Three Teams Share Lead at Texas Four-Ball

KERRVILLE – San Antonio’s Chase Clayton and Josh Logan, Spring’s Randy Lance and Scayne Driver of Nacogdoches, and Fort Worth’s Chris Headen and Kevin Doskocil of Benbrook all share the clubhouse lead of the Texas Four-Ball after turning in magnificent rounds of 8-under-par 64 at The Club at Comanche Trace.

Play was suspended for a total of 1 hour and 39 minutes in the late afternoon due to lightning in the area during Friday’s first round.

Clayton carded three birdies on his own ball, while Logan tallied five birdies of his own en route to the low first round. The San Antonio natives went 4-under on each nine to grab a share of the round one lead.

Lance and Driver finished scorching hot by going 6-under on their back nine. It was an equal effort from the partnership as both Lance and Driver each poured in four birdies of their own to share the round one lead.

Headen and Doskocil were the last ones to grab a share of the round one lead after finishing late Friday evening because of the weather delay. The duo started on the tenth hole rolled in four birdies in their last six holes including one on the par-5 ninth hole.

Despite the weather delay each of these leading teams were able to keep their rhythm and composure.

Six teams sit two shots back of the leaders in a tie for fourth after posting rounds of 6-under 66. The teams include Colleyville’s Jordan Frye and Tyler Frye of North Richland Hills, Trey Todd of Abilene and Kris Devlin of Austin, Keith Lundquist of Austin and Jerry Achilles of Round Rock, New Braunfels’ Terrence Miskell and Casey Carnes of Schertz, Austin’s Cole Moreland and Sean Bralley, and lastly Addison’s Chris Wheeler and Derek Abel of Dallas.

Eight teams are tied for tenth at 5-under par and three back of the lead. It’s a tightly stacked leaderboard heading into the weekend in Kerrville.

In the Senior Division, the duo of McKinney’s Donald O’Connor and Plano’s Eddie Bell sit tied atop the leaderboard with Frisco’s Bill Steen and Farmers Branch’s Chris Goodspeed after firing opening rounds of 9-under par 63. The team of San Antonio’s Pat Youngs and Houston’s Mike Booker are one stroke back in third after putting together a fantastic first round 8-under 64. They’ll head into Saturday’s second round with a one-stroke advantage over two teams at 7-under.

In the Super Senior Division, Rockwall’s Rick Lindsay and Heath’s Thomas Bishop share the lead with Michael Puls of Irving and Tom Burns of Houston after firing first rounds of 7-under 65 to take a one shot lead into Saturday’s second round. The team of Hollis Sullivan of Westworth Village and Steve Whiteside of Midland sit one behind in solo third after a first round 6-under 66.

With its spectacular setting in the rolling hill country of Kerrville, The Club at Comanche Trace is one of the state’s most scenic golf courses in Texas. The Club at Comanche Trace features a 27-hole layout that is as challenging as it is fun to play.

For this Championship, the two nines that will be utilized are The Hills and The Creeks. The Hills nine was designed by Tom Kite, along with Roy Bechtol and Randy Russell. The second nine being utilized, The Creeks, opened in 2008 and was designed by Jay and Carter Morrish. It’s the newest nine hole track on the property. Both sets of designers took full advantage of the hill country land – rolling hills, water features, and rocky terrain – to create holes that are challenging, exciting and picturesque. The course offers plenty of risk-reward shots for players of all skill levels.

Round two of the Texas Four-Ball will begin Saturday at 7:30 a.m. Once play of the second round concludes the field will be cut to the low 24 teams and ties in the Championship Division, low 10 teams and ties in the Senior Division and low six teams and ties in the Super Senior Division. For more information, click here.

Texas Four-Ball Set for Aug. 19-21

The Club at Comanche Trace in Kerrville will be the host site for the 47th Texas Four-Ball, the second of this year’s four men’s major amateur championships conducted by the TGA. The championship will be contested on the Hills and Creeks Courses from Aug. 19-21.

This will be the fifth Texas Four-Ball and 13th overall TGA championship held at Comanche Trace. The club previously hosted the Texas Four-Ball from 2003-2005 and then again in 2011. The most recent TGA championship played at Comanche Trace was the 2021 Women’s Stroke Play, won by Emma McMyler.

