Holden Wisener, of Dallas, rolls in a 16-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to capture the 113th Texas Amateur on Sunday at Willow Brook Country Club in Tyler.

Holden Wisener rolled in a 16-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to capture the 113th Texas Amateur on Sunday at Willow Brook Country Club in Tyler.

It was an emotional conclusion to a week of stellar golf at WBCC.

The Father’s Day win brought out the tears for Wisener, an SMU junior who attended Garland High School. His grandfather, who taught him the game, passed away earlier this year. His mom and dad were greenside for the win, and the three shared a family hug.

“It’s tough, but to be able to celebrate this with my dad is really special,” Wisener said. “This is the biggest win of my career, and I’m just so honored that it was a TGA event. I grew up coming out to TGA events and caddied in a Texas Am for one of my best friends when I was 14 years old. I’ve always been around the TGA, and I grew up on the Legends Junior Tour. This means so much to me.”

The former NCAA Division III All-America while at Trinity University before transferring to SMU, finished at 14-under-par 270 for the 72-hole championship, along with Bobby Massa of Dallas and Jake Doggett of Hutto.

The long-driving Massa, the leader after the first three rounds, just missed a birdie try from 18-feet on the playoff hole. Doggett missed his attempt at a chip-in from about 25 feet. The Midwestern State senior took runner-up honors for the second straight year. In 2021 at Midland Country Club, Doggett finished a stroke back of Pottsboro’s Austyn Riley, a University of Houston golfer. Massa played at UT Arlington.

It was a duel on the back nine as the trio were in the same group.

Wisener had a final round of 68 with birdies on Nos. 9, 11 and 13. On the 18th, he missed a putt from about four feet for the win.

“It was about 4 feet, same line (of playoff putt), and I left it low,” said Wisener, who helped SMU win the American Athletic Conference championship, held in Brooksville, Florida. “In the playoff, some sort of clarity came over me. I rolled it really well and it found the bottom thankfully.”

Wisener now has his name etched in Texas golf history and on the H.L. Edwards Memorial Trophy, named for the first winner of the Texas Amateur in 1906, held at Dallas Country Club.

“It feels amazing,” he said. “I’ve never been more nervous on a golf course. To come out on top, it feels insane. It’s awesome. When I got to the playoff, all I did was pray. And it paid off.”

All three golfers had a chance to bring home the top prize.

Wisener birdied No. 13 to get to 14-under and then parred out.

Massa had three birdies and an eagle, but had a two bogeys and a double-bogey to fall to 12-under. After the double on the 13th, Massa rebounded for birdies on Nos. 14 and 16 to get to 15-under. But a bogey on No. 17 and a par on No 18 left him with a 70 and 14-under for the tourney.

Doggett came so close to winning again, getting to 16-under after a birdie on No. 16. However, consecutive bogeys on Nos. 17 and 18 left him with a final round of 69 and at 14-under for 72 holes.

Former Texas Amateur champion Zach Atkinson from Colleyville, Hayes Hamilton from Kingwood, and Francois Jacobs from League City shared fourth place at 12-under 272. Atkinson, who won the 95th Texas Amateur at The Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, fired a final round 65. Both Hamilton and Jacobs play for Arkansas Tech University.

“I was just trying to hang on,” said Atkinson, who played at the University of North Texas. “I got everything out of my round I could. I don’t get to play a ton, so to get to come out here and walk four rounds in this heat, and finish like this is an accomplishment for me.”

Tyler’s Clay Hodge, a three time WBCC club champion including in 2022, had a final round of 3-under 68. The former Texas A&M golfer finished in a tie for 27th with a four-round score of 282.

PGA Tour winner and longtime Texas-based instructor Marty Fleckman attended the final round. Fleckman won the 1964 Texas Amateur, which was the last time the prestigious championship was played at Willow Brook. WBCC also played host to the 1967 and ‘96 Women’s Texas Amateur, the 1993, 2003, and ‘13 Texas Senior Amateur, the 2019 Texas Shootout, and the 2020 Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play.

The TGA thanked Willow Brook Country Club, including its members and staff, for their hard work in delivering such an enjoyable championship week. From the primo condition of the golf course and the quality of the food to the hospitality and general good vibes from all the members who attended and assisted during the championship throughout the week, “we can’t thank them all enough,” TGA officials said.

The TGA also mentioned General Manager Lana Adams, Head Golf Professional Chris Hudson, Superintendent Ken Bowman, Executive Chef Melvin Guevara, Director of Events Niki Self, Assistant Golf Professional Katelyn Sepmoree, and Club President Clay Cavender for “all their efforts in creating a successful week.”

The organization also expressed gratitude to “our TGA Volunteers, who give their time and expertise to ensure the competitors in the Texas Amateur receive a world-class championship experience.”

Next summer, the 114th Texas Amateur heads to the Clubs at Houston Oaks in Hockley.

NOTES: Nine former Texas Amateur champions have combined for 57 wins on the PGA Tour: Ben Crenshaw (1972), 19; Bruce Lietzke (1971), 13; Mark Brooks (1979, 1981), 7; Scott Verplank (1982, 1984-85), 5; Bob Estes (1988), 4; Charles Coody (1959), 3; Earl Stewart Jr. (1947), 3; Don Massengale (1958), 2; and Marty Fleckman (1964), 1.