Jack Ireland feels right at home in his new home state.
Ireland, a former UCLA Bruin, recently moved to the Lone Star State and on Friday he felt like a native Texan by winning the $210,000 51st Higginbotham Texas State Open in Tyler.
Not only did he capture perhaps the most prestigious state tournament, but he did it in record-smashing fashion with a 25-under par, winning by four strokes and picking up a first-place prize of $42,500 at The Cascades Golf & Country Club.
“This win is a huge confidence booster, it will hopefully get me down the road playing in a few more events and will hopefully breed better golf,” said Ireland, who hails from Mission Viejo, California, and now lives in The Woodlands. “I tried to just stay focused on my game, I knew if I kept continuing to play like the first three rounds it would take care of itself in the end.”
Ireland fired a 255 with a final round of 64 after previous scores of 63-64-63. The previous record was 22-under, set by Kelly Grunewald in 2005 at the White Bluff Resort (New Course) in Whitney.
Amazingly, Ireland was bogey free on the back nine for the entire week, which included 13 birdies and an eagle.
Board, of Jacksonville, Florida, finished at 21-under 259. He won $22,000. Placing third was Brook Bailey of Waco at 19-under 261 ($16,000).
Matthew Watkins, of Heath, earned Low Amateur honors after a 17-under 263 (67-66-66-64). Watkins is a rising sophomore at the University of New Mexico and he is also a former Ewing Automotive NTPGA Junior Tour member.
“It gave me good confidence knowing how good I can be if I really focus and try not to make many mistakes,” said Watkins, a Rockwall High School graduate. “My short game and the ability to get up and down when I needed to was the best part of my game this week.”
Nic Ishee, PGA Assistant Professional at Preston Trail Golf Club in Dallas, earned Low PGA Professional honors. He was one of two PGA professionals to make the cut and fired a 4-under 276 (67-70-71-68) in a tie for 45th place.
“This is awesome, this is the best section in the country, it is just cool to be the low PGA professional,” said Ishee.
The 51st Higginbotham Texas State Open, presented by Joyce Crane and Veritex Bank, was a 72-hole stroke play event that consisted of 123 professionals and 33 amateurs.
Mark Harrison, the executive director/CEO of the Northern Texas PGA, said he is “looking forward to returing to The Cascades next year.”
The Cascades was host to the Texas State Open for a record 10th time.
Also, the NTPGA presented a scholarship check of $5,000 to Mabank’s Joshua German, who will be a freshman at Sam Houston State University in the fall. The organization gave out 54 scholarships this year worth a record total of $454,000.
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Friday
The Cascades Golf & Country Club
Tyler
Purse: $210,000
Yardage: 6,882; Par: 70
Final Round
Jack Ireland, The Woodlands 63-64-64-64 -25 $42,500
Dillon Board, Jacksonville, Fla. 62-64-67-66 -21 $22,000
Brooklin Bailey, Waco 69-65-63-64 -19 $16,000
