Playing at home David Bolen won the West Texas Amateur
(TGA Photo)
LUBBOCK, TX (July 16, 2017) – David Bolen of Lubbock coasts to a nine-shot victory at his home course of Lubbock Country Club to win the 89th West Texas Amateur. He carded a 4-under-par 68 in the final round to etch his name onto the West Texas Golf Association trophy.
“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.
View results for West Texas Amateur
ABOUT THE West Texas Amateur
Eligibility: Entries are open to male amateur golfers
who reside in either region (North/South) of the
state of Texas.
Applicants must have a certified GHIN Handicap
Index of 10.0 or less. Senior division players must be
55 years of
age as of the first round of tournament play. Super
Senior players must be 65 years of age as of the first
round of
tournament play.
Format/Field Size and Cut: The championship will be
contested over 54 holes of stroke play with three (3)
divisions;
Championship, Senior and Super Senior. Each
division will play from separate tees/yardages and
separate
champions will be recognized in each division.
At the conclusion of 36 holes the field will be cut to
the low 72 players (and ties), with a pro-rated
representation
from each division. The pro-rated allocation of
players making the cut from each division will be
reflective of the
number of players in each division, relative to the
total field size. The determination of total field size,
number of
players in each division and pro-rated representation
of players making the cut (before ties) will be
announced in
conjunction with pairings being posted.
The field is limited to 144, as outlined below:
Championship: Open (84 players)
Senior: 55 & Over (42
players)
Super Senior: 65 & Over (18 players)
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