Andrew Chow wins North Amateur
Briefly: Andrew Chow of Coppell overcame a one-shot deficit heading into the final round of the North-Amateur to win by one stroke. Chow a member of the University of Texas at Dallas golf team used consistent play over three days at Thorntree to finish the championship at seven-under par 209, all while competing in temperatures that cleared 103 degrees all three days of the tournament. This is Chow’s first victory with the Texas Golf Association.
Golf Course: Thorntree Golf Club was built in 1983 by the Richard Mai Family. For five years, it played host to the Byron Nelson qualifying tournament, PGA Tour stage qualifying, and sectional qualifying for the Texas State Open. Rated as one of the toughest courses in the Dallas/Fort Worth area by the Dallas Business Journal, this challenging course provides a test for any competitive golfer.
Weather: First, second, and the final round began with players teeing off with temperatures in the low 90’s. Afternoon temperatures peaked at 104 degrees all three days. All three days the skies were clear.
Top Finishers: Chow posted rounds of 68-69-72 over his three days which included a birdies on the 8th and 9th holes to secure his even par finish in the final round. Chow began the day seven-under par, one shot back of the round two leaders. Chow’s second round included six birdies including a string of three straight on holes two, three, and four. Chows final round even par 72 was enough to secure the victory as his final group competitors both shot over par for the final round.
Finishing in second place was Wylie’s Brandon Shong. Shong entered the final round in a tie for the lead after two stellar round of 69-67, however a quadruple bogey on the sixth hole of the final round proved too much to overcome. Shong would finish the tournament one shot back of Chow at six-under par 210. In third place for the tournament Justin Bates of Highland Village. Bates fired rounds of 71-71-70 to finish four-under par. Rounding out the top five were Texas Tech University commit Ben Gregg of Dallas, TX who used a final round 68 to vault into the top five for the tournament finishing at three-under par. Daniel Moon of Temple, Alex Huang of Plano, and Gant Bills of Plano all finished tied for 5th place at two-under par 214. Bills entered the final round tied for the lead however a final round 78 did not secure a victory.
Regional POY: North Player of the Year points will be awarded to the top 30 finishers at the 2023 North Amateur with the champion will receive 1,000 points. For Regional POY information, click here.
What’s Next: With the conclusion of the 2023 TGA Regional Series, next on the state championship schedule is the Texas Four-Ball. Registration for the Four-Ball will close on August 9 at 5:00 pm, the Four-Ball will be contested August 18-20 at Pinecrest Country Club in Longview. Texas Mid-Amateur qualifying is underway for the TGA with sites scattered across the state for the next two months. The 40th Texas Mid-Amateur will be hosted by Midland Country Club September 29-October 1.
More Info: The Texas Golf Association extends its sincere appreciation to the staff, members of Thorntree Golf Club, and our volunteers for their integral part in making the North Amateur a memorable and successful event. For more information on the North Amateur, click here.