“We’re thrilled to return to Comanche Trace, which has been such an enthusiastic supporter of amateur golf through the years,” said Read Langhenry, TGA Tournament Director. “We know the membership and staff at Comanche Trace will provide a fantastic experience for the players and the challenging golf course will be an ideal stage for an exciting and competitive championship.”

Set on more than 1,300 acres overlooking the Guadalupe River in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, Comanche Trace is one of the country’s most acclaimed master-planned communities. The club boasts three nine-hole courses that wind through rolling meadows, groves of oaks trees, natural water features, and unspoiled native areas. The original 18 holes, the Hills and Valley Courses, opened for play in 1999 and were designed by World Golf Hall of Fame member Tom Kite, along with Roy Bechtol and Randy Russell. The Creeks Course, added in 2008, was designed by the father-son team of Jay and Carter Morrish.

The Texas Four-Ball features three divisions: Championship, Senior (age 55 and older) and Super Senior (age 65 and older). The starting field limit is 80 teams, with 48 spots allotted to the Championship Division, 20 in the Senior Division and 12 for the Super Senior Division. The three divisions compete from different sets of tees and yardages, with separate champions recognized in each division.

The format for the championship is 54 holes of four-ball stroke play. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the lowest 40 team scores and ties, with a pro-rated representation from each division.

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 Comanche Trace.

At the 2021 championship, held on the Apple Rock Course at Horseshoe Bay Resort, Fort Worth’s Colby Amparan and Gary Ezmerlian posted a 54-hole total of 19-under-par 197 to win the Championship Division. The San Antonio team of Ron Finnerty and Tommy Tucker finished at 18-under 198 to win the Senior Division. Aaron Billings and Richard Koenig, both of Horseshoe Bay, won the Super Senior Division with a 24-under 192 total.

Colby Amparan and Gary Ezmerlian Win Texas Four-Ball

HORSESHOE BAY – Fort Worth’s Colby Amparan and Gary Ezmerlian card a final round 7-under-par 65 to win the Texas Four-Ball by two strokes at Horseshoe Bay’s Apple Rock Course.

Amparan and Ezmerlian started the week with back-to-back rounds of 6-under 66s. The duo bested their previous two rounds on Sunday by firing a 7-under 65. Amparan and Ezmerlian teamed up to card seven birdies to post 19-under par overall for the championship.

“It was a total team effort,” Ezmerlian said. “I think that would be what it was the whole weekend. We were just a team. When one of us was out of it the other one was in it.”

Amparan and Ezmerlian played stellar golf all three rounds. They tallied 18 holes under par (17 birdies and one eagle) and never birdied the same hole.

“We didn’t make a bogey,” Ezmerlian said. “I don’t think we were ever really close to making a bogey. Just a team. Both of us the whole way.”

Amparan and Ezmerlian’s experience in playing partnership golf paid off on Sunday. Amparan, whose dad was in attendance, wanted to make a memory this week and was able to do so on the last hole with a great birdie putt.

“It went in and I yelled at him (Ezmerlian) ‘memories’,” said Amparan. “It was really cool.”

Kris Devlin of Austin and Trey Todd of Abilene tied Aaron Hickman of Tyler and Dallas’s Rob Couture for second at 17-under-par 199. Kyle Robbins of Keller and Jordan Wynn of Dallas tied for fourth with Derek Abel of Dallas and Chris Wheeler of Addison at 15-under-par 201.

In the Senior Division, San Antonio’s Ron Finnerty and Tommy Tucker ran away with victory by carding a final round 8-under 64. They won by four shots and tallied seven birdies and an eagle on Sunday.

This was Finnerty and Tucker’s first time to play in the event together, but they showed no lack of experience.

“This was my first Texas Golf Association event,” Tucker said. “So, it was pretty good. It’s a great feeling.”

Finnerty and Tucker tallied 18 birdies and an eagle as a team for the three rounds. They also recently won the senior division of the San Antonio City Four-Ball.

“Big time. Big time,” Finnerty said. “You know we’ve been working on our game and to get it to the point where it’s at now is great.”

