Zamorano and Massa Win Back-To-Back North Four-Ball Title

Briefly: Bobby Massa and Ryan Zamorano of Dallas win the 2024 North Four-Ball after finishing with a 123 21-under for the tournament. The side had nothing but smiles after winning back-to-back championships as partners. This is Massa’s third North Four-Ball title in a row. The partners will receive an exemption into the 2024 Texas Four-Ball.

Golf Course: Opened in 2000, Whitestone Golf Course was created by Jeff Brauer and Jay Morrish and stretches to just over 7,100 yards in Benbrook, TX. Brauer is also the creator behind Cowboys Golf Club and Tangle Ridge Golf Club in the Metroplex area. The elevation changes from tee to green throughout the course is what makes the course choose your shots wisely.

Weather: Players were greeted with incredible weather for the First Round. The morning started in the mid 50’s before climbing into the high 60s in the afternoon. The clear blue skies were mixed with a light breeze throughout the day with gusts hitting just over 10 mph. The Second Round brought stronger winds with gusts reaching up to 25mph. The Second-Round weather started in the High 50s before reaching the low 80s in the afternoon to finish the tournament.

Top Finishers: Zamorano and Massa of Dallas played dominant golf to win the title for the second consecutive year. Zamorano and Massa finished with a total of 123 21-under for the tournament. Their first round 56 included three eagles and nine birdies that separated themselves from the rest of the field. “Everything was going in,” shared Massa “We were seeing the greens well and hit some quality shots that helped us cash them in.” Zamorano and Massa shot a five-under 65 in the second round to help themselves finish with a commanding lead.

Finishing in second were the duo of Sean Heidrick of McKinney and Kolton Crawford of Azle after a 14-under 130. The side finished with seven birdies on the first day to move themselves into a strong position for the Final Round. Following behind in third was the duo of Scott Winslett and William McDonald of Dallas after a total of 12-under 132.

Finishing in a tie for fourth were duos Brock Mulder of McKinney and Nicholas Loar of Rockwall, Riley Goff of Grapevine and James DeLaGarza of Haltom City, and Marcus Jones of Argyle and Jeffrey Juillerat of Fort Worth, and all finishing with a total of 11-under 133. The Top 5 finishers and ties will receive exemptions into the 2024 Texas Four-Ball at Braeburn Country Club in August.

In seventh were the duo of Gary Ezmerlian and Colby Amparan of Fort Worth with a total of 10-under par 134.

Regional POY: North Player of the Year points will be awarded to the top finishers at the 2024 North Four-Ball. The winning team will receive 400 points, followed by 250 for second, 200 for third, 150 for fourth, and 100 for fifth. Points will be awarded to both players on the team individually. For Regional POY information, click here.

What’s Next: The North Regional Series will head to the Courses at Watters Creek for the North Mid-Am. The tournament is set for March 22-24.

Registration for the 115th Texas Amateur is currently open and will close on March 27 at 5:00 PM. For more information and to register for the Texas Amateur, click here.

More Info: The Texas Golf Association extends its sincere appreciation to the staff and members of Whitestone Golf Cub as well as our volunteers for their integral part in making the North Four-Ball a memorable and successful event. For more information on the North Four-Ball, click here.

Exposito leads after Second Round at 15th Texas Girls’ Invitational

Bullard – Veronika Exposito of The Woodlands, fought to the top of the leaderboard after a 1-under 70 on Sunday. The Senior will take a two-shot lead into the final round of the first LJT Major of the season.

“I’m feeling good. It was a solid round overall,” shared Exposito. “Yesterday was much tougher than today and all I was thinking about was the next shot and not getting ahead of myself.”

Exposito fought all day after scoring 4 birdies to move up the leaderboard. The University of Louisville commit will seek her first-ever LJT Major trophy.

“I’m not thinking about the good or bad stuff that happens,” said Exposito “I’m going to focus on my game and try to do my best and see if it gets me there.”

