Bret Gray Goes Wire-to-Wire to win 114th Texas Amateur

HOCKLEY – Bret Gray from San Antonio won the 114th Texas Amateur with a two-putt par on the first playoff hole Sunday at The Clubs at Houston Oaks. With a four-day total of 11-under-par 273, the Sam Houston State junior became the first wire-to-wire Texas Amateur winner in more than a decade.

“It hasn’t really set in yet. It still feels like a dream,” Gray said minutes after the playoff concluded. “I’m super excited and blessed. Just glad I could finish it off. It was a hard-fought day out there.”

Gray defeated Oklahoma sophomore Jase Summy in the extra session. The two talented competitors separated themselves from the rest of the field during Friday’s second round and dueled for most of the weekend. They finished seven shots clear of the rest of the field.

Gray held Summy at bay for much of the final round until Gray’s second shot on the par-5 16th. With a three-shot lead, he tugged a fairway wood into the thick, gnarly Bahia grass left of the green. Gray gouged out his next shot short of the green and suffered a bogey. Meanwhile, Summy walked in a 15-foot birdie. After that exchange, Gray’s lead was trimmed to one shot.

After pars on the 17th hole, Gray made another mistake on his approach into 18 green. Playing about 100 yards away in the right rough, Gray caught a flier. Instead of checking up on the green, it bounced hard and plunked into the water behind it. That led to another bogey. Summy made par to force the playoff at 11-under.

Gray’s drive on the extra hole rattled into one of the century-old oak trees in the 18th fairway. He caught a good bounce, however, and it finished harmlessly in the fairway. Summy blew his drive out to right and had a partially obstructed view on his approach shot. Gray hit his approach safely to 20 feet. Summy’s approach came up shot and left him 80 feet from the hole.

When Summy’s par putt just missed, Gray finally exhaled.

“That’s the first playoff I’ve ever won,” he said. “I’ve been in two others in my life, and one was when I was about 12 years old. I made a little bit better shot into the green the second time around.”

Gray becomes the first wire-to-wire winner since Texas Tech’s Chris Ward won the 101st edition at Royal Oaks Country Club in Dallas back in 2010. Also playing in that Texas Amateur were a pair of fresh-faced juniors who grew up to become Masters champions. Jordan Spieth, 16 years old at the time, finished T8. Scottie Scheffler, 14, was T14.

Now Gray has something Scheffler and Spieth don’t: a Texas Amateur victory. Gray’s name will be engraved onto the historic H.L. Edwards Memorial Trophy alongside the likes of Ben Crenshaw, Charles Coody, Scott Verplank, Mark Brooks, and Will Zalatoris.

“It’s pretty cool,” he said. “A special feeling, for sure. Hopefully I can have a great career like they all did.”

Not lost in all the drama was the fact that Gray’s victory came on Father’s Day. His dad John Gray walked the margins of the fairways all week in support of his son. Understandably, he was emotional after the win.

“I’m feeling wonderful,” he managed to say with watery eyes. “He played great golf all week. It couldn’t be a better Father’s Day than to watch him, then I get to go home and have dinner with my other sons.”

For Summy’s part, he was upbeat in defeat.

“For the week, I played all right,” he said. “All you can ask for is a chance to win, and that’s what I had. I’m thankful for that. I played pretty good, but it could’ve been a lot better.”

Travis Woolf, a mid-amateur from Fort Worth, finished in third place at 4-under 280. Plano’s Ethan Fang took fourth place at 3-under 281. Fifth place belonged to Baylor junior Luke Dossey with a 72-hole score of 2-under 282.

As it was all week, the temperatures climbed into the high 90s with triple-digit heat indexes on Sunday. The day saw some of the strongest winds of the tournament, however. There were gusts of 30 mph for most of the morning.

“The course played tough today, especially with the wind,” said Spring’s Carson Cooper, who finished T15 at 5-over 289. “Teeing it up at 8:40 in the morning, you’re not used to it gusting 25 mph on the first tee. It played tough, but it’s a championship-style golf course, and this is an elite championship. So it should play tough.”

Formerly known as Tennwood Country Club in the 1950s, Houston Oaks was reinvented into its current, majestic state after acclaimed architect Chet Williams led a multimillion-dollar renovation in 2016-17. Ranked as the No. 7 course in Texas according to the 2023 Dallas Morning News Top-100 rankings, Houston Oaks is the epitome of a championship-quality venue.

Stretched all the way back, the breathtaking par-71 course is 7,007 yards. The competitors in the 114th Texas Amateur played it at 6,914 in Sunday’s final round. The brilliant routing snakes through rolling topography that features more than 1,000 giant oak trees. Houston Oaks also offers several natural water features to avoid, as well as thick, native Bahia grass waiting to gobble up golf balls that stray too far from the fairways.

A critical element to pageantry of the Texas Amateur are the venues that play host to it. Almost all the best courses in Texas have opened their doors to this illustrious championship throughout the years. The Clubs at Houston Oaks certainly fits that description, as evidenced by the myriad compliments about the course from the players.

