Abel and Wheeler win the 50th Texas Four-Ball
Derek Abel of Dallas and Chris Wheeler of Lewisville captured the 50th Texas Four-Ball title on Sunday with a impressive final-round 8-under 64, pulling away to win by four shots at 20-under 196.
“It feels great,” Abel said. “We’ve played in a lot of these tournaments and have always been around the lead, but never able to close it out. Today was really satisfying.”
The duo faced challenges down the stretch but stayed steady while other teams tried to make a move.
“Yeah, we had some adversity today,” Wheeler said. “Early on the back nine we had a couple bogeys, but we rebounded with birdies every time and just tried to keep the pedal down.”
While Abel and Wheeler previously teamed up to win the 2021 North Four-Ball, this state championship held extra meaning.
“This one is especially meaningful because I get to share it with a guy who’s been like a brother to me for 30 years,” Wheeler said. “It was also fun to win again on this course after Bobby Massa and I won the North Four-Ball here in 2022.”
Casey Carnes of Schertz and Todd Albert of Katy finished runner-up at 16-under 200 after closing with a strong 7-under 65.
In the Senior Division, Houston’s Andrew Hydorn and Richmond’s Mike Padilla earned the championship in dramatic fashion, winning a one-hole playoff. The duo shot 5-under 67 to finish at 15-under 201, then sealed the title when Hydorn buried a long birdie putt on the first playoff hole against Dallas’ Don Gafner and Mark Motes.
The Super Senior Division came down to the wire, with Spring’s David Ortego and Montgomery’s Scott Smith edging out the field. Ortego and Smith posted a bogey-free 5-under 67 to finish at 19-under 197, a run fueled by their 8-under 64 in the second round.
They held off a late charge from Georgetown’s Steven Trafton and San Marcos’ Brad Greenbon, who fired a blistering 9-under 63 in the final round. Trafton nearly forced a playoff with another eagle try on No. 18, but his putt narrowly missed to cap a thrilling finish.
The official yardage for the Championship Division was 7,125 yards. The Senior Division’s official yardage was 6,493, while the Super Senior Division measured 5,912 yards.
The Texas Golf Association thanks Tempest Golf Club and its staff and board for their excellent hospitality during the 49th Texas Four-Ball. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Tempest Golf Club in the coming years.
Next on the Texas Golf Association calendar is the 42nd Texas Mid-Amateur presented by Hytera US, to be held at Champions Golf Club – Cypress Course in Houston from September 5-7.
To view final results from the 50th Texas Four-Ball, click here. To learn more about the 50th Texas Four-Ball click here.