Austin’s Claire Wan sits in second after a second-round 2-over par 73. Wan had an up-and-down day that included two birdies to keep her in the title chase. Wan finds herself in familiar ground after she was in the Top Ten after the second round in the 14^th Texas Girls Invitational.

In a tie for third are Mansfield’s Alyssa Stewart and Los Lunas’ Rylee Salome. Salome, the first-round leader was frustrated with her play today but knows she is still in a race. “I just need to place the ball in the right spots. I need to be where if I do miss, I can still get up and down” Salome shared.

Exposito, Wan, and Stewart will be in the final group tomorrow teeing off at 9:50 a.m. off the No. 1 tee.

Conditions were calmer in the second round with temperatures in the mid-to-high 30’s by the first tee time. Wind speeds reached 5 mph with gusts around 7mph. Due to the low temperatures, the committee delayed tee times until 9 a.m. due to frost.

The toughest hole of the day was the Par 4 16^th with an average score of 5.36. The hole stretches 347 yards with a tight fairway that has a pond running down the left side and out of bounds on the right.

The Texas Girls’ Invitational, one of two majors for the girls on the LJT schedule is the first 54-hole format of the year.

The Final Round of the Texas Girls’ Invitational is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 19^th with tee times beginning on the No. 1 and No. 10 tee at 8 a.m.

Salome leads after First Round at 15th Texas Girls’ Invitational

BULLARD – Rylee Salome, a senior from Los Lunas, NM finished with a 2-over 73 on Saturday afternoon to separate herself from the field. The first LJT Girls’ major of the year was welcomed with cold weather in the 40s and strong wind gusts.

“I felt good. It was windy and cold, but I missed in good spots, and I had a few good ups and downs that helped my round,” said Salome.

Her opening round 73, put her 4 shots ahead of the next competitor in a talent-loaded field. She does not shy away from the tough competition though. Salome won the 4A New Mexico State Championship last year after winning the NM-WT Women’s Amateur the year before at just 15 years old.

“I slow everything down and make sure to keep my tempo and when I miss, I miss in the right spots. You don’t want to miss where you can’t get up and down,” said Salome.

Chasing Salome is Junior Riya Bapna of Coppell after a first-round 5-over 76. Daniela Sitompul of McKinney is in third after a 6-over 77.  A notable group to watch today featured some familiar individuals to the LJT and Texas Golf Association. Dresden Bounds of San Antonio is currently in an eight-way tie for fourth fresh off her LJT Winter Classic win. In the same group was Sydney Givens who finished runner-up at this same course for last year’s 102^nd Women Texas Amateur.

The conditions today played the biggest factor in every player’s round today. The temperature for the first tee time was in the high 30s with a slight breeze. After all players had teed off, temperatures rose into the middle 40’s where it remained for the rest of the day. The max wind speed was 17mph with a consistent wind of around 10mph.

The par-4 18th hole was the toughest on the course today with an average score of 5.30. The hole was blowing left to right all day leaving difficult shots into the green that sits beside a pond.

The Texas Girls’ Invitational, the of two majors for the girls on the LJT schedule is the first 54-hole format of the year.

The Second Round of the Texas Girls’ Invitational is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 18^th with tee times beginning on the No. 1 and No. 10 tee at 9 A.M. due to imminent frost on the course.

For more information on the Texas Girls’ Invitational, click here.

The 15th Texas Girls’ Invitational set for Feb. 17-19

Addison – The 15^th Texas Girls’ Invitational heads to Eagle’s Bluff Country Club on February 17-19, for the first major championship of the 2024 Legends Junior Tour season. This event returns to East Texas for the first time since 2017.

The Texas Girls’ Invitational is an 84-player field modeled after the Byron Nelson Junior Championship and Texas Cup Invitational. The tournament quickly grew and has taken its own identity and is a favorite event among the girls on the LJT schedule. In 2019, the event changed from a 36 to 54-hole format held in February with World Amateur Golf Rankings points to play for.