With that in mind, the TGA is proud to extend its most sincere appreciation to Houston Oaks, including the founding families, members, and staff, for their efforts in delivering such a memorable championship week. From the mint condition of the course and the exceptional quality of the food to the hospitality and general good vibes from all the members who attended and assisted during the championship throughout the week, we can’t thank them all enough.

Extra special gratitude goes out to General Manager Bob Gusella, Head Professional James Brown, Director of Agronomy Jason Schoonover, Superintendent Kevin Bednarik, Communications Manager Jennifer Wosnitzky, and Executive Chef Malik Riley for all their efforts in creating a successful week.

We’re also grateful for our TGA Volunteers, who gave their time and expertise to ensure the competitors in the 114th Texas Amateur received a world-class championship experience.

Next summer, the 115th Texas Amateur heads to the Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas. For more information on this year’s championship, including complete scoring, click here.

Bret Gray Leads 114th Texas Amateur with 18 Holes to Play

HOCKLEY – Eighteen holes separate San Antonio’s Bret Gray from etching his name into Texas golf history at The Clubs at Houston Oaks. After a second consecutive 4-under-par 67 on Saturday in the third round of the 114th Texas Amateur, the Sam Houston State junior holds a two-shot lead at 13-under 200 overall.

“Today was a grind,” said Gray, the 2022-23 Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year. “On the front nine, I made nine straight pars. I didn’t really get any putts to go in, but I made some good pars. On the back nine, the putter started to heat up, and I made a few putts coming in.”

Gray made five birdies on his back nine, including four on the final six holes. He recorded six top-10s for the Bearkats last season, topped off by a victory at the Bayou City Classic in February. Gray also won the All-American Intercollege in 2022 as a freshman. He said he’ll draw on those college wins for confidence during Sunday’s final round.

“The course set up the past two days definitely has felt like a college tournament,” Gray said. “The guys I’m playing with are guys I see in college events, so it has a college feel to it, for sure. One thing I can pull from is really taking it one shot at a time and making golf almost easy. Just hit the fairway, hit the green, and two-putt. If you make a putt, awesome. But just playing simple golf, and that’s how I’ve gotten my two wins. Hopefully we can get a third.”

To make that a reality, he’ll have to fend off Oklahoma sophomore Jase Summy from Keller one more time. Summy, also a collegiate winner, shot a 3-under 68 on Saturday. Through three rounds, he sits at 11-under 202, just two shots behind Gray.

“The round today was OK,” said Summy, who drained a 20-foot birdie on 18 to inch a little closer to Gray. “It was clean, not a lot of bogeys. I’m right there. I’ll have a good day tomorrow and see what happens.”

Gray and Summy two have separated themselves from the pack with their tremendous play. The next closest chasers are Baylor junior Luke Dossey and former TCU standout Travis Woolf, who are tied for third place at 5-under 208. Dossey posted the low round of the day, a stellar 5-under 66.

“I think I’ll need a little bit of help, but another day like today with more putts dropping and hopefully I’ll put myself in a position tomorrow,” Dossey said.

With Gray and Summy respectively eight- and six-shots clear of the field, Sunday might have a match play feel to it. The operative word there is “might,” because there is a host of talented amateurs who could make things interesting before it’s over. That group includes Woolf, Dossey, and University of Houston redshirt junior Jacob Borow, who shot 2-under 69 on Saturday to climb into solo fifth place at 2-under 211.

Four more players are tied for sixth place at even-par 213, including Houston Oaks member Kade Stewart, 111th Texas Amateur champion Trey Bosco from Austin, Plano’s Ethan Fang, and Houston’s Jeffery Zatorski.

The National Weather Service’s Extreme Heat Warning remained in effect on Saturday for South Texas. A bit of cloud cover in the morning helped ease the effects of the heat, but it burned off by about 10 a.m. The heat index reached 100 degrees by noon, while the actual temperature hovering around 90 degrees.

Despite the soaring temperatures, all the players remaining in the field, as well as the Houston Oaks staff, the TGA Championships team, and the spectators enjoying the display of elite golf have been mindful to stay hydrated and soak up as much shade as possible. Thankfully, there have been no instances of anyone overheating this week.

The final round of the 114th Texas Amateur begins Sunday at 8 a.m. at Houston Oaks. For more information, including complete scoring, click here.

Gray Maintains Lead through 36 Holes at 114th Texas Amateur

HOCKLEY – Bret Gray from San Antonio fired a 4-under-par 67 on Friday at The Clubs at Houston Oaks in the second round of the 114th Texas Amateur. He maintained a one-shot lead at the halfway point of the state’s most celebrated amateur championship.

The Sam Houston State junior sits at 9-under 133 overall, one stroke in front of Keller’s Jase Summy, who lit up Houston Oaks on Friday morning for a course-record 7-under 64.

“Yeah, I saw (the 64) as I was about to tee off,” said Gray, a two-time collegiate winner and the 2022-23 Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year. “I didn’t really think about it too much, but I knew the number I needed to get to if I wanted to stay in the lead, obviously. I knew this afternoon wave was going to hard. The wind is blowing, it’s hot as heck. I had a number in my head, but I didn’t think about it too much. I just kept playing my game.”

