97th West Texas Amateur Set for July 18-20

Abilene Country Club’s South Course in Abilene will be the host site for the 97th West Texas Amateur, scheduled for July 18-20.

This will be the fourth West Texas Amateur and 10th overall TGA championship held at Abilene Country Club. The historic club, which was founded in 1921, most recently hosted the 2022 Texas Mid-Amateur, won by Ryan O’Rear, in addition to two Women’s Texas Amateurs (1957, 1975), three Texas Senior Amateurs (1982, 1991, 1996), and three previous West Texas Amateurs (2005, 2011, 2021).

“We are thrilled to bring the West Texas Amateur back to such an iconic venue as Abilene Country Club,” said Duffy Suhr, TGA Tournament Manager. “The club has a longstanding tradition of supporting amateur golf and we are excited to continue our relationship with them and to work together in conducting a memorable championship.”

Abilene Country Club’s South Course (formerly Fairway Oaks Country Club) opened in 1980 and was designed by Ron Garl and 1971 Masters champion Charles Coody. The 7,136-yard, par-72 layout, with its narrow fairways, numerous water hazards and large, undulating green complexes, has proven from the outset to be a stern challenge for even the most accomplished players. From 1981-1990, both the PGA Tour and Senior PGA Tour (now PGA Tour Champions) made stops on the South Course, with some of the best ball strikers of the time notching victories, including Tom Weiskopf, Curtis Strange, and Hal Sutton.

The 97th West Texas Amateur features three divisions: Championship, Senior (age 55 and older) and Super Senior (age 65 and older). The 144-player starting field is comprised of 84 players in the Championship Division, 42 in the Senior Division, and 18 in 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 individual stroke play. All contestants will play 18 holes on both July 18-19. After 36 holes the field will be cut to the low 72 scorers and ties, with a pro-rated representation from each division.

Starting times and pairings for the first and second rounds will be posted on the TGA website no later than July 15. Live scoring updates and daily recaps will also be available online once the action gets underway from Abilene Country Club.

At last year’s West Texas Amateur, Carson Gallaher of New Braunfels set a new course record in the final round with a 9-under-par 63 at Quicksand Golf Course in San Angelo to capture the Championship Division in dramatic fashion. His 14-under 202 total was good for a two-shot margin of victory over a trio of players tied at 12-under 204. Trevor Hyde of Kerrville birdied the first playoff hole to win the Senior Division over 2020 Texas Senior Amateur champion John Derrick of Waco. The two players were deadlocked at 9-under 207 at the end of 54 holes of regulation play. In the Super Senior Division, Ed Ball of Wichita Falls also birdied the first playoff hole to win the title over Michael Jones of Richardson. Both players finished with a three-day total of 3-under 213.

First played in 1925, the West Texas Amateur is one of the oldest continuously held amateur events in the U.S. The championship has had a rich history of notable winners including Texas Golf Hall of Famers Don Cherry, Coody, John Grace, Billy Maxwell, and Hal Underwood.

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