Gonzalez, Kato Co-lead after Round 1 at 97th West Texas Amateur
Leaders Esteban Gonzalez of McAllen and Shoichiro Kato of Kobe lead the 97th West Texas Amateur Championship Division after firing impressive 7-under 65s. Gonzalez, a collegiate golfer at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley came out swinging in the first round, carding nines in the first round en route to his 65. Kato showed off his precision and patience going bogey-free in his opening round.
In the Senior Division, David Ortega of Spring posted a strong 2-under 70 in the first round. Starting on No. 10, Ortega shot a 1-over 37 on his opening nine before catching fire on the back. The Spring native made three birdies in a five-hole stretch and capped off his round with an eagle on No. 9.
In the Super Senior Division, Saginaw’s Dave Davis surged to the top of the leaderboard after a steady opening round. Despite some ups and downs, Davis showed resilience by carding matching 36s on the front and back to finish even-par for the day. He’s aiming for his second TGA title of the season, having won the 10th Texas Super Senior Amateur in April.
In Contention: Trailing Gonzalez and Kato in the Championship Division is Hunter Welch of Wolfforth. The Midland College golfer carded a bogey-free 31 on his front nine en route to a 4-under 68. Right behind Welch sit Ethan Korock of Jonestown, Preston Defriend of Lubbock, Dylan Villarreal of Edinburg, and Michael Carnes of New Braunfels who all finished with a 3-under 69.
In the Senior Division, Texas Golf Hall of Fame member Mike Booker of Houston is tied for second after an even-par 72. Joining him are Jonathan Shipley of Katy, Steve Love of Irving, John Schaefer of Plano, and Donald O’Connor of McKinney, creating a crowded and competitive leaderboard heading into Moving Day.
In the Super Senior Division, Mark Johnson of Kingsland holds solo second after a 1-over 73 in the first round. Mike Peck of Irving, a multiple Texas Golf Association champion, is tied for third alongside Steven Trafton of Georgetown, James Peebles of Fort Worth, and Michael Jones of Richardson, all of whom carded 2-over 74s.
Golf Course: Located in Abilene, Texas, Abilene Country Club was established in 1921 and has served as a private club for families across five generations. The club features both a North and South Course, offering a variety of recreational amenities and services. The South Course has hosted several TGA and USGA events, including the recent 39th Texas Mid-Amateur, won by Ryan O’Rear, and a 2025 U.S. Open First Stage Qualifier.
Weather: Temperatures started in the low 70s in Abilene, giving the Super Senior and Senior Divisions an ideal start to the day. As their rounds wrapped up and the Championship Divisions took the course, conditions heated up. Temperatures climbed into the high 80s and eventually peaked in the low 90s, while steady winds of 8-12 mph and gusts up to 20 mph added an extra layer of challenge.
Tournament History: The West Texas Amateur is a 144-player tournament across three divisions. This Regional Event is open to all residents of Texas and has boasted some amazing past champions such as Charles Coody, Billy Maxwell, Bob Estes and Alex Moon. This year’s event saw more than 300 signups.
TGA Regional Series: The TGA Regional Series is made up of four events for each region of North and South Texas. There is a Regional Four-Ball, Mid-Amateur, Senior Amateur and Amateur for both the North and South. The West Texas Amateur also serves as an event in the Regional Series and is open to any players in the state of Texas who meet eligibility.
What’s Next: The second round of the West Texas Amateur is set to begin at 7:30 am on Saturday, July 19. The Championship Division will go off in the morning wave, while the Senior and Super Senior Divisions switch to the afternoon wave. Following the second round, each division will be cut in half before Sunday’s Final Round.
To view Round One Results, click here. For more information on the West Texas Amateur, click here.