Brax McCarthy, Benbrook 67-65-64-66 -18 $12,500
Zach Bauchou, Stillwater, Okla. 64-66-70-63 -17 $10,500
Matthew Watkins (a), Heath 67-66-66-64 -17 $750
Blake Trimble, Houston 67-65-66-66 -16 $7,667
Martin Flores, Frisco 67-67-64-66 -16 $7,667
Tyson Reeder, Edmond, Okla. 63-67-65-69 -16 $7,667
Brett White, Houston 67-68-65-65 -15 $5,750
Paul Gonzalez (a), Waxahachie 62-70-67-66 -15 $600
Anthony Broussard, Plano 66-66-69-65 -14 $4,500
Nathan Tyler, Mesquite 62-68-69-67 -14 $4,500
Brian Dwyer, Southlake 69-67-63-67 -14 $4,500
Charlie Holland, Dallas 66-69-66-66 -13 $3,625
Luke Gannon, Mahomet, Ill. 66-69-66-66 -13 $3,625
Jake McCrory, Deer Park 71-66-67-64 -12 $3,000
Joel Thelen, Hudson Oaks 66-71-68-63 -12 $3,000
Garrett May, Carrollton 66-70-68-64 -12 $3,000
Case Cochran, Dallas 68-69-68-64 -11 $2,350
Zack Fischer, Benton, Ark. 72-63-66-68 -11 $2,350
Brandon Smith, Frisco 67-66-67-69 -11 $2,350
Sam Triplett, Paradise Valley, Ariz. 68-64-66-71 -11 $2,350
Matt Miller, McKinney 71-66-68-65 -10 $2,000
Tanner Gore, Dallas 66-69-68-67 -10 $2,000
John Hill, McQueeney 67-67-66-70 -10 $2,000
Drew Jones, Decatur 65-68-69-69 -9 $1,700
Sean Carlon, Albuquerque, N.M. 71-65-67-68 -9 $1,700
Charlie Kern, Dallas 66-67-68-70 -9 $1,700
John Rollins, Flower Mound 67-67-71-67 -8 $1,350
Kyle Pritchard, Castroville 71-67-67-67 -8 $1,350
Carlos Sainz Jr., Cypress 71-65-71-65 -8 $1,350
Aaron Terrazas, El Paso 68-68-72-64 -8 $1,350
Jeff Berkshire, Scottsdale, Ariz. 68-69-67-69 -7 $1,350
Kyle Cox (a), Carrollton 70-65-73-65 -7 $1,350
Colin Kober, Southlake 67-69-70-69 -6 $1,025
Garrett Leek (a), Millsap 66-70-69-69 -6 $375
Parker Holekamp (a) Kingwood 66-70-69-69 -6 $375
Jerod Turner, Aledo 67-67-72-68 -6 $1,025
Chad Sewell (a), Conroe 68-70-68-68 -6 $375
Mikel Martinson, Arlington 69-68-70-67 -6 $1,025
Cyril Bouniol, Willow Park 64-74-70-66 -6 $1,025
Cory Churchman, Fort Worth 69-66-68-72 -5 $900
Joey Herrera (a), Fillmore, Calif. 67-71-69-68 -5 $325
Blaine Hale, Dallas 69-66-70-71 -4 $781
Zach James, Whitesboro 67-68-71-70 -4 $781
Nic Ishee, Dallas 67-70-71-68 -4 $781
Mitchell Meissner, San Antonio 70-68-71-67 -4 $781
Christian Jalomo, Richmond 67-68-70-72 -3 $700
Jake Doggett (a), Hutto 66-68-70-73 -3 $285
Holden Wisener (a), Dallas 69-62-72-74 -3 $285
Ian Ansett, Canyon 72-65-69-72 -2 $642
Cody Banach, Houston 70-68-68-72 -2 $642
Alex Carpenter, Prosper 67-68-72-71 -2 $642
Logan McCracken, Oklahoma City 71-67-69-71 -2 $642
Jesse Bratz, Colleyville 65-72-71-70 -2 $642
Grant Schroeder, Montgomery 68-69-72-69 -2 $642
Austyn Reily (a), Pottsboro 68-68-71-74 +1 $245
Josh Havard, Arlington 70-68-69-74 +1 $615
John Hayden, Birmingham, Ala. 66-69-72 -3
Nick Duggan, San Antonio 70-68-72-73 +3 $608
Ben Hadden, Shawnee, Kan. 69-68-74-75 +6 $600
Robert Gwin (a), Montgomery 69-69-76-72 +6 $225
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Missed the Cut
George Gardner, Southlake 70-69 -1
Jere Pelletier, El Paso 71-69 -1
Philip Nijoka, Houston 70-69 -1
James Hart du Preez, South Africa 68-71 -1