The winner of this year’s tournament will have her name engraved on the Nez Muhleman Trophy.  Inez “Nez” Muhleman is known for her dedication to junior golf. Nez had gone to the annual U.S. Girls Junior Championship for 31 straight years and was awarded the USGA Joe Dey award In 2011.

This is the second LJT event that Eagle’s Bluff Country Club has hosted in the last year. The Jackie Burke Cup was staged here last November, and the Texas Cup Invitational is set to come out to Bullard next month. The golf course was designed by Carlton Gibson in 1999 and stretches 6,997 yards from the back tees. The par-71 layout is known for its beauty as the course runs through the tall pine trees of East Texas.

“We are very excited for this year’s Texas Girls’ Invitational at Eagle’s Bluff Country Club.  We have a very strong field of not only Texas players but also competitors from six other states coming in to compete for the Nez Muhleman Trophy,” shared Tournament Director Scott Davidson.

 “Eagle’s Bluff has been a great host for the Texas Golf Association and the Legend Junior Tour. The club took on our 103^rd Women’s Texas Amateur last year along with the LJT Jackie Burke Cup. They are going to host our boy’s Texas Cup Invitational in March as well. Everyone there is first class, and they truly enjoy hosting the incredible golfers we have on our tour.”

 Adrienne Ahn of Dallas won the 14^th Texas Girls’ Invitational by three strokes last year. Another impressive field of junior girls’ players with compete to have their name on that trophy this year.

 Past Champions of the championship include Farah O’Keefe, Kaci McCartan, Lakareber Abe, Maddie McCrary, Vanessa Ha, Jaravee Boonchant, Anne Chen, Mackenzie Niblett, Hailey Jones, and Tillie Claggett.

 For more information on the Texas Girls’ Invitational, please click here.

Wick and Brian Comegys Win 43rd Father-Son Championship

BOERNE – Entering Sunday’s final round of the 43rd Texas Father-Son Championship three shots behind the leaders, Wick and Brian Comegys from Austin rallied to score a nine-shot victory at Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort.

After two days of team four-ball format, the Championship Division switched to combined score for the final round. Brian Comegys, a sophomore at Abilene Christian University and the winner of the 2022 South Amateur, shot a 6-under-par 66 on his ball, while his dad Wick fired a 1-under 71. Their combined score of 7-under 137 gave them a three-day total of 21-under 267.

“It was so fun being out here with my dad and getting it done,” said Brain Comegys, who also won the Legends Junior Tour’s 2021 Jimmy Deramet Junior Classic. “Trophies come and go, but being out here with my dad is the best thing. It takes the competitive wrench out of it a little, and you can have fun, too, and really enjoy the tournament.”

Wick, who is known for this affable personality, couldn’t help but take a shot at himself even in victory. You can bet he’s going to enjoy this victory for a long time.

“My favorite memory this week was me three-putting the last hole and missing a 2-footer for par,” he said with a laugh. “But I still was excited to be out here with my son.”

Kyle and Derick Kelting from Amarillo and Dallas finished in second place at 12-under 276. They entered this year’s Father-Son Championship as the three-time defending champions. There’s no doubt they’ll be back again next year to try and score another win.

DOWN THE LEADERBOARD: Midland’s Rick and Richman Houston finished in third place at 11-under 277. Charles and Brandon Rougeau, respectively from Brenham and Georgetown, took fourth place at 10-under 278. They turned in the second-best combined score effort on Sunday with a 1-under 143. The Rougeaus and Comegys were the only teams to shoot under par in the final round.

Three-time winners Matt and Will Griffin from San Antonio tied for fifth place at 7-under 281 with Boerne’s Chris and Price Hill.

