Welch wins the 97th West Texas Amateur
Leaders: Hunter Welch of Wolfforth made a charge in the final round to win the 97th West Texas Amateur. Welch, a collegiate golfer at Midland College, began the day two strokes off the lead and needed an impressive run to take the title. He drained five birdies en route to a final-round 68, winning by a commanding four strokes. The victory marks Welch’s first with the Texas Golf Association.
In the Senior Division, John Pierce of San Antonio claimed the title in dramatic fashion after a hard-fought final round. Pierce, who held the lead entering the day and teed off on No. 10, carded a 4-over on his front nine, opening the door for challengers. Down the stretch, he birdied Nos. 7 and 8 to tie for the lead with one hole to play. On No. 9, Pierce delivered in the clutch, sinking a birdie to secure the win and add another TGA title to his impressive résumé.
In the Super Senior Division, Dave Davis went wire-to-wire to bring home the title after a final-round 1-under 71. Davis made four birdies and credited his steady play to being comfortable in the windy conditions throughout the tournament. With the win, he earns an exemption into the 88th Texas Senior Amateur at McAllen Country Club in October. This marks Davis’ second win on the 2025 men’s calendar, following his victory at the 10th Super Senior Amateur at Live Oak Golf Club in Abilene.
In Contention: Tying for second in the Championship Division were Jackson Hymer of San Antonio and Esteban Gonzalez, both finishing at 7-under. Hymer, a collegiate golfer at Sam Houston State University, shot a 1-under 71, while Gonzalez, who plays for the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, carded a 2-over 74 to remain near the top of the leaderboard. Shoichiro Kato of Arlington finished solo fourth at 5-under (65-72-74). Rounding out the top five were Colin Leonard of Ballinger and Michael Carnes of New Braunfels, who both finished at 4-under 212 for the tournament.
In the Senior Division, Steve Love of Irving and Mike Booker of Houston tied for second at 1-under 215. Ted Waldrip of Grapevine finished fourth with rounds of 73-73-72. Rick Houston of Midland rounded out the top five, carding 73-73-72 to finish at 2-over 218.
In the Super Senior Division, Henry Coffman of Mansfield and Steven Trafton of Georgetown tied for second at 8-over. Coffman posted rounds of 76-71-77, while Trafton finished with 74-73-77. Rounding out the top five were Larry Corson of Dallas, Mike Peck of Irving, and Mark Johnson of Kingsland, who all finished at 9-over 225.
Golf Course: Abilene Country Club, established in 1921, has served as a private club for five generations. Located in Abilene, the club features both North and South Courses and offers a wide range of amenities and services. The South Course has hosted several TGA and USGA events, including the 39th Texas Mid-Amateur, won by Ryan O’Rear, and a 2025 U.S. Open First Stage Qualifier.
Weather: Temperatures in the high 70s welcomed players to the final round of the 97th West Texas Amateur. As the day progressed, temperatures rose into the mid-80s and peaked at 94 degrees. Winds began at 10–12 mph with gusts up to 19 mph. As play continued, sustained winds increased to 16–18 mph with gusts reaching 23–26 mph, presenting challenging conditions for the players to close out their rounds.
Tournament History: The West Texas Amateur is a 144-player tournament across three divisions. This Regional Event is open to all residents of Texas and has boasted some amazing past champions such as Charles Coody, Billy Maxwell, Bob Estes, and Alex Moon. This year’s event saw more than 300 signups.
TGA Regional Series: The TGA Regional Series is made up of four events for each region of North and South Texas. There is a Regional Four-Ball, Mid-Amateur, Senior Amateur, and Amateur for both the North and South. The West Texas Amateur also serves as an event in the Regional Series and is open to any players in the state of Texas who meet eligibility.
What’s Next: Next on the Men’s Calendar for the Texas Golf Association is the 27th Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play at Rockwall Golf & Athletic Club from July 24-27.
To view final results for the 97th West Texas Amateur, click here. For more information on the West Texas Amateur, click here.