Gray said Thursday he likes to keep things simple: fairways, greens, no three-putts. He stuck to the program again Friday. He rolled in five birdies and chipped one in from off the green for par on No. 15 after a loose tee shot. He suffered just one bogey on the day.

“It was hot out there,” he said. “I was most proud of myself for staying in it all day, taking it one shot at a time, and not letting the heat get to me or making an excuse for that. I stayed even keeled. I was proud of that.”

Summy displayed a similar approach to his round earlier in the day. He poured in nine birdies on his way to breaking the competitive course record at The Clubs at Houston Oaks with his electric 64. The University of Oklahoma sophomore birdied three of his first five holes, then four of his first five on his second nine.

Only a lipped out par putt from 4 feet on his final hole kept him from sharing the lead headed into Saturday’s third round.

“I normally make a lot of birdies, so if I can clean it up and not make any big numbers, I’ll shoot pretty good normally,” said Summy, who won the 2023 Boilermaker Invitational in April and was a Big 12 All-Conference selection last season. “I had one three-putt today – I try not to have any of those; it’s always a goal – and I just thought I played a really clean round of golf. It could’ve been better, but it was just really clean.”

Gray and Summy separated themselves a bit from the rest of the field of top amateurs in the state. Third place belongs to Austin’s Sean-Karl Dobson, who shot a 3-under 68 in the second round to get to 4-under 138 overall. The incoming Stanford freshman is five shots back of Gray.

Fort Worth’s Travis Woolf is six shots behind in fourth place. The former TCU standout sits at 3-under 139 after his solid round of 2-under 69 on Friday. Houston’s Justin Kaplan rallied late with four birdies in his final seven holes to shoot 5-under 66 in the second round. He holds fifth place at 2-under 140.

Seven players are under par after two rounds at the sublime, par-71 Chet Williams-designed Houston Oaks course. Three more are at even-par 142, but they’re all looking up at Gray and Summy with two rounds to play.

With half the state of Texas under a Heat Advisory, it was another scorcher at Houston Oaks during the second round.

Friday’s weather unfortunately didn’t include the early morning cloud cover the field enjoyed on Thursday, which created a steamy environment almost from the start of the day. It was much breezier in the morning, too, with 15-20 mph gusts whipping through Houston Oaks by as early as 9 a.m.

At noon, the temperature at Houston Oaks was a toasty 93 degrees with a 103 index. The steady 20-25 mph winds helped ease the heat’s effects, but it also played havoc on plenty of competitors’ golf balls. The mercury topped out at 98 degrees from around 3-4:30 p.m. with “Feels Like” temperatures climbing to 108.

Hydration was a priority, and the 61 players who made the 36-hole cut at 8-over 150 or better can expect two more days of searing heat at one of the best golf courses in Texas. Among those who survived the cut were three past Texas Amateur winners.

Austin’s Trey Bosco, a senior at Baylor, won the 111th Texas Amateur in 2020 at Boot Ranch. He’s tied for 11th place currently at 1-over 143. Pottsboro’s Austyn Reily, a senior at the University of Houston, claimed the 112th Texas Amateur in 2021 at Midland Country Club. Reily shares apiece of 27th place at 4-over 146. Holden Wisener from Dallas, the defending champion who won the H.L. Edwards Memorial Trophy last summer at Willow Brook Country Club, is tied for 42nd place at 6-over 148.

The third round of the 114th Texas Amateur begins at 8 a.m. at Houston Oaks. For more information, including complete scoring, click here.

Bret Gray Leads 114th Texas Amateur after Round 1

HOCKLEY – There are numerous ways to construct a successful gameplan for elite competitive championships such as the 114th Texas Amateur. Bret Gray from San Antonio found something that works for him, and he used it to shoot a sizzling 5-under-par 66 on Thursday at The Clubs at Houston Oaks. That was good for a one-shot lead after 18 holes at the state’s oldest and most prestigious amateur championship.

“I just played simple golf,” said Gray, who poured in five birdies and an eagle against two bogeys. “I took advantage of the par 5s and the downwind holes. I didn’t hit it phenomenally, but I got up and down when I had to.”

A sophomore at Sam Houston State and the 2022-23 Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year, Gray understated his performance on the par 5s at Houston Oaks. More accurately, he blitzed them with three birdies and an eagle to go 5-under on those four holes. He said his affinity for the golf course only increased after Thursday.

“Houston Oaks is awesome, said Gray, a two-time collegiate winner who posted six top-10s last season. “It’s a great venue for the Texas Am. It’s in great condition; the greens are rolling great. The course is kind of penal, though. You can put yourself in some bad spots and make some big scores, but if you keep it on the right side of the hole, you’ll be OK.”

One shot behind Gray is Plano’s Ethan Fang, who shot an impressive 4-under 67. The incoming California-Berkeley freshman was the runner-up at last month’s Class 6A Individual State Championship for Plano West High School.

Fang started his round on Hole 10 and promptly birdied five of the holes on the back nine of Houston Oaks.

“I hit the ball really good today,” said Fang, who skipped his Wednesday practice round at Houston Oaks and instead qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur in Granbury. “I think I hit every fairway. Other than that, it was just a good round of ball striking. My putting was good, too. It’s a fun course to play.”

