In true Texas Amateur fashion, it was a wire-to-wire finish in which the victory was sealed on the very last putt.
CARROLLTON, Texas (June 17, 2012) -- A breezy and beautiful day welcomed all sixty-two players who made the cut for the final round of the 103rd Texas Amateur Championship presented by Insperity which was held at The Honors Golf Club in Carrollton. Stellar course conditions paired with picture perfect greens set the stage for a memorable Amateur Championship that saw several players claw back into contention coming down the home stretch. In true Texas Amateur fashion, it was a wire-to-wire finish in which the victory was sealed on the very last putt.
The excitement started quickly as several players bolted to the top of the leader board early. Nathan Weant of Hallsville was the first to make things interesting at the top. After an opening nine, 33, Weant found birdies on holes 11, 13, and 16 giving him a final round of six under par, 65. Playing alongside Nathan Weant was Scott Abbott of Dallas. Abbott also caught fire early carding a four under par, 32, on his opening nine which included birdies on holes 1, 5, 6, and 8. One lone bogey on the par 3, fifteenth, was the only blemish on the card as Abbott matched Weant’s six under par, 65. Both players found themselves early leaders in the clubhouse at six under par, 207, with just a few final groups on course. Also following form on the final round surge was Mike Calef of Allen. After a steady opening nine holes of even par, Calef found his groove making five straight threes on his back nine in route to a four under par, 67, giving him a three day total of seven under par, 206.
Today’s final pairing saw second round leaders, Thomas Birdsey and Tom Moore, paired with recent Texas A&M graduate, Jordan Russell. Both players struggled to find birdies on the front nine which made things interesting with early players finding red numbers early and often. First round leader, Paul McConnell, made the sudden surge up the leader board when he made an eagle, two, on the par four thirteenth and quickly followed it with a birdie on the following hole bringing himself into a three way tie at eight under par with Birdsey and Moore. While Birdsey and Moore both made birdie on the par five, sixteenth, to get to nine under par, McConnell was answering with a birdie on seventeen. Looking to post ten under, McConnell’s birdie putt on the eighteenth came up just short as he found himself posting a three day total of nine under par, 204. Birdsey and Moore, standing on the eighteenth tee tied, both found the fairway on creating the stage was for a putting duel. Moore was first to putt and left his thirty foot birdie attempt just inches short setting up Birdsey with an opportunity for victory. Standing over nineteen feet of putt, Thomas Birdsey looked as calm as could be as he rolled it in claiming victory.
The top fifteen players in this year’s Texas Amateur Championship presented by Insperity have earned an exemption into next year’s championship which will be held at Lakeside Country Club in Houston, TX.
About the Texas Amateur
72 hole medal play walking-only championship first played in 1906. At the completion of 36 holes the field is cut to the low 54 and ties plus all players within 10 strokes of the lead. 18-hole qualifying rounds are held throughout the state for playe...
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