Quicksand Golf Course in San Angelo will be the host site for the 96th West Texas Amateur, which will be held from July 19-21.

“We are very excited to bring the West Texas Amateur to Quicksand Golf Course,” said Harris Milson, TGA Tournament Coordinator. “Quicksand has a well-earned reputation for being a true test of a player’s complete skill set and is certain to be a great stage for this prestigious championship.”  

Opened in 1996, Quicksand Golf Course was designed by award-winning architect Dr. Michael Hurdzan, whose portfolio includes such nationally ranked courses as Calusa Pines and Erin Hills, site of the 2017 U.S. Open. At Quicksand, Hurdzan crafted a links-style layout spread out over 300 rolling acres along the Concho River. The 7,171-yard, par-72 course is regarded as one of the region’s most demanding tournament venues and is highlighted by twisting fairways lined by deep bunkers and sandy waste areas and large, bold green complexes.

The 96th 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 19-20. 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 16. Live scoring updates and daily recaps will also be available online once the action gets underway from Quicksand Golf Course.

At last year’s West Texas Amateur, Will Adams of Odessa captured the Championship Division in wire-to-wire fashion with rounds of 63-64-67 at Diamondback National Golf Club in Abilene. His 19-under-par 194 total was good for a nine-shot margin of victory over Davis Seybert of Midland. Kelly Eng of Austin defended his Senior Division title in a playoff over Mike Booker of Houston. The two were tied at 3-under 210 after 54 holes of regulation play. Doug Hopton-Jones of Mansfield won the Super Senior Division for the third time in five years in a playoff over Mike Peck of Irving. Both players finished with a three-day total of 1-under 212.

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, Charles Coody, John Grace, Billy Maxwell, and Hal Underwood.