Texas (TGA) Senior Amateur Championship
Texas Senior Amateur Champion
MONTGOMERY, TX (August 21, 2005) -- The phrase “When you’re hot – you’re hot” seemed very appropriate at the 2005 TGA State Senior Amateur Championship. The 69th edition of the State Senior was played at Bentwater Yacht & Country Club in Montgomery, and it was very hot all weekend, with heat indexes over 100 degrees each day. Mike Rice’s golf got hot on the back nine in Sunday’s final round, as he shot his second consecutive three under par 69 and cruised to a four shot victory. Rice finished the 54-hole championship at four under par 212 with rounds of 74-69-69. Having just turned 65, Rice claimed two TGA championship trophies at once by also winning the State Super Senior title for players 65 and over.
The hot hand early belonged to Jerry Hudgins of Kingwood. He birdied three of the first four holes to grab the lead from Rice and Larry Thomas, the co-leaders after 36 holes. Hudgins had a two stroke advantage after a front nine of five under par 31, but bogeyed number 10 and made double bogey at number 12 while Rice was making birdie at 12 for a three shot swing. Rice followed that with an eagle on the par five 15th hole to take a four shot advantage. Thomas struggled early and never was able to mount a charge. The win was Rice’s third TGA State Senior title (1995 & 1999), and his first Super Senior title.
Hudgins had rounds of 70-75-70 to finish in second, three shots behind Rice. 2002 State Senior Champion Billy Clagett of Austin had a final round 71 to finish another shot back at 216 and alone in third place. Gerald McFerren was the runner-up in the Super Senior Division with a final round 76 that left him at 225, ten shots behind overall champion Rice.
For complete results, click on the tournament link above (amateurgolf.com membership requested).
ABOUT THE Texas Senior Amateur
The State Senior Amateur is the second oldest
event of all the TGA tournaments, having first
been played in 1937.
Eligibility: Entries are open to male amateur golfers
with a
GHIN Handicap Index of 6.4 or less and who are 55
years
of age or older as of the tournament start date (first
round
of tournament play). All players will be competing in
one
division from the same tees and yardage.
Format/Field Size: Play will be contested over 54
holes of
stroke play. All players will be competing in one
division
from the same tees and yardage. The field is limited
to
144 players. At the completion of the 36 holes the
field will
be cut to the low 54 players and ties.
View Complete Tournament Information