PRESIDENTS FLIGHT WINNERS: San Antonio’s John and Scott Stark won the Presidents Flight by one shot with a three-day total of 12-under 204. They combined to shoot a 5-under 67 in their final round of team four-ball. Fellow San Antonians Pat and Luke Youngs scored runner-up honors at 11-under 205. The Youngs teamed up to shoot 4-under 68 in the final round.

Complete scoring | More Information

NET FLIGHT WINNERS:

Hogan Flight – Nick and Charles Archer from Rockwall ran away from the field for an eight-shot victory. Their three-day total was 19-under 197 after they added a 2-under 70 on Sunday. Nick made two natural birdies and one net birdie. Charles added a birdie on the 18th hole.

Randy Mattingley from Flower Mound and Trey Rowe from Argyle scored runner-up honors at 11-under 205. They combined for a 2-under 70 in the final round.

Nelson Flight – Rockwall’s Marc and Mason Nelson hung on for a one-shot victory with a three-day total of 8-under 208 despite posting a final round score of 3-over 75. The Nelson managed one net and one natural birdie on the day, and they needed both of them.

One shot back in the runner-up position was Bill Ajello and Bill Ajello Jr., who combined for a 54-hole total of 7-under 209. The Ajellos posted 4-under 68s in the final two rounds of the Father-Son Championship.

Crenshaw Flight – Chad and Thomas Hampton from Cypress and College Station scored a three-shot victory thanks to a 1-under 71 in the final round. They combined for two natural and two net birdies on the day. The Hamptons finished with a 54-hole total of 13-under 203.

Second place belonged to Chris and Jeff Mudd, respectively from Houston and Fulshear, at 10-under 206. The Mudds teamed up for a 4-under 68 in Sunday’s final round.

Kite Flight – David Cash and David Cash Jr. won the Kite Flight for the third time since 2016 with an overall score of 15-under 201. Winners in 2016 and ’17 as well, the Cash team finished strong on Sunday with a final round score of 6-under 66. They won their flight by six shots.

Second place went to Coppell’s Ashley and Jacob Hunter with a 54-hole total of 9-under 207.

WEATHER: After three straight days of mild temperatures and mostly overcast skies, Sunday turned hot. The day started off gently enough, with morning temperatures in the mid-70s and mostly sunny skies. By noon, however, the mercury entered the 90s. By 2 p.m., it was 95 degrees. It didn’t seem to sour any of the players’ attitudes, though. Nearly every competitor genuinely looked happy to be playing golf with family for one more day, regardless of the heat.

GOLF COURSE: Nestled in a picturesque valley about 30 miles northwest of downtown San Antonio, Tapatio Springs opened in 1981 with a course originally designed by Bill Johnston. In 2015, Tripp Davis & Associates completed a wide-ranging renovation that included reshaped and rebuilt fairways, bunkers, tee boxes, and green complexes.

With a variety of long and shorter holes, as well as the numerous water features sprinkled throughout the routing, Tapatio Springs Resort tested the skills of all the participants.

SPECIAL THANKS: The TGA extends its sincere appreciation to Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort, including its members and staff, for creating such a welcoming atmosphere and a memorable championship week. We’re especially grateful to Director of Golf Operations Pat Roper, Head Professional Jason Rodriguez, Superintendent Eric Floyd, Events Services Bianca Weynand. Finally, and as always, we’re extra appreciative of our TGA Volunteers, who dedicate their time and expertise to ensure all the Father-Son Championship competitors have a quality experience.

MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about the 43rd Texas Father-Son Championship, including complete scoring, click here.

Familiar Faces Atop 43rd Father-Son Leaderboard

BOERNE – The cream started rising to the top Saturday at the 43rd Texas Father-Son Championship, as the two most decorated duos in the 80-team event worked their way to the top of the leaderboard at Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort. Matt and Will Griffin from San Antonio hold the Championship Division lead at 17-under-par 127 through 36 holes. Three shots back in a three-way tie for second place at 14-under 130 are Amarillo’s Derick and Kyle Kelting.

