Carnes goes wire-to-wire to win 98th West Texas Amateur
Leaders: Michael Carnes of New Braunfels captured the 98th West Texas Amateur title after three days of sharp golf at Midland Country Club. Carnes carded rounds of 65-67-69 to finish at 15-under 201 and win by four strokes over the field where he lead after each round. His opening-round 65 set the tone, and he carried that momentum into a bogey-free second round of 67 that included a back-nine 30 and an eagle. Carnes joins his brother, Casey, as a West Texas Amateur champion.
In the Senior Division, 50th Texas Four-Ball champion and 2024 Texas Shootout South team captain Andy Hydorn of Houston earned his first individual title with the Texas Golf Association. Hydorn carded rounds of 68-70-69 to finish at 9-under 207 and win by four strokes. A first-round 69 with only one bogey put him in position to close out the win. With the win Hydorn earns an exemption into the 89th Texas Senior Amateur presented by Republic Aviation.
In the Super Senior Division, Michael Jones was in control from start to finish. Jones carded rounds of 68-71-68 to finish at 9-under 207 and win by eight strokes. He made just one bogey across the three rounds, opening with a bogey-free 68 on Friday that put the Richardson native in front for good. With the win, Jones earns an exemption into the 89th Texas Senior Amateur presented by Republic Aviation at BraeBurn Country Club in Houston.
In Contention: Bryce Womack of San Antonio finished runner-up in the Championship Division at 11-under 205. Jack Hollingshed of Dallas and John Barnes of Midland tied for third at 10-under 206. John Beringer of San Antonio moved into solo fifth after a bogey-free final-round 65, one of the best rounds of the week, to finish at 9-under 207.
In the Senior Division, Trey Womack of Midland and Andrew Whitacre of The Woodlands tied for second at 5-under 211. Tray Tyner of Kerrville, John Schaefer of Plano and Rick Houston of Midland rounded out the top five, tying for fourth at 3-under 213.
In the Super Senior Division, Mac McGee of Midland and Bob Kearney of Houston tied for second at 1-under 215. Marshall Morgan of Fort Worth finished solo fourth at even-par 216, and Larry Corson of Dallas rounded out the top five at 1-over 217.
Golf Course: Midland Country Club has served as a cornerstone of Midland’s golf community since its founding in 1927, later moving to its present location in 1951, when Ralph Plummer designed a new course. Located north of the city along Highway 349, the club has evolved through the decades under a series of respected architects, including Ron Kirby in 1979 and Dick Nugent in 1985.
In recent years, Midland Country Club has continued to invest in its championship-caliber layout, most recently through a renovation from Weibring-Wolfard Golf Design in 2015. Known for its long, tree-lined fairways and strategic penalty areas that test players against the region’s notorious West Texas winds, the course remains one of the premier golf venues in the state, making it a fitting host for the West Texas Amateur. Midland Country Club has also recently hosted the 40th Texas Mid-Amateur and 112th Texas Amateur, further proof of the test it provides for golfers across Texas.
The Texas Golf Association thanks Midland Country Club for hosting the 98th West Texas Amateur. The hospitality of its staff and membership helped make the event a memorable one and continues to grow the partnership between the TGA and its member clubs.
Tournament History: The West Texas Amateur is a 144-player tournament across three divisions. The regional event is open to all residents of Texas and has a champions’ list that includes Charles Coody, Billy Maxwell, Bob Estes and Alex Moon.
TGA Regional Series: The TGA Regional Series is made up of four events for each region of North and South Texas: a regional four-ball, Mid-Amateur, Senior Amateur and Amateur for both North and South. The West Texas Amateur also serves as an event in the Regional Series and is open to any player in the state who meets eligibility requirements.
What’s Next: Next on the men’s calendar is the 28th Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play presented by Sun Cruiser at Big Easy Ranch – The Covey from July 23-26.
To view final results for the 98th West Texas Amateur, click here. For more information on Midland Country Club, click here.