Josh Pasco (Texas Golf Association Photo)
When Midland’s
Josh Pasco quit playing golf thirteen years ago, he couldn’t have imagined winning a competitive tournament. Now he can. The hometown hero fired a 7-under 65 on Sunday to capture the 40th Texas Mid-Amateur title at Midland Country Club. Pasco came in scorching hot with a 5-under back nine that included two eagles.
“I feel awesome,” Pasco said immediately after the victory. “Coming into the week being a hometown guy, playing this course, and friends…expectations were high. Day one struggled a little bit, day two I brought it back and then played today with nothing to lose. I played my game and it worked out.”
Pasco began the week with a 3-over 75 on Friday and was six shots off the lead. Admittedly, he felt the expectations but responded on the weekend with a 3-under 69 and a final round 7-under 65. Pasco quit golf when he was 23 and didn’t play for ten years. It wasn’t until three summers ago that he picked his clubs back up.
“This win was big,” Pasco said. “I played a little bit in high school but had never really played any individual tournament golf until two summers ago. I started playing TGA events and noticed the events they had around the state.”
The Midland native vaulted up the leaderboard on Sunday afternoon behind two eagles in his final seven holes. The first came on the par-5 No. 12, and the second came on the par-5 No. 15, where he gave an emphatic fist pump as the long putt dropped.
Fellow West Texan
Brady Shivers of Seminole fell just short of victory by finishing runner-up at 6-under for the championship. Shivers, who ultimately carded an impressive 5-under 67, held a one-shot lead over Pasco as he stood on the tee box of the 17th hole but suffered back-to-back bogeys to finish the round.
The eventual runner-up needed a par on the 18th hole to force a playoff but hit his approach shot long. Needing to get up and down, Shivers chip rolled further past the pin than he would’ve liked. The putt to tie came up short.
Finishing in solo third at 4-under for the tournament was Plano’s
Gant Bills. His impressive showing earned him ‘Low Mid-Master’ honors as the top finisher amongst players aged 40 & older. Like many others in the field, Bills put together a valiant effort on Sunday with a 3-under 69.
Past champion
Terence Begnel capped off his weekend with a 2-under 70 to finish as the low Midland Country Club member in a tie for fourth overall at 2-under total. Joining Begnel in the tie for fourth were Nemo’s Austin Jordan, 36-hole leader Austen Fulmer of Cedar Park, and Houston’s Michael Milstead.
Argyle’s Marcus Jones and Celina’s Rob Couture earned top-ten finishes by finishing at 1-under 215 total for the tournament in a tie for eighth place. Tyler’s Aaron Hickman, Colleyville’s Zach Atkinson, and Austin’s Jed Dirksen all posted under-par rounds on Sunday to finish at even-par for the championship and earn a share of tenth place.
The course average for the final round was significantly lower at 73.39, and the total yardage was 7,065. The winds didn’t let up during Sunday’s final round as gusts got up to 25 mph.
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