HORSESHOE BAY, Texas (Sept. 21, 2014) —
Terence Begnel was the last man standing
Sunday afternoon at the 31st annual Texas Mid-
Amateur Championship. The 28-year-
old from Midland survived a four-hole playoff—
during which he missed a one-foot putt
that would’ve won it for him—to capture the
coveted Texas Golf Association
championship at beautiful Escondido Golf & Lake
Club.
Begnel finished the 54-hole, individual stroke
play championship tied with Houston’s
Brandon Burke at 2-under-par 211. Begnel shot
a 1-over 72 in the final round; Burke
shot an even-par round of 71. When Begnel
failed to convert a 10-foot par putt on the
16th hole, he fell back into a tie with Burke, who
led for much of the back nine until
he made a double-bogey on the par-3 15th hole.
After both players made pars on the final two
holes of regulation, they headed back to
the 18th tee for a playoff. It was a routine that
repeated itself four times. A dizzying
hour ensued as neither Begnel nor Burke able to
better the other on the 548-yard,
par-5 finishing hole at Tom Fazio-designed
Escondido.
Begnel had a one-foot putt to win on the first
extra hole, but he pushed the putt. It
lipped out and visibly shook Begnel.
“It was a long, lonely ride back to the tee box,”
he said. “I told myself that we’re back
at all square and it’s just head’s up golf.”
In the end, Begnel cozied in a three-footer for
par after Burke missed his nine-foot par
attempt. Begnel’s three-day total of 66-73-72—
211 stands as the winning score.
“I don’t think I’ve ever played the same hole four
times in a playoff,” said Begnel, who
scored his first victory since a junior college win
at Midland College in 2007. “I didn’t
play my best, but I just grinded it out. At any
tournament on any level, you’re not
always going to play your best golf. You have to
find a way to keep grinding it out,
and that’s what I did today.”
For Burke’s part, he took the loss in stride.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Burke, a 25-year-old
geologist for Houston-based Berger
Geosciences. “I played that hole just fine three
of the five times we just played it. It’s
great to me to know I can still hang. I know that
when I play my best golf, I can
compete with the best guys on the amateur
circuit.”
Begnel at Burke earned exemptions into the
2015 Texas Amateur, to be played next
June at Bent Tree Country Club in Dallas. The
entire top five earned the same
exemption. Austin’s Brian Noonan and Kerrville’s
Trevor Hyde tied for third place at 1-
under 212. Tony Soerries from Montgomery,
Mike Booker from the Woodlands and
John Bearrie from Arlington shared fifth place at
1-over 214.
The top 20 finishers earned exemptions into the
2015 Texas Mid-Amateur, to be
played next September at Royal Oaks Country
Club in Dallas.
View results for Texas Mid-Amateur
ABOUT THE Texas Mid-Amateur
Eligibility: Entries are open to male golfers
with a
USGA Handicap index of 8.4 or less, and who
are
25 years of age or older by the first day of
championship qualifying.
Format/Field Size: 54 holes of stroke play. At the
completion of 36 holes the field is cut to the low 54
players and ties. The field is limited to 132 players.
Mid-Master Recognition: In addition to the overall
champion, an award will be given to the low Mid-
Master finisher. (Mid-Master – any player 40+ years
of age)
View Complete Tournament Information