Between them, the two teams have six Texas Father-Son victories.

The Griffins first won the popular, 54-hole championship 2011. Then they went back-to-back in 2019-20. On Saturday at Tapatio Springs, they went bogey-free with eight birdies to shoot 8-under 64.

“This event seems to get better as our family gets bigger,” said Matt Griffin. “It’s just fun to see it brings out good golf from both of us.”

The Keltings, meanwhile, are the three-time defending champions. They also made it around Tapatio Springs without a bogey on Saturday. The talented team combined for five birdies, and Kyle poured in an eagle on the par-5 first hole. It added up to a second straight 7-under 65 and a share of second place.

LEADERBOARD CHECK: The Keltings are tied for second at 14-under 130 with Allen and Ryne Carter from Dallas, as well as with Austin’s Brian and Wick Comegys.

After a career-best score of 11-under 61 in Friday’s first round, Ryne Carter rolled in six birdies on Saturday to shoot 2-under 70 on his own ball. He combined with his dad Allen to post 3-under 69.

Brian Comegys, a former Legends Junior Tour standout, eased in four birdies and an eagle to combine with his dad, Wick, for a 6-under 66. Wick added two birdies and an eagle of his own.

Tied for fifth place at 13-under 131 are San Antonio’s Dave and Tom Moore and Hunter and Randy Rawls from Midland and Lubbock. The Moores shot 7-under 65 in the second round; The Rawls team came in with 4-under 68. Both teams will start Sunday’s final round four shots back of the Griffins.

Complete scoring | Final Round pairings

NET FLIGHTS UPDATE:

Hogan Flight – Nick and Charles Archer blitzed Tapatio Springs on Saturday with an 11-under 61 to stake an eight-shot lead with 18 holes to play. Charles rolled in six natural birdies and made a birdie-net-eagle for good measure. His son Nick added five more birdies of his own to get their team score to 17-under 127 overall.

“It’s not about a trophy, it’s about the three days you get to spend with your son,” Charles said. “We’re having an absolute blast.”

Flower Mound’s Randy Mattingley and Trey Rowe from Argyle got to 9-under 135 overall with a 3-under 69 on Saturday. Rowe dropped a pair of natural birdies, while his dad Mattingley recorded three net birdies.

Third place belongs to Tim and T.J. Bowe, respectively from Gunter and Frisco, at 7-under 137. They combined to shoot 4-under 68 in the second round.

Nelson Flight – Rockwall’s Marc and Mason Nelson lead their namesake flight at 11-under 133 overall. The Nelsons combined to for a 6-under 66, which included a natural eagle, a net eagle, two natural birdies, and a pair of net birdies.

Connor and Kevin Cartledge from Harlingen are tied for second place with Richard and Michael Baker from Houston and Katy. Both teams are 7-under 137 through 36 holes.

Crenshaw Flight – Chad and Thomas Hampton from Cypress and College Station lead their flight at 12-under 132 overall after a 7-under 65 on Saturday. Chad had a natural eagle, two natural birdies, and three more net birdies. Thomas added a pair of net birdies to help give them a six-shot lead through 36 holes.

Chris and Jeff Mudd from Houston and Fulshear hold second place at 6-under 138. They improved quite a bit from their Round 1 performance with a combined effort of 5-under 67 on Saturday. Chip and Mike Block from Houston and Kingwood own third place at 5-under 139. They combined for two natural birdies and three net birdies.

Kite Flight – David Cash and his son David Cash Jr. are on the verge of their third Father-Son Kite Flight victory. After a 6-under 66 in the first round, the Team Cash posted 3-under 69 on Saturday to get them to 9-under 135, good for a five-shot lead.

“We started out birdie-birdie, so that was fun,” said Cash Sr., who teamed with his son to win this flight in 2016 and ’17. “It was a grind after that, but we had a great time, as always. We love the courses you pick for this event.”

