Scott Abbott
DALLAS, Texas — As the setting sun cast long
shadows over the
plush, tree-lined fairways of famed Royal Oaks
Country Club, Scott
Loving from Conroe and Scott Abbott from Dallas
turned in two of
the lowest scores of 2015 Texas Mid-Amateur’s
second round. For
their efforts, Loving and Abbott share the 36-
hole lead of the
year’s final major championship at 3-under-par
139.
Loving, a 42-year-old who works in the retail
electricity business,
found his swing late in the day and blitzed the
final five holes with
birdies on four of them. He shot a 3-under 68,
and for the third
time in his amateur career holds at least a piece
of the Texas Mid-
Amateur lead headed into the final round.
“I struggled early, but as I settled into the round
I hit one good
shot and said, ‘That’s the feeling I’m looking for.’
From there I just
repeated it,” said Abbott, who was tied for the
36-hole lead at the
2006 Texas Mid-Amateur and held a three-shot
advantage after
two rounds at the 2010 Texas Mid-Amateur. He
didn’t win either
time.
“It’s tough to win any tournament,” he said. “You
have to battle
the nerves and try to settle yourself. But I knew
that back then,
too. It’s not anything new. Hopefully I’ll handle
the nerves better
tomorrow.”
Although it was a while ago, Abbott knows a
little something about
overcoming final round jitters. It’s been nine
long years since he
last held a 36-hole lead of a big tournament, but
the good news
for the former professional mini-tour player is
he proceeded to
win the 2006 Adams Pro Tour Coca-
Cola/Walmart Open in
Alexandria, La.
Abbott, who regained his amateur status in 2011
after six years on
the mini tours, jarred a 60-foot eagle on the par-
5 18th hole to
help him shoot a 2-under 69. He qualified for the
2015 Texas Mid-
Amateur by virtue of one of his best finishes in
TGA
championships: a tie for eighth place at last
year’s Texas Mid-
Amateur at Escondido Golf & Lake Club.
“I hit the ball very well today,” he said. “I felt
like I had a lot more
control of my golf ball. I didn’t have to scramble
as much.”
On a confined, well-conditioned golf course that
rewards tactical
and accurate play, Abbott made 15 pars in the
second round. He
had one birdie, one bogey and the 60-footer for
eagle he rammed
home on the final hole.
“For as long as it was, it really didn’t have much
break to it,” said
Abbott, who in July advanced to the Semifinal
Round of Texas Mid-
Amateur Match Play Championship in Houston.
“That green is hard
enough to hit in two shots. I played the putt
pretty straight.”
One shot behind Loving and Abbott is Fort
Worth’s Will Osborne,
another former Adams Pro Tour player. The
former University of
Arkansas standout shot a 1-under 70 to get to 2-
under 140 overall.
“This course will tell us who the best golfer is
here,” said Osborne,
who became an amateur again in 2014. “You
have to hit it straight
off the tee. With the firmness of the greens, you
have to be in the
fairway.”
Alone in fourth place at 1-under 141 is Zach
Atkinson, the first
round leader from Colleyville. The 2004 Texas
Amateur champion
had four birdies early in the second round, but
he stumbled
coming in. He played the final three holes
bogey-bogey-double
bogey to finish the day with a 4-over 75.
“I didn’t hit my irons as good today,” Atkinson
said. “I wasn’t as
sharp. I hung in there until that last stretch,
though.”
At 1-over 143, Justin Kaplan from Houston and
Brian Noonan from
Austin are tied for fifth place. Kaplan shot a 1-
under 70 in the
second round; Noonan posted 1-over 72.
Fifty-four players made the 36-hole cut at 10-
over 152 and
advanced to Sunday’s final round.
At 7,078 total yards and a par of 71, the Royal
Oaks course played
a shade easier in Saturday’s second round. The
stroke average
was 76.78 on Saturday compared to Friday’s
average of 77.69. The
par-4 third and 13th holes remain the stiffest
tests; each playing
more than half a shot over par.
It’s been 46 years since Royal Oaks first opened
for play.
Originally was designed by J. Press Maxwell,
Don January and Billy
Martindale, the family friendly club’s course was
renovated in
2013. The course received a multi-million dollar
facelift by
acclaimed Texas architect Chet Williams, who
also designed the
renowned Whispering Pines GC in Trinity.
After being closed for nearly 12 months, Royal
Oaks recently
reopened with its boldest transformation yet. In
addition to other
upgrades, all 18 greens were changed from
bentgrass to the
durable strain of Bermuda MiniVerde. Long
considered one of
North Texas’ supreme ball-striker’s layouts,
Royal Oaks this
weekend is playing host to its third TGA major
championship.
Previously, the club was the site of the 2010 and
1974 Texas
Amateurs.
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