Alex Papayouanou from The Woodlands sits two shots back at 3-under 68. The incoming UCLA freshman recently won the District 13-6A individual championship for The Woodlands High School.

He started on Hole 10, and after a double bogey on the par-5 16th, Papayouanou finished his first nine holes at 2-over par.

“Once I got to the turn,” he said, “I just turned it on.”

Papayoanou rolled in a birdie on the par-4 third hole, then cashed in an eagle on the par-5 fourth hole. He added birdies on the par-3 seventh and par-5 eighth to get to 3-under overall.

“It was a grind out there today,” he said. “I’ve been hitting it well, though, and I’m really happy with how I played today.”

Five players share fourth place at 2-under 69 after the first round. That group includes Garrett Leek from Brock, Connor Adams from Dallas, Luke Dossey from Austin, Joe Stover from Dallas, and Joey Gullion from Spring.

Typical for this time of year, the heat was a factor at the 114th Texas Amateur, which is a walking-only event.

By 1 p.m., the mercury showed 93 degrees, but the heat index pushed up to 101. The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for most of Southeast Texas, including Hockley and the vast Houston Oaks property.

“You’re sweating so much that you’re losing grip of the club,” said Chris Wheeler, the 2022 North Texas Player of the Year who shot a 1-under 70 on Thursday. “You’re trying to conserve your energy and stay hydrated as best you can. I’ve played in this event enough times to know the heat and the walking have a cumulative effect. By the time Day 4 rolls around, you really start to feel it.”

The temperature climbed to 97 degrees by 3 p.m., with a heat index of 108. Even as late in the afternoon as 6 p.m., it was still 95 degrees with a triple-digit heat index. The cloud cover from the morning burned away, leaving the competitors exposed to the oppressive sun for much of the afternoon. The wind kicked up a bit, too. It was a steady 10-15 mph, with gusts up to 25 mph as the day wore on.

C.J. Brock, one of the more experienced mid-amateurs in the field, said the heat took a toll on him physically and mentally.

“Honestly, I don’t know if it’s possible to drink enough fluids while you’re on the golf course,” said C.J. Brock, who shot a 1-over 72. “But it’s also much more of a mental challenge. You start to lose it mentally before you lose it physically. I had some shots today, like on the short par-3 fifth hole, where I just couldn’t get comfortable. It was because of the heat.”

Sitting at the center of the sprawling, nearly 1,200-acre property, the golf course is the crown jewel of Houston Oaks, a multi-faceted club that also features a shooting range, a six-court tennis club, pickleball courts, wine club, fishing club, and a swim club. There’s also a baseball field, an equestrian club, and a hen house that produces farm-fresh eggs to its world-class dining facilities.

In short, it’s an amazing club that literally has something for everyone.

Once known as Tennwood Country Club in the 1950s, the course was a private facility for the employees of Tenneco Oil & Gas. The club was bought by three Houston families in the mid-2000s and received a massive, multimillion dollar renovation in 2016-17 by acclaimed architect Chet Williams, formerly of Jack Nicklaus Design.

The result was a spectacular, 7,007-yard, par-71 masterpiece that weaves around – and sometimes through – massive, centuries-old oak trees, of which there are more than 1,000 on the property. Certain holes, such as the 16th and 17th, feature gigantic oaks in the fairway that require thoughtful planning or specific shot shapes to avoid.

In addition to several natural water features, another one of Houston Oaks’ defenses is the widespread native areas covered in Bahia grass. In the same family as the ultra-sticky Paspalum grass, the Bahia at Houston Oaks stands about knee-high length and is as thick as cold spaghetti.

“Luckily, I avoided hitting it in there today,” Wheeler said. “I did go in there for a couple ball searches, though. Good luck finding anything in there. You have to step on it or get lucky somehow. Most likely, it’s gone.”

This week marks the second time Houston Oaks has opened its door to a TGA major championship. It also welcomed the Texas Mid-Amateur in 2021. In addition, Houston Oaks hosted the 2018 Texas Shootout, 2020 Jackie Burke Cup, multiple U.S. Women’s Open qualifiers, and the 2022 and ’23 Big 12 Conference Match Play Championship.

A total of 16 players broke par for Round 1. Another 14 competitors are within six shots of Gray at 1-over 71, including Trey Bosco, who won the 111th Texas Amateur in 2020.

Award Show

During Wednesday night’s exceptional Players’ Reception at Houston Oaks, the TGA honored last season’s top players, as well as two standout volunteers.

Colleyville’s Zach Atkinson received the night’s biggest award. The longtime amateur stalwart and TGA Director picked up a beautiful bronze 2022 Texas Player of the Year trophy for his consistent, elite performances last summer. Atkinson finished second at the 2022 Texas Mid-Amateur and was a semifinalist at the Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play. He also tied for fourth place at the 113th Texas Amateur, a championship he won back in 2004.

Wheeler took home the 2022 North Texas Player of the Year award. Wheeler won the North Texas Four-Ball with his partner Bobby Massa. Wheeler finished fourth at the North Texas Mid-Amateur, tied for fifth at the North Texas Amateur, and was solo sixth at the 2022 West Texas Amateur.

