Playing at home David Bolen won the West Texas Amateur
(TGA Photo)

“Individual golf is hard to win,” Bolen said. “It is fun to come out on top and you don’t take it for granted certainly because it doesn’t happen very often.”

Bolen, 38, began the final round with a five-shot lead over the field but felt some pressure early from both of his playing competitors. Baxter Ward of Nacogdoches cut the lead down to two shots through his first two holes. He eagled the par-5 first hole and birdied the par-3 second. Andrew Wyatt, the third member of the final pairing, opened his final round with a pair of birdies to also cut into Bolen’s lead.

However, the Lubbock Country Club member stayed patient. Bolen made par on his first five holes and found his rhythm on the par-5 sixth. He made birdie and followed it with another on the par-4 sixth after stuffing his approach shot to within three feet.

Bolen turned at 1-under par and played the back nine stress free. He carded three birdies on his closing loop to post a bogey free 3-under-par 33. Bolen’s final round 68 concluded his week at 16-under par. He said all facets of the game clicked for him throughout the 54-hole tournament.

“I made those putts that you have to make inside that five to six-foot range,” said Bolen, a 2002 Texas Tech University graduate. “I put that together and it turned out to be a pretty good week.”

Baxter Ward and Andrew Wyatt finished tied second overall at 7-under par. Bolen, Ward and Wyatt will earn exemption into the 109th Texas Amateur at Whispering Pines GC in 2018.

John Pierce of San Antonio won the Senior Division after a 4-under-par 68. He started the day three shots behind the lead, but a 4-under-par closing nine 32 clinched a two-shot victory.

Patrick Pritchett of Lubbock began the final round with a five-shot lead in the Super Senior Division. The reigning Lubbock Country Club Senior Club Champion carded a 1-under-par 71 to win the title by six strokes.