Broun and George Stacy, respectively from Houston and Dallas, shot the round of the day in the Kite Flight with an 8-under 64. They’re in second place at 4-under 140. Together, the made three natural birdies and four net birdies.

Russell and George Rozell from Austin and Dickinson are tied for third place at 3-under 141 with Zach and Preston Harvey from Dallas. Preston, the youngest competitor in the field at age 9, made three net birdies to help his dad Zach shoot 1-over 73.

WEATHER: Tapatio Springs dialed up another chamber of commerce morning for Saturday’s second round. Partly cloudy skies with a light breeze and temperatures in the mid-70s greeted players who went out early. It heated up a bit in the afternoon with lots of sun and temperatures rising into the mid-90s. The wind stayed in the 10-15 mph range with occasional gusts of up to 25 mph.

GOLF COURSE: Nestled in a picturesque valley about 30 miles northwest of downtown San Antonio, Tapatio Springs opened in 1981 with a course originally designed by Bill Johnston. In 2015, Tripp Davis & Associates completed a wide-ranging renovation that included reshaped and rebuilt fairways, bunkers, tee boxes, and green complexes. Both challenging and fun, it’s a quintessential Hill Country-style course with plenty of elevation changes and a few blind shots.

With a variety of long and shorter holes, as well as the numerous water features sprinkled throughout the routing, Tapatio Springs Resort will serve as a quality test of skill for all the participants. This is the first time Tapatio Springs has welcomed the Father-Son since back-to-back years in 1984-85.

FORMAT: The Championship Flight consists of the 40 teams with the lowest combined handicap indexes. The Championship Flight plays four-ball stroke play for the first two rounds. After 36 holes, the low 20 teams (and ties) continue on in the Championship Flight and play combined individual stroke play in the final round. Each Championship Flight team’s three-day total is their overall score for the championship. Teams not making the 36-hole cut in the Championship Flight will compete in the Presidents Flight and play a third and final round of four-ball stroke play. The format for all other flights is 54-hole net four-ball stroke play.

TOURNAMENT HISTORY: This is the 43rd annual playing of the Texas Father-Son Championship. Kyle and Derick Kelting from Amarillo have won the popular championship in each of the past three years. It they’re able win for a fourth straight time, they’d move into a tie for the all-time most consecutive victories with another Amarillo duo, Tom and Will Doughtie. The Doughties won the Father-Son four times in a row from 2001-04. Last summer, the Keltings rallied from two strokes back in the final round to score the threepeat at Wichita Falls Country Club with a three-day total of 10-under-par 274.

NEXT UP: The final round begins Sunday at 7:30 a.m. at Tapatio Springs Resort. For more information, including complete scoring, click here.

Carters Lead Father-Son after a Sizzling 61

BOERNE – Allen Carter had a front row seat on Friday to watch his son Ryne shoot the best competitive score of his life in the first round of the 43rd Texas Father-Son Championship at Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort. The father-son duo from Dallas combined to shoot 11-under-par 61. Ryne shot a 10-under 62 on his own ball.

“I took two weeks off from playing, then came back out for this tournament,” Ryne Carter said. “I didn’t expect it, but everything was working great today: putting, driving, everything.”

Carter opened with an eagle on the first hole, then proceeded to birdie six of his next 10 holes. With a smile, his dad Allen was quick to add he was more than just a cheerleader all day.

“I made one birdie today,” Allen Carter said. “Make sure that gets into the story.”

The Carters lead Jerry and Randall Searls from Van Alstyne by one shot headed into Saturday’s second round.

LEADERBOARD CHECK: The Searls combined for seven birdies and two eagles on their way to 10-under 62 and second place in the Championship Division. Jerry Searls eagled the par-5 first hole, and his son Randall eagled the par-5 10th

Three teams are tied for third place at 9-under 63. Three-time champions Matt and Will Griffin from San Antonio, Midland’s Rick and Richman Houston, and Hunter and Randy Rawls, respectively from Midland and Lubbock, are all two shots behind the Carters.

