General Information

Date: June 12-15, 2025
Host Club: Ridgewood Country Club
Address: 7301 Fish Pond Road, Waco, TX 76710
Phone: Clubhouse – (254) 772-0160; Pro Shop – (254) 772-0991
TGA Staff Contact: Chris Untiedt, Senior Tournament Director

Click here to purchase a Strackaline Yardage Book

Entry & Eligibility Information

Entries Open: Tuesday, January 28, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Exempt Entry Deadline: Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Entries Close: Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Entry Fee: $175

Eligibility: Entries are open to male amateur golfers who reside in the state of Texas region with a certified WHS Handicap Index of 6.4 or less. Please reference the Men’s landing page for further details, including Policies and Procedures, and Terms of Competition.

Entry Procedure/Qualifying: All players who are not exempt must qualify via an 18-hole qualifying round. Please see “Exemptions” tab for list for the list of exempt players. Exempt players must register by the published exempt entry deadline. Qualifying round starting times, pairings and additional information is available to view on the Qualifying Information page.

Exemptions: Provided players are otherwise eligible, exemptions are given to the following:

a) Last five (5) Texas Amateur Champions
b) Top fifteen (15) finishers and ties in the previous year’s Texas Amateur
c) Last five (5) Texas Mid-Amateur Champions
d) Top five (5) finishers and ties in the previous year’s Texas Mid-Amateur
e) Previous year’s Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play winner and Runner-up
f) Previous year’s Texas Senior Amateur Champion
g) Top ten (10) finishers and ties from the previous year’s TGA State Player of the Year Points list
h) Top three (3) finishers and ties from the previous year’s TGA Regional Player of the Year Points list
i) Top two (2) finishers and ties in the current year’s Regional Mid-Amateurs
j) Top three (3) finishers and ties in the previous year’s Regional Amateurs
k) Top three (3) finishers and ties in the previous year’s West Texas Amateur Championship
l) Current year’s LJT Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Champion
m) Previous year’s LJT Texas Junior Amateur Champion (Boys Division)
n) Previous year’s LJT Player of the Year (Boys 15-18)
o) Top 1,000 in the R&A/USGA World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) as of Registration Open Date
p) Winner of The Southwest Airlines Showcase
q) Three (3) host club exemptions

The TGA reserves the right to select players to be in the field. For exemption request details, please view the TGA Men’s Competition Policies on the Men’s landing page. Exempt players must enter by the published deadline or they will lose their exempt status and spot in the final field.

Championship Information

Exemptions Available: The Champion of the 116th Texas Amateur will receive an exemption into the 125th U.S. Amateur to be contested at The Olympic Club in San Fransisco, CA on August 11-17, 2025. The Champion will also receive an exemption into U.S. Amateur Final Qualifying the following year, for the 126th U.S. Amateur.

The top 5 finishers at the 116th Texas Amateur will receive an exemption into U.S. Amateur Final Qualifying the following year, for the 126th U.S. Amateur.

Format/Field Size: Play will be contested over 72 holes of stroke play. The field is limited to 144 players; at the completion of 36 holes the field will be cut to the low 54 players and ties.

What’s Included: The championship entry fee includes greens, cart and range fees for all championship rounds including the championship practice round. The entry fee also includes championship gifts, breakfast and lunch during all competitive rounds, and food/beverage at the player welcome reception.

Practice Round Information: Each player is allowed one (1) complimentary practice round on June 11, 2025 only. More information on scheduling your practice round tee time will be provided to players once qualifying has been completed (please do not contact the host club to schedule this complimentary practice round.

Approximate Yardage: The Championship will play approximately 6,800 yards. Note: Player Information Packet will include hole-by-hole approximate yardages.

Registration Information: Player registration will be held on June 11, 2025. If a player cannot make registration, he must notify the TGA staff that he is unable to make the registration deadline, but will be competing in the championship. Those players not contacting a TGA Official by 5:00 PM on June 11, 2025 are subject to forfeiting their playing position.

Starting Times/Pairings Information: Starting times / pairings for the first and second rounds will be made no later than June 9, 2025 online at www.txga.org. Third and final rounds starting times/pairings will be available in the evening preceding play (approximately one hour after the completion of play) online at www.txga.org. Final round starting times/pairings will be re-drawn based on total score following the previous round of play.

Caddies: Caddies are permitted during the championship. Players are responsible for supplying their own caddie for the competition. Caddies adhere to all TGA Men’s Competition Policies and host club policies.

Cancellation/Withdrawal Procedure: Prior to the entry deadline players looking to withdraw should do so online through their Golf Genius user profile or by contacting the TGA Staff Contact directly. After the entry deadline has passed players should email the TGA Staff Contact directly. Only withdrawals on the day of the competition should be directed to the host club golf shop.

Automated Transportation Prohibited: Players and their caddies must walk at all times during the practice round and all stipulated rounds of the championship, unless being shuttled by a member of the Committee or authorized shuttle. Push/pull carts will be permitted, but players are responsible for supplying their own.

Medical Carts/TGA Medical Cart Request Policy: Spectator Carts are prohibited. Spectators in accordance of ADA compliance may request golf carts. Requests for golf carts must be supported by complete documentation, including the fully-completed Cart Request Form and the required accompanying medical documentation specified in that form for all first-time requests. Any medical cart request that is granted by the TGA will be good for that individual for the remainder of that calendar season. A request will not be deemed complete until all required information and documentation has been provided. For further information and details contact Senior Tournament Director – Chris Untiedt.