William Shock and Scott Smith of Houston finished runner-up at 14-under-par 202. The teams of Mike Booker and Pat Youngs, Andrew Hydorn and Bill Jackson, and Don Gafner and Jim Quinn all finished tied third at 13-under-par 203.

In the Super Senior Division, Horseshoe Bay Resort members Aaron Billings and Richard Koenig took home the title following a closing 9-under-par 63. They posted an impressive 24-under-par for the championship to hold off John Grace of Fort Worth and Bill Holstead of Wichita Falls by two shots.

To win as members of the club was special for Billings and Koenig.

“I think it’s a good representation of Horseshoe Bay,” Billings said. “We’ve got some very good players here. I think we represented the super senior Texas Four-Ball well.”

James Long of Granbury and Buffalo Gap’s Danny Walters finished solo third at 12-under-par 204. Alan Dale and Bobby Haney of New Braunfels posted 9-under-par 207 to finish fourth.

The TGA extends its most sincere appreciation to Horseshoe Bay Resort, its staff and membership for their hospitality this week. Extra special thanks go out to Director of Golf Anthony Holder, Tournament Coordinator Holly Jenkins, Assistant General Manager Bobby Hagy, Food and Beverage Director Vildan Ruiz, Director of Agronomy Ken Gorzycki, Apple Rock Course Superintendent Michael Gale and the entire Horseshoe Bay Resort Apple Rock grounds crew for their preparation and tireless work during the championship. The players and TGA staff know how pivotal their efforts were in making the Texas Four-Ball a great week.

For more information on the 2021 Texas Four-Ball, click here.

Two Teams Share Lead Heading into Final Round at Texas Four-Ball

HORSESHOE BAY – Fort Worth’s Colby Amparan and Gary Ezmerlian share the lead at 12-under par with Derek Abel of Dallas and Chris Wheeler of Addison after the second round of play at Horseshoe Bay Resort’s Apple Rock Course.

Amparan and Ezmerlian carded a 6-under 66 for the second consecutive round. Abel and Wheeler fired off a second round 8-under 64 to put themselves in great position heading into Sunday’s final round.

“It’s been ham and egg. Especially yesterday,” Ezmerlian said. “Today I struggled on the first nine holes and Colby played great. And then I played pretty good on the last nine holes.”

Amparan and Ezmerlian, who have played in this event together five times before, bring a plethora of experience playing together in partnership golf.

“We just play a lot of partnership golf together in general,” Amparan said. “We know when to help each other. We know when to leave each other alone. We know when each other is frustrated and if they need space so that helps a lot.”

Abel and Wheeler are lifelong friends that have competed in four-ball events across the country over the past few years.

“For us we’ve played together a lot in these four-ball events,” said Abel. “Everything from the U.S. Four-Ball to these state four-balls. We kind of feed off each other and balance each other pretty well.”

The duo flexed their experience again on Saturday as Wheeler carded five birdies of his own and Abel tallied four.

Round one leaders Aaron Hickman and Rob Couture sit in solo third after a round of 2-under 70 on Friday. They sit at 11-under overall and just one shot back of the co-leaders.

“It was a bit of a struggle today,” said Hickman. “We didn’t get off to a good start and didn’t finish very well. It was a battle out there.”

Three teams are tied for fourth at 10-under par for the championship. Andrew Grice and Wesley Hansen of Austin, Gant Bills of Dallas and Scott Maurer of Plano, and Kris Devlin of Austin and Trey Todd of Abilene all carded 7-under 65’s to move up the leaderboard on Friday. All three teams will begin the final round two shots behind the co-leaders.

Following play on Saturday, the Championship Division was cut to the top 27 teams for Sunday’s final round.

In the Senior Division, two teams also share the top spot on the leaderboard 10-under-par heading into Sunday. The teams of Scott Smith and William Shock as well as Ron Finnerty and Tommy Tucker both fired 4-under-par 68s. They’ll head into Saturday’s second round with a two-stroke advantage over two teams tied for third. Don Gafner and Jim Quinn carded a 1-under 71 while Steve Love and Mike Peck toured the course with a 6-under 66.

Sitting tied for fifth at 8-under par for the tournament is Andrew Hydorn and Bill Jackson as well as Lee Sandlin and Hollis Sullivan.