Sean Meehan, San Antonio 66-73 -1
Spencer Dillard, Frisco 67-72 -1
Jake Hendrix, Austin 71-68 -1
Michael Heidelbaugh (a), Dallas 69-70 -1
Bryce Waters (a), Midland 70-69 -1
Michael Kartrude, West Palm Beach, Fla. 69-70 -1
Pedro Lamadrid, San Antonio 72-67 -1
Jake Smelser (a), Troup 71-69 E
Casey Fernandez, Durant, Okla. 69-71 E
Ben Kern, Round Rock 71-69 E
JJ Killeen, Lubbock 71-69 E
Brian Wilson, Aledo 71-69 E
Hayden Foster, Pottsboro 69-71 E
Tanner Napier, Paris 70-70 E
Ben Hargis, Dallas 69-71 E
Matt Mabrey, Sand Springs, Okla. 74-66 E
Mark Walker, Celina 74-66 E
Tony Romo (a), Dallas 71-69 E
Kolton Baber (a), Devol, Okla. 71-70 +1
Toni Hakula, Austin 73-68 +1
Austin Wylie, Boerne 70-71 +1
Mark Victorian, League City 71-70 +1
Larry Lopez, El Paso 73-68 +1
Joseph Abella, Plano 69-72 +1
Adam House, Rockwall 71-70 +1
Curtis Reed, Castroville 69-72 +1
Jamey Taylor, Houston 73-68 +1
Gage Ihrig, Goodland, Kan. 73-68 +1
Landon Davis, Forney 73-68 +1
Vince Jewell, Dallas 70-71 +1
Juan D. Fernandez, Phoenix 69-72 +1
Blake Pugh, Southlake 71-70 +1
Andrew Presley, Fort Worth 68-73 +1
Stetson McMillan, Tyler 68-74 +2
Chris Brown, Benbrook 74-68 +2
Marco Scarola, Fort Worth 71-71 +2
Camden DeBonis, The Woodlands 72-70 +2
Brandon Massey (a), Fort Worth 68-74 +2
Joseph Totah, Austin 73-69 +2
Brandon Bingaman, Dallas 68-74 +2
Craig McCoy (a), McKinney 73-69 +2
Papito Gonzalez, McAllen 69-73 +2
Gilbert Mendez, Pflugerville 71-71 +2
David Harrison (a), Trophy Club 71-71 +2
Tristan Hernandez, Magnolia 69-73 +2
Andrew Hudson, Fort Worth 69-73 +2
Matt Gilchrest, North Richland Hills 72-71 +3
Clayton King (a), Uvalde 71-72 +3
Pryce Beshoory, Pearland 72-71 +3
Michael Rome (a), Austin 70-74 +4
Jacob Borow (a), Lake Jackson 71-73 +4
Chris Berzina (a), Fort Worth 70-74 +4
Collin Clark (a), Midlothian 72-72 +4
Andrew Bloch (a), Tyler 74-70 +4
Dalton Hankamer, Temple 75-70 +5
Brandon Ellis, San Antonio 72-73 +5
Greg Hiller, San Antonio 71-74 +5
Austin Escamilla (a), Midland 68-77 +5
Gabe Reynolds, Dallas 75-71 +6
Trey Brooks, Tyler 74-72 +6
Davis Seybert (a), Midland 69-77 +6
Jason Alexander, The Woodlands 78-69 +7
Chase Barnes, Cypress 72-75 +7
Chris Kunda, Grand Prairie 69-78 +7
Joshua Lim (a), San Antonio 72-75 +7
Jared Vela, Pasadena 76-71 +7
Brad Besler, Col. Springs, Colo. 74-73 +7
Ryne Carter (a), Carrollton 74-74 +8
Aaron Guanlao, Haslet 75-73 +8
Chase Traughber, Lantana 71-77 +8
Oscar Kanada (a), The Woodlands 73-75 +8
John Kyle, Friendswood 74-74 +8
Justin Benson (a), White Oak 71-77 +8
James Parker, McKinney 72-76 +8
Devaughn Robinson, Houston 73-75 +8
Ron Schroeder, Montgomery 76-73 +9
Chris Eikenberg, Houston 74-75 +9
Kelby Brown, San Antonio 69-80 +9
Jesse Forsong, Little Elm 76-73 +9
Adam Renfroe (a), Tyler 78-75 +13
Thomas McLaughlin, Fulshear 76-77 +13
Johnny Manziel (a), Tyler 79-75 +14
Trevor Arianna, Wylie 77-82 +19
JJ Wood, Spring 73-WD
Jacob Loya, El Paso 73-WD
Robert McMillan, Fort Worth 78-WD
Brian Coe, Dallas 78-WD
Chad Marti, Houston 80-WD
John Gerber, Frisco WD