Estorga & Istnick win the 49th Texas Four-Ball
HOUSTON — Anthony Estorga and Jake Istnick won the 49th Texas Four-Ball at Braeburn Country Club. The duo carded a 20-under 196 to advance to a playoff, where they secured the title on the first playoff hole.
The final round of the 49th Texas Four-Ball set up an intense race for the Championship Division title. Estorga and Istnick began the day with a three-stroke lead and aimed to finish as champions.
They shot a final round of 4-under 68, ending the tournament at 20-under. They faced Nickolas Martinez of Cypress and RJ Hernandez of Richmond, who posted a 10-under final round score. Estorga and Istnick won the first playoff hole to be crowned Texas Four-Ball Champions.
“It does feel good,” Istnick said with a smile. “We came awfully close last year and, of course, there was maybe a little bit of a bad taste in our mouth. We were ready to redeem ourselves, and Anthony played awesome today. I was cheerleading a little bit and helped out a little, but it feels great, honestly.”
Estorga and Istnick, who both compete in multiple state and regional events with the Texas Golf Association, secured their first state Four-Ball title.
“It’s fun that we played well, and it’s not bad for a couple of 40-something-year-olds,” Estorga joked. “One for the old guys, I guess, but it’s great, and I love playing with Jake. We have a good time.”
Finishing in solo second were Martinez and Hernandez, who met Estorga and Istnick in the one-hole playoff. The pair posted the lowest final round score, which included a hole-in-one on No. 14.
Christopher Wheeler of Addison and Derek Abel of Dallas finished third with a total of 18-under 198. Wheeler recorded a hole-in-one on No. 14 during the final round.
In the Senior Division, Trevor Hyde and Tray Tyner of Kerrville claimed the championship with a 17-under 199. The duo, playing together for the first time this year, made the most of their opportunity.
“It’s great!” Hyde said. “This is the first tournament we played in together, and we play a ton of golf with each other all the time when we’re home. We had a really good tournament, and Tray played solid and didn’t have a bogey for the whole tournament, which is pretty impressive considering how deep the rough is out here.”
“We partnered well the whole tournament, especially today,” Tyner added. “We faced some adversity. The team we were playing against put the pressure on us, and we had to kind of come through in the end.”
Mike Lohner of Southlake and Todd Vancil of Westlake finished second in the Senior Division with a score of 16-under 200.
Mike Peck and Steve Love of Irving took third place in the Senior Division with a total score of 13-under 203.
In the Super Senior Division, Doug Harker of Austin and Bill Houghton of Plano emerged victorious with a 6-under 210, finishing two strokes ahead of the field. The duo, who had come close to winning the title before, were relieved to secure it this year.
“It feels great!” Harker said. “Bill had a great front nine and rolled in a few birdies, and I kind of held us together on the back. Playing with John Grace and Bill Holstead is an honor, and we had a great day.”
John Grace of Fort Worth and Bill Holstead of Wichita Falls finished second in the Super Senior Division with a 4-under 212.
Tying for third were Tom Burns of Houston and Michael Puls of Irving, along with Richard Hageman of Houston and Raymond Garcia of Corpus Christi Country Club. Both pairs carded a 3-under 213.
The official yardage for the Championship Division was 6,874 yards. The Senior Division’s official yardage was 6,361 yards, while the Super Senior Division measured 6,009 yards.
The Texas Golf Association thanks Braeburn Country Club and its staff and board for their excellent hospitality during the 49th Texas Four-Ball. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Braeburn Country Club in the coming years.
Next on the Texas Golf Association calendar is the 41st Texas Mid-Amateur presented by Hytera US, to be held at Denton Country Club from September 6-8.
For more information and final results of the 49th Texas Four-Ball, click here.