Three-time defending champions Kyle and Derick Kelting from Amarillo opened the 43rd Texas Father-Son with a 7-under 65. They’re tied for eighth place after Round 1.

Complete scoring | Round 2 pairings

NET FLIGHTS UPDATE:

Hogan Flight – There’s a three-way tie for first place after Friday’s opening round. Sharing the top spot at 6-under 66 are the teams of Randy Mattingley from Flower Mound and Trey Rowe from Argyle, along with Charles and Nick Archer, respectively from Rockwall and Rowlett, and Lufkin’s Wes Welch and Justin Blackledge from Midland.

Mattingley and Rowe combined for six total birdies. Four of those were Rowe’s natural birdies; Mattingley added a pair of net birdies, as well as a birdie-net-eagle on the uphill, par-3 11th.

Nick Archer started his team’s day with a natural eagle on the par-5 first hole. He added five more birdies on the day; three of those were natural birdies. His partner Charles added three natural birdies on his ball. Welch and Blackledge played nearly flawless ham-and-eggs partner golf. They combined for seven total birdies, and neither birdied the same hole.

Nelson Flight – Corinth’s Jeff Loch and Fort Worth’s Andrew Loch fired a 6-under 66 to grab first place after Round 1. Andrew rolled in four natural birdies and added one net birdie. Jeff contributed with one natural and one net birdie.

Marc and Mason Nelson from Rockwall finished with 5-under 67, good for second place. Patrick Pettit from Porter and Austin Pettit from Houston hold third place at 4-under 68.

Crenshaw Flight – Chad and Thomas Hampton, respectively from Cypress and College Station, staked a three-shot lead in their flight after they combined for eight birdies on their way to a 5-under 67 in Round 1. Chad rolled in four natural birdies and one net birdie; Thomas had four net birdies of his own. Only one of the Hampton’s overall birdies was negated when both Chad and Thomas scored net birdies the par-4 16th.

Chris and Paul Divis from Dallas are in second place at 2-under 70. Chris accounted for three net birdies, and Paul had two net and one natural birdie. Three teams are tied for third place in the Crenshaw Flight at 1-under 71. Chip and Mike Block, from Houston and Kingwood, along with Will and Bill Ward, from San Antonio and Sugar Land, and Chris and Jeff Mudd, from Houston and Fulshear, all will start Round 2 four shot behind the Hamptons.

Kite Flight – David Cash and David Cash Jr., respectively from Cottonwood Shores and Spicewood, combined to shoot 6-under 66 to take the Kite Flight lead by two shots after 18 holes. David Sr. made a birdie-net-eagle on the difficult par -4 fifth hole. He added another natural birdie, plus four more net birdies to help their cause. David Jr. added a pair of net birdies.

Zach and Preston Harvey from Dallas are two shots back at 4-under 68. At 9 years old, Preston is the youngest player in the field. The sweet-swinging lefty drained five net birdies on the day. His dad Zach added three natural birdies. Tyler and Robert Cloud, from San Antonio and Heath, hold third place at 2-under 70.

WEATHER: It was a gorgeous day for golf in the Hill Country, with overcast skies and temperatures in the mid-70s throughout the morning. Winds were steady in the 10-15 mph range. By 1 p.m., the sun finally peeked out, but the temperatures remained pleasant in the mid-80s.

GOLF COURSE: Nestled in a picturesque valley about 30 miles northwest of downtown San Antonio, Tapatio Springs opened in 1981 with a course originally designed by Bill Johnston. In 2015, Tripp Davis & Associates completed a wide-ranging renovation that included reshaped and rebuilt fairways, bunkers, tee boxes, and green complexes. Both challenging and fun, it’s a quintessential Hill Country-style course with plenty of elevation changes and a few blind shots.