Score Posting: At the conclusion of each round, each player’s score will be automatically posted to the World Handicap System (WHS). Please do not enter your own scores from the competitive rounds, as this will result in double posting.

Policies & Procedures

To ensure competitors the best experience at all Texas Golf Association (TGA) events, it is helpful to be knowledgeable of TGA Men’s Competition Policies.

a) Last five (5) Texas Amateur Champions

• Reese Roberts (’24), Bret Gray (’23), Holden Wisener (’22)*, Austyn Reily (’21), Trey Bosco (’20)

b) Top fifteen (15) finishers and ties in the previous year’s Texas Amateur

• Reese Roberts, Luke Colton, Daniel Choi, Andre Jacobs, Marek Fleming, Andrew Lawson, Trevor Alyga, Finn Burkholder, Carson Cooper, Andrew Baucum, Christian Clark, Michael Heidelbaugh, Toby Wilt, Bobby Massa, Joe Stover

c) Last five (5) Texas Mid-Amateur Champions

• Kendrick Vinar (’24), Josh Pasco (’23), Ryan O’Rear (’22), Freddie Janneck (’21), Ryan O’Rear (’20)

d) Top five (5) finishers and ties in the previous year’s Texas Mid-Amateur

• Kendrick Vinar, Charlie Holland, Nickolas Martinez, Rashid Salem, Cal Clyde

e) Previous year’s Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play winner and Runner-up

• Cal Clyde (Winner), Joey Gullion (Runner-Up)

f) Previous year’s Texas Senior Amateur Champion

• Neal Barfield

g) Top ten (10) finishers and ties from the previous year’s TGA State Player of the Year Points list

• Bobby Massa, Reese Roberts, Cal Clyde, Luke Colton, Kendrick Vinar, Nickolas Martinez, Charlie Holland, Jake Istnick, Aaron Hickman, Daniel Choi, Andrew Lawson

h) Top three (3) finishers and ties from the previous year’s TGA Regional Player of the Year Points list

• North: Rob Couture, Aaron Hickman, Leyton Heibert
• South: Braden Smith, Clay Fullick, Carson Gallaher

i) Top two (2) finishers and ties in the current year’s Regional Mid-Amateurs

• North: TBD (March 21-23, 2025)
• South: TBD (March 21-23, 2025)

j) Top three (3) finishers and ties in the previous year’s Regional Amateurs

• North: Rob Couture, Hunter Wolfinger, Aaron Hickman
• South: Hymer Jackson, Alex Malanga, Esteban Gonzalez

k) Top three (3) finishers and ties in the previous year’s West Texas Amateur Championship

• Caron Gallaher, Preston Defriend, Braden Smith, Leyton Hiebert

l) Current year’s LJT Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Champion

• TBD (June 2025)

m) Previous year’s LJT Texas Junior Amateur Champion (Boys Division)

• Shiv Parmar

n) Previous year’s LJT Player of the Year (Boys 15-18)

• Daniel Ferguson

o) Top 1,000 in the R&A/USGA World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) as of Registration Open Date

• TBD (Please contact Chris Untiedt at Chris@txga.org if you are Top 1,000)

p) Winner of The Southwest Airlines Showcase

• Xavier Bighaus

q) Three (3) host club exemption

The TGA reserves the right to select players to be in the field. Exempt players must complete registration for the event by the published exemption deadline or they will lose their spot in the field.

Note: All players who are not exempt under the categories listed above for the 116th Texas Amateur must participate in an 18-hole individual stroke play qualifier. For 116th Texas Amateur qualifying information, see the Qualifying tab.

Tuesday, January 28
9:00 AM – Registration Opens

Wednesday, March 26
5:00 PM – Registration Exempt Deadline/Registration Closes

April 2 – May 28
Qualifying Window

Tuesday, May 27
9:00 AM – Registration Opens (Last Chance Qualifying)

Friday, May 30
5:00 PM – Registration Closes (Last Chance Qualifying)

Tuesday, June 3
Last Chance Qualifying (1 in DFW; 1 in Houston)

Monday, June 9
First and Second Round Pairings Released

Wednesday, June 11
8:00 AM – Player Registration & Practice Rounds
6:00 PM – Golf Course Closes
6:30 PM – Player Welcome Reception

Thursday, June 12
6:30 AM – Player Breakfast
7:30 AM – Round 1, AM Wave begins (#1 & #10 Tees)
11:30 AM – Player Lunch
12:30 PM – Round 1, PM Wave begins (#1 & #10 Tees)

Friday, June 13
6:30 AM – Player Breakfast
7:30 AM – Round 2, AM Wave begins (#1 & #10 Tees)
11:30 AM – Player Lunch
12:30 PM – Round 2, PM Wave begins (#1 & #10 Tees)
Following Play – Field cut to low 54 players (and Ties)

Saturday, June 14
6:30 AM – Player Breakfast
8:00 AM – Round 3 Begins (#1 & #10 Tees)
12:00 PM – Player Lunch
Following Play – Repair

Sunday, June 15
6:30 AM – Player Breakfast
8:00 AM – Final Round Begins (#1 & #10 Tees)
12:00 PM – Player Lunch
Following Play – Awards Presentation