Boosted by a victory at the South Texas Amateur, Austin’s Dan Depasquale won the 2022 South Texas Player of the Year. He also tied for eighth at the West Texas Amateur and shared a piece of ninth place at the South Texas Four-Ball with his partner Jermaine Rakoczy.

Ed Rapp from Houston was honored as the 2022 South Texas Volunteer of the Year, and Ken Renwick from Dallas picked up the 2022 North Texas Volunteer of the Year. The volunteers are the lifeforce that make TGA Championships possible. It’s their hard work and tireless dedication that create memorable and exciting experiences for the players. We can never thank Rapp, Renwick, and all their colleagues for their help.

By the Numbers

1 – This is the first time Houston Oaks has played host to the Texas Amateur.

4 – There are four past Texas Amateur champions in the field, including Atkinson (2004), Austin’s Trey Bosco (2020), Pottsboro’s Austyn Reily (2021), and defending 2022 champion Holden Wisener from Dallas.

4, part 2 – There are four sets of brothers playing in the 114th Texas Amateur: Aiden and Deacon Dortch, Luke and Sam Dossey, Hayes and Holden Hamilton, and Trevor and Trenton Mierl.

5 – Houston Oaks boasts five par 3s, making precise iron play crucial. The holes range in length during the 114th Texas Amateur from 115 yards to 240 yards. “The par 3s are tough out here,” said Gray, the leader after Round 1. “Even the shortest hole of the day. I bogeyed it, and it was only playing 117 yards. If you play the par 3s good this week, I feel like you have a pretty good chance.”

16 – The youngest player in the field this week is 16-year-old Finn Burkholder from The Woodlands. There are three other 16-year-olds playing this week, as well.

26.2 – The average age in this year’s championship.

54 – This year’s eldest statesman is 54-year-old Bill Skorheim from Spring. There are no senior amateurs in the field, a scenario that hasn’t happened in several years.

144 – A full field of 144 players comprises this year’s championship.

1,176 – A record number of amateur golfers registered to qualify for this year’s Texas Amateur. The 1,176 entries surpassed the 1,010 accepted at the 111th Texas Amateur in 2020 at Boot Ranch in Fredericksburg.

Next Up

Round 2 of 114th Texas Amateur begins Friday at 7:30 a.m. For more information, including complete scoring, click here.

114th Texas Amateur Set for June 15-18

The Clubs at Houston Oaks in Hockley is poised to host the 114th Texas Amateur. Conducted by the TGA since 1906, this year’s championship is scheduled for June 15-18.

“The goal of hosting the Texas Amateur started several years ago, and we’re very excited that all the hard work has come to fruition,” said Bob Gusella, The Clubs at Houston Oaks’ General Manager. “To be able to welcome the finest amateur golfers in the state for the 114th Texas Amateur this summer is an honor and a privilege for us. We can’t wait to showcase our club and our unique brand of Texas hospitality.”

This year’s Texas Amateur will be the second TGA men’s major and third overall TGA championship conducted at The Clubs at Houston Oaks. The club previously hosted the 2018 Texas Shootout and the 2021 Texas-Mid Amateur.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to return to The Clubs at Houston Oaks for the 114th Texas Amateur,” said Justin Guthrie, TGA Tournament Director. “The owners, members, and staff at Houston Oaks are such tremendous supporters of amateur golf, and we are excited to extend our relationship with them and to work together in conducting an unforgettable championship.”

The Clubs at Houston Oaks has been constantly growing and evolving ever since three couples got together to purchase the old Tennwood Country Club in the mid-2000s. They gave it a new name and purpose and implemented a long-range plan to enhance the entire facility in a multi-step approach. When it came time to redo the existing golf course, the new owners hired noted Texas-based architect Chet Williams.

In early 2016, Williams began work on a comprehensive overhaul of the course that involved reimagining everything above ground and modernizing all below-ground systems as well.

Following the completion of the 17-month, multimillion-dollar remodel, the modern-day Houston Oaks course was unveiled in late 2017. Williams’ stunning 7,007-yard, par-71 layout meanders through groves of centuries-old oak trees and in and around natural water features and vast native areas. The course features gentle undulations throughout with a wonderful variety of strategic challenges including long and short holes, doglegs, cleverly placed bunkers, and large green complexes.

“At first glance, it may not look as intimidating as some courses, but it’s a fantastic test of golf,” Gusella said. “The players will need precision and discipline starting from the tee box. They will need to hit the fairways most importantly, and then carefully maneuver their way around from there to score well.”

The golden opportunity to compete for the state’s most coveted amateur title at such a highly regarded venue as Houston Oaks was not lost on the players. The TGA accepted a record 1,176 entries for the 114th Texas Amateur, eclipsing the previous record of 1,010 accepted entries for the 111th Texas Amateur in 2020 at Boot Ranch in Fredericksburg. It is just the second time entries have surpassed the 1,000 mark.