The Senior Division was cut to the top 10 teams following the second round.

In the Super Senior Division, John Grace and Bill Holstead fired a 6-under par 66 to take a one stroke lead heading into Sunday’s final round. The team of Aaron Billings and Richard Koenig sit just behind in solo second after a second round 8-under 64.

Sitting six shots back in third place is Lelan Chiles and Tom Takes at 9-under-par for the tournament.

Following the second round, the Super Senior Division was cut to the top six teams and ties.

Through the years, the Horseshoe Bay Resort has hosted the Texas Amateur, Texas Father-Son, and the Texas Junior Amateur. It’s the third time the resort has been the site for the Texas Four-Ball (2007 & 2013).

The final round of the Texas Four-Ball begins Sunday at 7:45 a.m. at Horseshoe Bay Resort’s Apple Rock Course. For more information on this championship, click here.

Round One of Texas Four-Ball Suspended, Hickman and Couture Lead

HORSESHOE BAY – Aaron Hickman of Tyler and Rob Couture of Dallas hold the clubhouse lead of the Texas Four-Ball after turning in a magnificent 9-under-par 63 at Horseshoe Bay Resort’s Apple Rock Course. Due to multiple suspensions of play during the first round there are groups that were unable to finish.

Play was suspended for a total of 2 hours and 23 minutes between two delays in the late afternoon due to lightning in the area during Friday’s first round. Play will resume at 7:45 a.m. Saturday morning.

Hickman and Couture became friends through golf many years ago and now travel the country playing together. Over the years, they have played countless rounds together including last year’s Texas Four-Ball in which they finished runner-up. Though this year is only the second time the duo has teamed up in the Texas Four-Ball, Hickman and Couture had no problem navigating the Apple Rock Course on Friday.

Hickman carded five birdies on his own ball, while Couture tallied four birdies of his own. The duo went 5-under on their last eight holes en route to their opening 9-under 63 to lead the field by two.

“We got off to a good start. I birdied number one and we kind of hung in there,” Hickman said. “It wasn’t that stressful. We just played pretty solid all day.”

Despite the weather delays Hickman and Couture were able to keep their rhythm and composure.

“It’s not easy. We didn’t hit great shots coming out of the first weather delay,” Couture said. “But after that we played well coming out of the second one.”

Brady Jones of Royse City and Matt Neyra of Rockwall sit two shots back of Hickman and Couture in sole second place. Fort Worth’s Colby Amparan and Gary Ezmerlian sit in third after an opening round of 6-under 66.
Three teams are tied for fourth at 5-under par. They include Jess Bonneau and Chase Chapman, Will Glanville and Jeff Howard as well as Greg Smith and Josh Swanson.

In the Senior Division, Don Gafner and Jim Quinn sit atop the leaderboard after firing an opening round 8-under par 64. The teams of Scott Smith and William Shock, Dan Cook and Steve Miles as well as Ron Finnerty and Tommy Tucker fired 6-under-par 66s. They’ll head into Saturday’s second round with a one-stroke advantage over Dan Howard and Craig Rumora. Mike Booker and Pat Youngs are tied for sixth with Lee Sandlin and Hollis Sullivan after rounds of 4-under-par 68.

In the Super Senior Division, John Grace and Bill Holstead fired a 10-under par 62 to take a commanding three stroke lead into Saturday’s second round. The team of Aaron Billings and Richard Koenig sit behind in solo second after a first round 7-under 65.

With its spectacular setting on the shores of Horseshoe Bay, the Apple Rock resort course is one of the state’s most scenic championship golf courses in Texas. The Horseshoe Bay Resort – Apple Rock Course opened in 1985 and was designed by the highly touted Robert Trent Jones, Sr.

Jones, Sr. took full advantage of the hill country land – rolling hills, water features, and rocky terrain – to create a course that is challenging, exciting and picturesque. The course offers plenty of risk-reward shots for players of all skill levels.

Round one of the Texas Four-Ball resumes Saturday at 7:45 a.m. Once play of the second round concludes the field will be cut to the low 24 teams and ties in the Championship Division, low 10 teams and ties in the Senior Division and low six teams and ties in the Super Senior Division. For more information, click here.