Aaron Hickman (left) and Rory Smith of Tyler won the 48th Texas Four-Ball on Sunday at Pinecrest Country Club in Longview.

LONGVIEW — It took a three-hole playoff, but the Tyler pair of Aaron Hickman and Rory Smith won the 48th Texas Four-Ball golf championship on Sunday at Pinecrest Country Club.

Hickman, who claimed his fourth Four Ball title, and Smith, who captured his first, defeated the Dallas team of Anthony Estorga and Jack Jake Istnick in the playoff.

Both teams finished at 17-under 193. The Tylerites were six shots back of Istnick and Estorga entering Sunday’s final round. Smith and Hickman fired a scorching 8-under 62 to force the playoff.

Smith,an SMU product, had an impressive seven birdies to pace the team.

On the third playoff hole, the par-4 12th, Hickman hit an approach shot to within four feet of the poin. It was a similar length putt to the one he had to win on the first playoff hole. This time however, Hickman, a former TCU standout, calmly sank it and capped it off with a fist pump.

“We played spectacular and made a ton of birdies all three days, especially on Saturday and Sunday,” Hickman said. “We birdied the last three holes in regulation, so it was a lot of pats on the back for Rory.”

Of Smith’s impressive seven birdies on Sunday, three of them came on the final three holes of regulation.

“We stayed mentally ready and knew we had a chance,” Smith said of the Texas Golf Association event. “Aaron’s won a bunch of TGA events. This will be my first victory and I’ll forever be in the annals of the TGA as a champion so I’m pretty pleased.”

Even after four Texas Four-Ball titles (2011, 2012, 2015), Hickman still understands what it means to win a state championship in Texas.

“It’s always hard to win so when you do win, it’s great,” said Hickman. “I’m glad Rory got his first win. He can win a lot of these if he chooses to. Winning is hard so anytime you get to do that, it’s good.”

The Horned Frog product has been having a fantastic year as he recently captured the Mid-Am Match Play title back in July.

Finishing runner-up, it was a valiant effort from 36-hole leaders Istnick and Estorga. The duo carded a final round 2-under 68 to finish at 17-under for the tournament. They had steadily maintained their lead throughout the final round until the par-4 16th where they made bogey to drop back into a tie with Hickman and Smith.

At 15-under 195 total for the tournament, there was a three-way tie between Casey Carnes of Shertz and Michael Carnes of New Braunfels, Addison’s Chris Wheeler and Derek Abel of Dallas, and Tyler’s Seth Murphy and Dallas’ Scott Maurer.

Kilgore’s Charles Clark and Dallas’ Andy McCabe tied for 10th with a 10-under 200.

Hideaway’s Brad Weesner and West Columbia’s Nick Kondra tied for 20th with a 2-under 208.

Georgetown’s Doug Northcutt and Brent Barclay of Santa Fe captured the Senior Division win behind a final round 3-under 67. The team finished at 14-under 196 total and were thrilled to capture the title.

Pinecrest Country Club’s own Bruce Smith and his partner Rob Willbanks of Kilgore shared third place with Montgomery’s Scott Smith and William Shock of Houston.

Flint’s Jacky Lee and Longview’s Eric Joseph finished with a 10-under 200 in the Seniors.

Diana’s Ken Sampson and Scott Parker of McKinney finished 15th at 5-under 205.

In the Super Senior Division, Irving’s Michael Puls and Houston’s Tom Burns repeated as champions of the Texas Four-Ball after finishing at 10-under for the tournament. The back-to-back winners won in a playoff over Wichita Falls’ Bill Holstead and John Grace of Fort Worth.

Placing third was hte Lufkin pair of John Kennedy and Ford Cartwright (6-under 204).

This was the first TGA championship held at Pinecrest Country Club, which recently marked its 100th anniversary.