“The Clubs at Houston Oaks is well known around the state, and we knew from the start there would be a tremendous amount of interest for this year’s championship,” Guthrie said. “It’s very gratifying to set a record for the number of entries, because it shows just how excited players are about competing in the Texas Amateur at such a special place.”

Holden Wisener of Dallas won last year’s Texas Amateur in a playoff at Willow Brook Country Club in Tyler and is one of four past champions among the 41 players who were fully exempt from having to qualify. Joining Wisener are Austyn Reily of Pottsboro (2021), Trey Bosco of Austin (2020), and Zach Atkinson of Colleyville (2004).

Top finishers from the 2022 championship are also among the group of exempt players and include Hayes Hamilton of Kingwood (who finished T4), Francois Jacobs of League City (T4), Travis Woolf of Fort Worth (7th), Hunter Bott of Montgomery (T8), Garrett Leek of Brock (T8), and Cody Winkler of McKinney (T11).

To determine the remaining 103 spots in the 144-player starting field, 18-hole qualifiers were held April 10 – June 6 at 14 sites across the state.

The format for the walking-only championship is 72 holes of individual stroke play. All contestants play 18 holes on both June 15-16. After 36 holes the field will be cut to the low 54 scorers and ties heading into the final two rounds on Saturday and Sunday.

Starting times and pairings for the first and second rounds will be posted on the TGA website no later than June 12. Live scoring updates and daily recaps will also be available online once the action gets underway from The Clubs at Houston Oaks.

The Texas Amateur is the state’s oldest and most prestigious amateur championship and is one of the four men’s majors on the TGA’s annual schedule along with the Texas Four-Ball, Texas Senior Amateur and Texas Mid-Amateur. Notable past Texas Amateur champions include Charles Coody, Ben Crenshaw, Bruce Lietzke, Mark Brooks, Scott Verplank, Bob Estes, and Will Zalatoris.

2023 TEXAS AMATEUR NOTES

PAR AND YARDAGE: For the Championship, The Clubs at Houston Oaks will play approximately 7,007 yards with a par of 35-36 – 71.

SCHEDULE OF PLAY: Thursday, June 15 – First round, stroke play (18 holes). First wave starting times begin at 7:30 a.m. off No. 1 and No. 10 tees; Second wave starting times begin at 12:30 p.m. off No. 1 and No. 10 tees.

Friday, June 16 – Second round, stroke play (18 holes). First wave starting times begin at 7:30 a.m. off No. 1 and No. 10 tees; Second wave starting times begin at 12:30 p.m. off No. 1 and No. 10 tees. The starting field of 144 players will be cut after 36 holes to the low 54 scorers and ties.

Saturday, June 17 – Third round, stroke play (18 holes). Starting times begin at 7:30 a.m. off No. 1 and No. 10 tees.

Sunday, June 18 – Final round, stroke play (18 holes). Starting times begin at 7:30 a.m. off No. 1 and No. 10 tees. Lowest scorer for 72 holes will be the champion. In the event of a tie for the Championship, a hole-by-hole play-off will be held immediately following regulation play.

H.L. EDWARDS MEMORIAL TROPHY: The winner of the Texas Amateur receives custody of the H.L. Edwards Memorial Trophy, named in honor of Harry Lee Edwards, the “Father of Golf in Texas.” Edwards earned the descriptive title because he helped to establish the TGA in February of 1906, served as its first president, and won the first-ever Amateur Championship. Additionally, Edwards was also a founding member of both Dallas Country Club and Brook Hollow Golf Club.

AMATEUR CHAMPIONS SUCCESSFUL ON TOUR: Ten past Texas Amateur champions have combined for a remarkable 58 wins on the PGA Tour: Ben Crenshaw (1972) – 19; Bruce Lietzke (1971) – 13; Mark Brooks (1979, 1981) – 7; Scott Verplank (1982, 1984-85) – 5; Bob Estes (1988) – 4; Charles Coody (1959) – 3; Earl Stewart, Jr. (1947) – 3; Don Massengale (1958) – 2; Marty Fleckman (1964) – 1; and Will Zalatoris (2014) – 1.

FOLLOW THE TEXAS AMATEUR: Once the action gets underway from The Clubs at Houston Oaks, log on to the TGA website for up-to-date Texas Amateur news and information, including starting times, pairings, live scoring, and daily recaps. For enhanced Texas Amateur coverage, follow the TGA’s social media feeds on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Massa Maintains 113th Texas Amateur Lead through 36 Holes

TYLER – They say one of the hardest things to do in golf is follow a great round with another one the very next day. Bobby Massa faced that pressure Friday in the second round of the 113th Texas Amateur at Willow Brook Country Club. Massa wouldn’t call his 2-under-par 69 a “great” round, but it certainly was good enough.

Paired with his spectacular 9-under 62 in Thursday’s first round, Massa through 36 holes sits at 11-under 131 for the 72-hole major championship. The 34-year-old reinstated mid-amateur from Dallas leads by three shots over a trio of talented college players.

“I got off to a rough start,” Massa said of his play Friday. “I hit a bad drive on No. 1 and made a bogey, then I three-putted the fourth green for another bogey. I couldn’t get it going early.”

