held concurrently from Aug. 5-7.

The North Regional Amateur will be contested at Harbor Lakes Golf Club in Granbury. Victoria Country Club in Victoria will host the South Regional Amateur.

Located approximately 30 miles southwest of Fort Worth, Harbor Lakes Golf Club opened for play in 2003 and was designed by Dick Phelps. The challenging links-style layout is set against a backdrop of rolling hills, native grasses, and stunning waterfront vistas. Victoria Country Club was founded in 1924 and began as a nine-hole course. The club expanded to 18 holes in 1935 and was designed by Texas Golf Hall of Fame architect John Bredemus. In 1985, an extensive course renovation and modernization project was overseen by Baxter Spann and Joe Finger, also a Texas Golf Hall of Famer.

First played in 2003, the Regional Amateurs are open to male amateur golfers who belong to a TGA Member Club, have a World Handicap System Index® of 8.4 or less 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 the 84-player starting field in both Regional Amateurs is 54 holes of individual stroke play with no cut. The winner and runner-up in each championship, if eligible, earn exemptions into this year’s Texas Mid-Amateur to be held Sept. 23-25 on the South Course at Abilene Country Club. Additionally, the top three finishers will receive automatic exemptions into the 2023 Texas Amateur.

Live scoring updates, daily recaps, as well as tee times and pairings, will be available on the TGA website once the action gets underway from Harbor Lakes Golf Club and Victoria Country Club.

At the 2021 North Regional Amateur, held at The Bridges Golf Club in Gunter, Jason Schultz of Allen captured the title with rounds of 72-70-71. His 3-under 213 was good for a two-stroke margin of victory over runner-up Alex Higgs of Dallas. Padden Nelson of Houston won the 2021 South Regional Amateur at Galveston Country Club. Nelson fired a 5-under 67 in the final round to finish at 9-under 207 and five shots clear of closest pursuer Joshua Lim of San Antonio.

Nelson Wins South Amateur

Galveston: Houston’s Padden Nelson comes from behind to win the 2021 South Amateur by five strokes. Two strokes were all that separated 36-hole leader Joshua Lim of San Antonio and Nelson heading into the final round. Nelson who was solo second after 36-holes knew he would need a strong final round to overcome Lim who had been playing flawless golf through the first two rounds.

The final group started on the par-5 first hole where Nelson made a 35-foot eagle putt to get his day started. After a par on the par-3 second hole, Nelson again picked up a stroke over the field when he made birdie on the par-4 third hole. A trio of pars followed before another birdie rolled in for him on the par-4 seventh hole. Nelson’s lone bogey on the day immediately followed as he made four on the par-3 eight hole. With a par on the par-4 ninth hole he turned at 3-under par for day, 7-under par for the tournament. His 3-under par front nine was enough to take a two-stroke lead over the field with nine to play.

After making the turn Nelson started with a pair of pars before making another birdie on the par-5 12^th hole. Another birdie on the par-4 13^th got him to 5-under on the day. Nelson would finish the round with five pars and post a final round score of 5-under par 67 and claim the South Amateur title.

Leaderboard

1- Padden Nelson – 207 (-9)

2 – Joshua Lim – 212 (-4)

T3 – Hayes Hamilton – 215 (-1)

T3 – Broc Haymon – 215 (-1)

T3 – Niko Nebout – 215 (-1)

6 – Holden Hamilton – 216 (E)

Results

Top Finishers: Finishing in solo second behind Nelson was 36-hole leader Joshua Lim of San Antonio. Lim played his first 36-holes with just one bogey and was 6-under par for the tournament. A difficult final round of 2-over par 74 put Lim at 4-under par 212 for the tournament. In a three-way tie for third place at 1-under par 215 was GCC host club exemption Hayes Hamilton, Broc Haymon and Niko Nebout. Hamilton’s twin brother Holden, also a host club exemption, finished in sixth place for the tournament at even-par 217.

Weather: After six inches of rain leading up to the South Amateur, Friday’s first round saw overcast skies and scattered thunderstorms. Due to the morning forecast starting times were adjusted to a 10:00 am start off both Nos. 1 & 10. Saturday’s second round had blue skies with a high of 90 and a “feels like” high of 103 degrees. During Sunday’s final round the gulf wind picked up and players were tested with wind gusts up to 25mph. The skies remained blue and clear with highs in the low 90s and a “feels like” high of 105 degrees.

Golf Course: Galveston Country Club, which traces its roots back to 1898, moved to its current location at Pirates’ Beach in 1946 and was designed by Carlton Gipson and Ralph Plummer. The course has undergone several renovations over the years, most recently in 2003 overseen by Jacobsen Hardy Golf Design. With strong winds coming off the coast, the course layout is stern and demanding testing all aspects of the game.

