Regional Four-Balls Set for Feb. 24-25

The Texas Golf Association’s 2024 men’s tournament schedule kicks off with the North and South Regional Four-Ball Championships. The season openers will be held concurrently from Feb. 24-25.

Whitestone Golf Club in Benbrook will host the North Regional Four-Ball, while The Bearkat Course at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville will host the South Regional Four-Ball.

This will be the third TGA championship contested at Whitestone and the first-ever at The Bearkat Course. Whitestone previously hosted the 2001 Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play, won by Texas Golf Hall of Famer Chip Stewart, and the 2023 North Regional Senior Amateur, won by John Schaefer.

Located about 12 miles southwest of Fort Worth, Whitestone Golf Club was co-designed by Jeff Brauer and Jay Morrish and opened in 2000. The Bearkat Course (formerly known as Raven Nest Golf Club) opened in 2003 and was designed by Tripp Davis.

First played in 2003, Regional Four-Ball entries are open to two-player teams of male amateur golfers with each member of the team having an up-to-date WHS Handicap Index® not exceeding 8.4 issued through a member club of the TGA and residing in the region relative to their respective championship. The delineation between the North and South regions is the 31st parallel that passes through the city of Salado.

Both championships are conducted using the same competitive format. The starting field of 44 teams (88 players) will play 36 holes of four-ball stroke play over two days with no cut. Regional performance points, which are applied to the yearlong North and South Regional Player of the Year races, are awarded to the top five team finishers.

Starting times and pairings for the first round will be posted online on the TGA website no later than Feb. 20. Live scoring updates and daily recaps will also be available online once the action gets underway from Whitestone Golf Club and The Bearkat Course.

Bobby Massa and Ryan Zamorano won the 2023 North Regional Four-Ball with rounds of 62-63 on the Traditions Course at The Courses at Watters Creek in Plano. Their 19-under-par 125 total was good for a three-shot margin of victory over runners-up Kolton Crawford and Sean Heidrick and Liam Logan and Colby Pickavance. At the 2023 South Regional Four-Ball, Jonathan Alden and Austen Fulmer finished at 15-under 129 at Vaaler Creek Golf Club in Blanco to capture the title by one shot over Sean Ferris and Thomas Immenschuh.