Golf

By HAROLD WILSON
Staff Writer

Dustin Garza increased the odds of making Texas State Open history after his score went up three more strokes in the right direction.

Garza now needs three key numbers to add up for it happen.

The 20-year old Garza goes into the final round today just 18 holes away from possibly becoming the second amateur ever to win the 38th installment of the TSO at The Cascades Golf Club.

Garza, who will be a junior at Wichita State in the fall, turned in a solid 3-under par 67 to remain one shot off the lead heading into today’s final round.

Homera Blancas captured the inaugural event in 1960 as an amateur before later winning multiple times on the PGA Tour and also on the senior circuit.

“It’s a good feeling,” Garza said moments after leaving the 18th green. “I set real high expectations for myself. I have a chance.”

Garza completed his round tied for first, but Martin Piller put himself alone atop the leaderboard less than 10 minutes later with a birdie on the 18th hole.

The race for the championship continues to be cramped, with three tied for second at 9 under — Garza, Shawn Stefani and Shaun Melville. Garza drew Melville as a partner in the final round, with Piller and Stefani set to tee off together last.

Another amateur remains in contention, McKinney’s Christopher Ward. The 21-year old, who plays for Texas Tech, shot a 68 Saturday to move into a tie for sixth at 7 under.

Ward, who is coached by a top-ranked instructor in Randy Smith, birdied four of the first six holes to get to within 8 under. He cooled off over the final two-thirds of the course, managing two bogeys and the rest pars.

Garza only worried about what he could control Saturday, even when he trailed Piller by as many as three strokes on the back nine, and dropped as low as fourth at one point after starting the day just one back.

“I really didn’t pay attention to the leaderboard at all,” said Garza, who attended high school in Mission and now calls McAllen home. “I just tried to focus on my game.”

A year ago, Garza finished 12th in his first-ever Texas State Open. The length of The Cascades course fits a long-hitter like him just fine, and it showed on the back nine where Garza reached the green clean on each hole.

“I like this course; it’s real tight and the greens are really firm,” said Garza, a first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference and All-Central Region selection for two years straight. “You have to hit the ball high. It’s a long course. I’m a long-ball hitter.”

On the front nine, Garza broke even at 35. He birdied holes No. 2 and 8, and bogeyed No. 4 and 5 back-to-back.

“I was really struggling on the front nine,” said Garza, who has one college victory to his credit at an event in San Diego, as well as five top-three finishes. “I made a couple bogeys coming down, but every round I’ve started that way.”

During the back nine, Garza put any bad thoughts behind after starting with a birdie on No. 10 that he said got him “going.” He parred the next four holes to remain three shots off the lead.

Fighting just to stay in the top five, Garza gave himself a shot in the arm on the 365-yard, par-4 No. 15 hole. Using a 3-wood, Garza launched the tee shot over the body of water directly in front of the green and sandwiched the ball in between bunkers on both sides and roughly eight yards from the hole. He hit the next shot on line to complete his second eagle of the tournament, going from challenging to competing for a championship all with one stroke.

“When I saw the tees were up after the par-5 I had a chance to think about a lot, the driver or 3-wood,” said Garza, who was accompanied on the day by his younger sister and caddie Candace, an 18-year old soon-to-be college sophomore. “I decided to hit a cut 3-wood in there and hit it perfect.”

Today, Garza wants to revert back to second-round form — when he went 3 under on the front nine — and add it to first and third-round efforts which saw him shoot 3 under on the back nine both days.

If Garza fails to claim the ultimate prize, he wants to at least finish as top amateur, an award Piller captured in 2006 and 2007.

“Something I need to do is start strong,” said Garza, who concluded the day with pars on the final three holes. “Hopefully I can do that and give myself a chance to win at the end.”

AMATEUR DUSTIN GARZA watches his tee shot on the second hole Saturday in the Texas State Open at The Cascades Golf Club. Garza is tied for second, one shot out of the lead.
((Staff Photo By Herb Nygren Jr.))