Wright, Grace Lead After Round 1 of Super Senior Amateur
ABILENE — Wayne Wright of Aledo posted a stellar opening round, a five-under-par 66 to lead the Texas Super Senior Amateur after 18 holes. Fort Worth’s John Grace holds a three-shot lead in the Legends Division after a first round of two-under-par 69.
Leaders: Wright started his round well with an even-par 36 over his first nine holes. And then the magic happened. Wright made the turn with a par on the 1st hole, and approached his eleventh hole of the day, the 142-yard par-3 2nd hole. He hit a 9-iron, that, unbeknownst to him until he and his group got to the green, one-hopped right into the hole for a hole-in-one. He would finish his round with birdies on 3 of his next 7 holes to finish out his round of five-under-par 66. In the Legends Division, John Grace began his round with a first nine score of even-par 36, carding a birdie and a bogey. Grace made the turn (to the 1st hole) and eagled hole #1 with a 120-yard hole out. His next 8-holes were again played with one birdie and one bogey, for a second-nine 33, rounding out his two-under 69 to open the championship.
In Contention: In the Super Senior Division, Saginaw’s Dave Davis sits in solo 2nd with a first-round 68, and Bobby Baugh from San Antonio rounds out the top three after his first-round 69. In the Legends Division, Bill Holstead shot a first-round 72 placing him in second, and J. Wayne Franklin rounds out the top three with a first-round 76.
Course: Opened in 1999, Live Oak Golf Club was designed by Abilene resident and 1971 Masters champion Charles Coody, along with Williams, Gill & Associates. Situated on 220 acres of rolling terrain, the par-71 course, which can stretch to nearly 7,000 yards from the back tees, features dramatic rock outcroppings, extensive native areas, and Lytle Creek coming into play on nearly half the holes.
Today’s Super Senior Division was contested at 6,195 yards while the Legends Division played at 5,415 yards for the first round.
Tournament History: First played in 2015, the Texas Super Senior features two age divisions: 65 and older (Super Senior) and 75 and older (Legends). Entries are open to male amateur golfers who meet the age requirements by the first round of tournament play and have a certified Handicap Index® of 12.4 or less (16.4 or less for Legends) issued through a TGA Member Club.
The format for the championship, is 54 holes of individual stroke play with no cut. Each age division competes from different tees and yardages, with a separate champion recognized. Prizes are also awarded to low net scores in both Super Senior and Legends Divisions.
POY Points Race: Super Senior Player of the Year points will be awarded to the top twenty (20) finishers of the Texas Super Senior. The champion will get 1000 points towards the statewide honor followed by 750 for runner-up, 650 for third, 600 for fourth and 550 for fifth. A complete breakdown of the Texas Super Senior Player of the Year, including points allocation, can be found here.
What’s Next: The second round of the Texas Super Senior will tee off at 8:30AM off holes #1 and #10 at Live Oak Golf Club. Following the second round, the field will be re-paired based on scores with the leaders of the Super Senior going last off hole #1 and the leaders of the Legends going last off hole #10.
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 Super Senior Amateur, click here.