Next Up: The 2021 South Regional Series comes to an end with the conclusion of the South Amateur. Three of the four TGA Men’s Majors are next on the schedule including the Texas Four-Ball, Texas Mid-Amateur and Texas Senior Amateur.

For more information on the Texas Golf Association, South Regional Series and South Amateur, please visit www.txga.org.

Cody Banach Wins South Amateur

Briefly: Cody Banach broke away from a crowded leaderboard to win the South Amateur presented by Impact Precision Golf Sunday afternoon at Sterling Country Club in Cypress. Banach saved his best for last as he shot a tournament low 6-under 66 for a 54 hole total of 13-under par 203 to win by five strokes over Tyler Uhlig. Banach went bogey free in his final round, which included four birdies on the front nine and two birdies on the back nine.
 
Leaderboard:
1          Cody Banach              Houston                      -13       70-67-66          203
2          Tyler Uhlig                   Magnolia                     -8         72-67-69          208
3          Logan Pate                  Richmond                   -7         67-70-72          209
4          Broc Haymon              Pearland                     -6         70-71-69          210     
T5        Jess Bonneau              Houston                      -5         70-67-74          211
T5        Ross Mackay               Houston                      -5         70-67-74          211
South Amateur Leaderboard │ South Amateur Pairings
 
Golf Course: Designed by native-Texan Jeffrey D. Blume, Sterling Country Club opened in the fall of 2011 and is the 18-hole private facility at Houston National Golf Club. The private course is sprawled out over 190 acres and features rolling terrain and slick greens. This is the second Texas Golf Association South Regional Series event to be conducted at Sterling Country Club, with the first being the 2014 South Mid-Amateur.
 
Weather: Mostly sunny skies with a high of 100 and a slight breeze out of the southwest at 9 mph. Today’s heat index reached 110.
 
In contention: Uhlig used a final round 3-under par 69 to claim runner-up to Banach. Uhlig posted four birdies and a single bogey in his final round. Logan Pate, who shared a piece of the lead in each of the first two rounds, finished in solo third after a final round of even par 72 and a three-day total of 7-under par 209. Broc Haymon rounded out the top four with a 6-under par 210 for three days. Jess Bonneau and Ross Mackay, part of the four tied for the lead heading into the final round, finished in a tie for fifth place after 2-over par 74s to finish the weekend at 5-under par 211.
 
What’s Next: The South Amateur presented by Impact Precision Golf completes the 2019 Regional Series schedule. The first regional event for 2020 will be the South Four-Ball in late February.
 
More Info: For more information on the South Amateur presented by Impact Precision Golf, you can visit the tournament homepage here.

Four Players Tied At The South Amateur

Briefly: They are bunched up at the top of the leaderboard as four sit in a tie for the lead at the South Amateur presented by Impact Precision Golf at 7-under par 137 following the completion of the second round. First round leader Logan Pate is joined by Jess Bonneau, Cody Banach and Ross Mackay atop the leaderboard at Sterling Country Club in Cypress heading into Sunday’s final round.
 
Leaderboard:
T1        Logan Pate                  Richmond                   -7          67-70               137     
T1        Jess Bonneau              Houston                      -7         70-67               137
T1        Cody Banach               Houston                      -7         70-67               137
T1        Ross Mackay               Houston                      -7         70-67               137
5          Tyler Uhlig                   Magnolia                     -5         72-67                139
South Amateur Leaderboard │ South Amateur Pairings
 
Golf Course: Designed by native-Texan Jeffrey D. Blume, Sterling Country Club opened in the fall of 2011 and is the 18-hole private facility at Houston National Golf Club. The private course is sprawled out over 190 acres and features rolling terrain and slick greens. This is the second Texas Golf Association South Regional Series event to be conducted at Sterling Country Club, with the first being the 2014 South Mid-Amateur.
 
Weather: Mostly sunny skies with a high of 98 and a slight breeze out of the southwest at 9 mph. Today’s heat index reached 106.
 
In contention: Pate, who opened the South Amateur with a 5-under par 67 posted a second round 2-under par 70 to reach 7-under par 137 after 36 holes. Bonneau, Banach and Mackay, who entered the second round in a tie for third, all posted 5-under par 67s in the second round to enter the four-way tie with Pate. Uhlig, in solo fifth place, also posted a 5-under par 67 to sit two shots back of the leaders at 5-under par 139.
 
What’s Next: Final round tee times start tomorrow at 8 a.m. off No. 1 & 10 tees. A brief awards ceremony will take place at the clubhouse following the conclusion of play to recognize our 2019 South Amateur champion.
 
More Info: For more information on the South Amateur presented by Impact Precision Golf, you can visit the tournament homepage here.