Wheeler Cruises to Title at Mid-Amateur Match Play
ROCKWALL — Chris Wheeler of Lewisville won his second Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play in five years today at Rockwall Golf & Athletic Club. Wheeler went bogey-free for his second day in a row to etch his name on the trophy.
Championship Match: Both Wheeler and Mahon hit their first tee shot right down the middle of the fairway to start the match. Pitches into a 4-foot radius of the hole meant both players started with a birdie. Game on.
They would go on to match each other’s scores over the play of the first five holes. Both players made par out of penalty area on the gusty par-5 third. A penalty area drop on the 6th and a short, missed putt on the 7th from Mahon allowed Chris Wheeler to take a 2-up lead. It remained this way through the turn.
Teeing off on the 10th, Wheeler found himself on the left side of the fairway and would land his second shot 25 feet from the hole. Mahon’s drive into the penalty area and then having to take a drop after his second shot meant a win on the hole was unattainable. A concession was made, and Wheeler was 3-up through 10 holes.
Wheeler’s approach on the par-4 13th gave him a birdie look, which he would sink. Mahon would miss his birdie putt, giving Wheeler a 4-up lead with five holes to play. They would both go on to par hole 14.
Playing with a four-hole lead, Wheeler was as confident as he was all week on the 15th tee. A drive right down the middle and an approach onto the green meant Mahon had to make birdie to extend the match. Harrison’s second shot was just short of the green. Barring a Wheeler three-putt, Mahon needed to chip in to extend the match. Once his chip was left short, he removed his hat and shook Wheeler’s hand.
“It’s a lot of golf. Just to stay present and keep grinding in every match and every hole, that’s the key…”, Wheeler said after his win.
He played 77 holes during his five matches in the bracket. In Wheeler’s first two matches on Friday, he made a combined three bogeys. That was the last time this week he put a square on his scorecard.
“You never want to make a bogey,” Wheeler said. “But you certainly don’t expect to avoid them for three straight matches”.
Now a two-time Match Play Champion, Chris Wheeler now turns his preparation to the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at Troon Country Club in Arizona.
Weather: The championship match got underway feeling much milder than the previous few days. Perceived temperatures never got above 80 degrees as an overcast sky and stronger gusts greeted the final two players.
Course: Located 25 miles east of Dallas, Rockwall Golf & Athletic Club (formerly The Shores Country Club) opened in 1979 with an 18-hole championship course originally designed by Ralph Plummer. In 2012, noted Texas-based architect Jeffery Blume supervised a comprehensive remodel of the course that included reshaping and reconstructing tee boxes, fairways, bunkers and green complexes. The par-72 layout, which is situated along the northeastern edge of Lake Ray Hubbard, is artfully routed through the natural environment with a compelling mix of holes trundling up and down over the rolling terrain. Stretching to 7,393 yards from the back tees, the course features an array of strategic elements that provide a rigorous challenge for even the most accomplished players.
Tournament Format: The 27th edition of the championship began with the mid-amateur (25 years and older) starting field playing 18 holes of stroke play qualifying on Thursday, July 24. Friday’s Round of 32 and Round of 16 dropped the field to 8 players for Saturday, who played quarterfinal and semifinal matches. Today’s championship match began at 7:30 am and was completed at 9:59 am.
POY Points Race: Statewide Player of the Year points will be awarded to the players that made it to Round 16. The champion will receive 750 points towards the statewide honor followed by 500 for runner-up, 400 for semifinalists, 200 for quarterfinalists, and 100 for Round of 16 participants. For more information about TGA Statewide Player of the Year points, click here.
What’s Next: The 50th edition of the Texas Four-Ball will begin at Tempest Golf Club in Gladewater on August 22.
About the TGA: The Texas Golf Association was established in 1906 with a mission to promote the playing and advancement of the royal and ancient game of golf in Texas. The association is one of the most respected in the country with an ongoing commitment to its members, contestants, volunteers and all who strive to preserve the great traditions of the game.
For more information about the Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play, click here.