Massa steadied himself with an eight-foot birdie on No. 7. Then he chipped in for eagle from about 60 feet on the par-4 eighth hole.

“That turned things around, and I kind of coasted home from there,” he said. “I didn’t have my best stuff today, but I still got it to the house.”

Massa was a standout collegiate player at the University of Texas at Arlington from 2006-10. He turned professional and was named the 2012 All Pro Tour’s Player of the Year with five Top-25 finishes in six starts. He broke through for his first professional win at the 2014 Golfcrest Classic in Pearland, but the good vibes didn’t last long.

“I got the swing yips. I couldn’t break 80,” Massa said. “I stopped playing in 2015. I wasn’t hitting it very good; I was over-practicing and super-stressed. The harder I practiced, the worse I was getting.”

He didn’t quit the game completely – he played casually about once a month – but he went more than three years without playing competitively. Massa turned his attention to fitness in the meantime. He’s a speed trainer now; he works with golfers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area gain greater swing speeds. Massa leads by example in the regard. His driver swing speed is around 128-130 mph.

In 2020, Massa regained his amateur status from the USGA and has only recently started playing in tournaments again.

“I never stopped thinking about the game,” he said. “I just love golf.”

One of his first events was the 2022 North Four-Ball at Tempest Golf Club with his buddy Chris Wheeler, who was the 2021 Texas Player of the Year. Massa and Wheeler combined to shoot 12-under over 36 holes and got into a three-team playoff. Massa drained a birdie putt on the third extra hole to get the victory with Wheeler, who this week is T52 at 2-over 144 at Willow Brook.

Now he’s 36 holes away from his second amateur win this summer. To get his name etched on the H.L. Edwards Memorial Trophy, however, he’ll have to fend off a herd of spirited competitors. Most notably, Holden Wisener, an SMU junior from Dallas, and two Arkansas Tech teammates: Francois Jacobs from League City, and Hayes Hamilton from Kingwood.

Wisener, Jacobs, and Hamilton are tied for second place at 8-under 134. They trail Massa by three shots. Wisener and Jacobs both shot 5-under 66s in the second round, which were the low scores of the day. Hamilton shot 68 on Friday.

Matthew Griggs, a Louisiana-Monroe University junior from McKinney, and Jason Schultz, another reinstated mid-amateur, are tied for fifth place at 7-under 135, four shots back from Massa.

Thirty-three players are in red numbers through two rounds, and 58 competitors advanced through Friday’s 36-hole cut at 2-over 144. The classic, old school Willow Brook course played to a stroke average of 72.81 in the second round.

Friday’s weather started off a lot like Thursday, which is to say it was hot. By 11:30 a.m., it was 91 degrees with a heat index of 98. By 3 p.m., it was 96 degrees and a heat index of 104.

Things changed around 4 p.m., when some pop-up showers and lightning moved in. The TGA Staff had to suspend play at 4:14 p.m. for a dangerous situation with lightning in the area. After a quick rain shower that included a little small hail, play resumed at 5:59 p.m. The suspension of play lasted 1 hour, 45 minutes. The golf course received a half-inch of rain during the delay.

NOTES

What’s In a Name?

The winner of the Texas Amateur receives custody of the H.L. Edwards Memorial Trophy, named in honor of Harry Lee Edwards, also known as the “Father of Golf in Texas.”

Edwards earned the nickname because he helped to establish the TGA in February of 1906, served as its first president, and won the inaugural Texas Amateur Championship. Edwards also was a founding member of Dallas Country Club and Brook Hollow Golf Club.

PGA Tour Success

Nine former Texas Amateur champions have combined for a remarkable 57 wins on the PGA Tour. Ben Crenshaw, the 1972 Texas Amateur champ, leads the way with 19 PGA Tour victories. Bruce Lietzke (who won the Texas Am in 1971) has 13 PGA Tour wins.

Mark Brooks (1979, 1981) won seven times on the PGA Tour. Three-time Texas Am winner Scott Verplank (1982, 1984-85) had five wins. Bob Estes (1988) won four times on the PGA Tour. Charles Coody (1959) won three times. Earl Stewart, Jr. (1947) also won three times on the PGA Tour.

Don Massengale (1958) won twice on the PGA Tour, and Marty Fleckman, winner of the 1964 Texas Amateur at Willow Brook, won once on the PGA Tour.

Round 3 of 113th Texas Amateur begins Saturday at 8 a.m. For more information, including complete scoring, click here.

Bobby Massa’s Sizzling 62 Leads 113th Texas Amateur

TYLER – With his prestigious length off the tee, Bobby Massa turned Willow Brook Country Club into his own private playground during Thursday’s opening round of the 113th Texas Amateur. The reinstated amateur from Dallas eagled three of the iconic course’s four par-5s and broke the course record with a score of 9-under-par 62. He leads the championship by four shots headed into Friday’s second round.

Massa said he carries his driver about 330-340 yards off the tee on average. He planned to “bomb and gauge” his way around Willow Brook, which is celebrating its centennial anniversary this year. So far, Massa’s plan is working quite well.