With a variety of long and shorter holes, as well as the numerous water features sprinkled throughout the routing, Tapatio Springs Resort serves as a quality test of skill for all the participants. This is the first time Tapatio Springs has welcomed the Father-Son since back-to-back years in 1984-85.

FORMAT: The Championship Flight consists of the 40 teams with the lowest combined handicap indexes. The Championship Flight plays four-ball stroke play for the first two rounds. After 36 holes, the low 20 teams (and ties) continue on in the Championship Flight and play combined individual stroke play in the final round. Each Championship Flight team’s three-day total is their overall score for the championship. Teams not making the 36-hole cut in the Championship Flight will compete in the Presidents Flight and play a third and final round of four-ball stroke play. The format for all other flights is 54-hole net four-ball stroke play.

TOURNAMENT HISTORY: This is the 43rd annual playing of the Texas Father-Son Championship. Kyle and Derick Kelting from Amarillo have won the popular championship in each of the past three years. It they’re able win for a fourth straight time, they’d move into a tie for the all-time most consecutive victories with another Amarillo duo, Tom and Will Doughtie. The Doughties won the Father-Son four times in a row from 2001-04. Last summer, the Keltings rallied from two strokes back in the final round to score the threepeat at Wichita Falls Country Club with a three-day total of 10-under-par 274.

NEXT UP: Round 2 begins at 7:30 a.m. at Tapatio Springs Resort. For more information, 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.

In the Volunteer Spotlight: Pam Murray

Every TGA volunteer found their way to the rewarding job via different avenues. For Pam Murray, it was the Course Rating Team that drew her into giving decades of service to further the game of golf.

Murray’s family is no stranger to the sport. Her father introduced her to the game. Her two brothers are both PGA Class-A Club Professionals who recently retired in the Pacific Northwest. It wasn’t until she graduated college that Murray decided to play and truly learn the game of golf though.

“My family would always play golf together because my mom would get us out of the house,” Murray said. “I got tired of my brothers always cheating me on the golf course. They would tell me I couldn’t do this, or I couldn’t do that. So, I decided I better learn the rules.”

Murray, former President of the Women’s Texas Golf Association from 2008-10, first spent her time with the Course Rating Team from 1997-2002. In 2002, she retired and had more time to learn the Rules. This allowed her to transition into becoming a Rules official at tournaments.

The Richardson native has served in numerous capacities since 2002 for the USGA and TGA. She became a member of the USGA Women’s Committee in 2011, serving as vice-chairman from 2015-16 and then as chairman from 2017-18.

She presided over the newly created U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Committee in 2014-15 and before that the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Committee in 2013-14. Murray also was a longtime member of the TGA Rules Committee.

Prior to becoming a TGA volunteer, Murray spent her working career in education. As a retired educator, she has seen that part of her profession pay dividends on the golf course.

“It helps you relate to the people you are dealing with,” Murray said.

At the top of her list of favorite memories from volunteering in golf are being able to be involved with the USGA’s inaugural 2022 U.S. Adaptive Open and helping with President Bush’s Warrior Open for five years.

Having been heavily involved in the game since 1997, Murray has seen great change over the past couple of decades.

“I see a lot more young girls and women playing golf than there were in 1997,” Murray said. “I think the TGA and what was the WTGA were very instrumental in getting a lot more women involved in the state of Texas.”

Murray estimates that she spends around 75 days of the year volunteering. She says it’s the people who bring her back. This is the same reason that a countless number of our volunteers continuously cite as their inspiration for devoting their time to the TGA.

“I’ve been lucky enough to travel around the world officiating,” Murray said. “It’s been a great experience just meeting other rules officials, players, and juniors. And watching my juniors grow up to now participate on the LPGA and PGA TOUR is special.”

The TGA thanks Pam for her countless years of service to the Association and the game of golf. If you see her at a TGA or USGA event this year make sure to say hello!