“I started hitting the driver pretty good early on, and that gives me an advantage,” said Massa, who played collegiately at the University of Texas at Arlington from 2006-10. “I just kept hitting it in the fairway, and things kept going the way I wanted. I made a lot of putts.”

Massa’s 62 broke 2013 Texas Mid-Amateur champion Clay Hodge’s previous record of 7-under 64 at Willow Brook. After starting his day with four consecutive pars, Massa made his first birdie on his fifth hole. Two holes later, he made his first eagle, about a 10-footer on his seventh hole.

“That really got me going,” he said.

Matt Van Zandt, a longtime TGA competitor, played in Massa’s group Thursday. Van Zandt said Massa had much more to his game than just his big stick.

“Everyone is going to talk about how far he hits it, but his wedge game was amazing today,” said Van Zandt, who shot 3-over 74. “He was in complete control. His driver is incredible, though. I lasered it on a couple holes, and I was 52 and 60 yards behind him in the fairway.”

Five players share second place at 5-under 66, four strokes behind Massa. That group includes Hutto’s Jake Doggett, who finished second last summer at Midland Country Club for the 112th Texas Amateur, and Colleyville’s Zach Atkinson, who won the 95th Texas Amateur at Carlton Woods in 2004. Doggett went bogey-free and made five birdies; Atkinson had five birdies and an eagle to offset a pair of bogeys to arrive at 66.

Tied with Doggett and Atkinson for second place are Kingwood’s Hamilton Hayes, Truett Burns from Fredericksburg, and McKinney’s Hunter Millsap.

Willow Brook played to a stroke average of 72.88 in the first round. Thirty-nine players broke par. Players who posted rounds of 1-over 72 were rewarded with a tie for 55th place.

This is the ninth TGA championship contested at Willow Brook, but just the second Texas Amateur. Houston’s Marty Fleckman won the 1964 Texas Amateur at the old school, shot-makers course. That was the last time the Texas Amateur was played in a match play format.

Willow Brook also has played host to the 1967 and ’96 Women’s Texas Amateurs, the 1993, 2003 and ’13 Texas Senior Amateur, the 2019 Texas Shootout, and the 2020 Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play.

Founded in 1922, Willow Brook originally was a nine-hole course. Texas Golf Hall of Fame architect Ralph Plummer stretched the routing to 18 holes following World War II. The pristine course has been updated and modified over the years, including renovations in 1978 by another Texas Golf Hall of Famer, Joe Finger, and again in 2002 by PGA Tour veteran Mark Hayes.

In 2018, with the 100-year anniversary on the horizon, Tripp Davis & Associates completed an extensive renovation that included rerouting several and reshaping greens, tees, and bunkers to revive some of Plummer’s original strategic design elements.

The tight, tree-lined fairways rise and fall with the rolling terrain. The best amateurs in Texas played the par 71 course from 6,630 yards in the first round. With plenty of doglegs bending both ways, Willow Brook demands precision off tee. The TifEagle Bermuda greens, meanwhile, call for patience and caution with their speed and subtle breaks.

NOTES

Dignitaries & Awards

During Wednesday night’s Players’ Reception at Willow Brook, the TGA memorialized a legend and handed out some awards.

“When you think of Willow Brook Country Club, you think of A.J. Triggs,” the TGA’s Director of Competitions John Cochran said it best when he addressed the players and Willow Brook staff Wednesday night.

Triggs, a longtime Willow Brook member who was club president in 1989, also was a two-time past TGA President who spent more than 30 years as a director. The winning captain of the 2009 Texas Shootout, Triggs was steward of the game in every aspect. He won 55 amateur tournaments and was part of the 1949 and ’50 University of North Texas national championship teams. He was best known, however, for his volunteerism and passion for growing the game.

Triggs was inducted into the Texas Golf Hall of Fame in 2013. He passed away in 2015.

“No one would be more excited for the Texas Amateur to come to Willow Brook than A.J.,” Cochran said.

Triggs’ Willow Brook president’s jacket, along with a Texas Amateur hat and the medal from the 2009 Shootout, were on display at the Players’ Reception. The makeshift Triggs memorial also was present on the first tee for Thursday’s opening round.

The 2021 Texas Player of the Year Chris Wheeler picked up his hardware Wednesday night. Last year’s South Texas Player of the Year, Padden Nelson from Houston, and North Texas Player of the Year, Gant Bills of Plano, also were honored.

The TGA’s two 2021 regional Volunteers of the Year were acknowledged as well: Richard Bargon (North Texas), and Craig Branson (South Texas).

Don Warren, the mayor of Tyler, was on hand for the festivities, too. A longtime Willow Brook member himself, Warren said the club was eager and enthused to welcome the best amateurs in Texas to their historic club, especially during their centennial celebration.

Record-Breaker, Almost

The TGA this year accepted 982 entries for the 113th Texas Amateur, just three shy of the record 985 established at last summer’s 112th Texas Amateur. Forty-four players received exemptions to the championship. To determine the remaining 100 spots in the 144-player starting field, 18-hole qualifiers were held at 14 sites across the state from April 2-June 6.

Round 2 of 113th Texas Amateur begins Friday at 7:30 a.m. For more information, including complete scoring, click here.