Who are the 5 hottest players in Texas?
7/17/2014 | by Benjamin Larsen of AmateurGolf.com
We examine the hottest players so far this season in the great state of Texas
As major tournaments on the local, regional
and
national levels are being played week in and
week out,
the competitive amateur golf season is
undoubtedly
amidst its prime.
It sure is a good time to be playing good golf.
With that in mind, the team at AmateurGolf.com has begun taking a look at the hottest players in key amateur golf states.
Today, we look at the great state of Texas. Now, these aren't necessarily the Top 5 ranked golfers in the state, although there is a bit of correlation. You can see our Texas state rankings here. Rather, this is a snapshot of the players who are currently playing well and among the hottest in the state.
Will Zalatoris
The 17-year-old Wake Forest commit has simply been phenomenal. In June, he won the Texas State Amateur and earlier this month, he claimed the prestigious Trans-Miss Championship. We’ll surely be seeing a bit more from Zalatoris as he recently qualified for the 2014 U.S. Amateur in Atlanta. The start to the 2014 season started hot for the Plano, Tex. resident as he shot 59 in competition before winning the Champions Invitational, one of the top high school events in the nation.
Scott Scheffler
No list of the top players in the state of Texas would be complete without mentioning Scheffler. The soon- to-be Texas Longhorn took fourth at the Terra Cotta earlier this spring, tied for 21st at the Trans- Miss and 23rd at the Sahalee Players. Last month, he contended and nearly won the prestigious Northeast Amateur and perhaps most impressive, the reigning U.S. Junior Champion tied for 22nd at the PGA Tour's Byron Nelson Classic -- his PGA Tour debut.
Kolton Crawford
If consistency is worth something in the game of golf -- hint, it is -- then Crawford is doing something right. He's been stellar throughout the 2014 season and has continued to contend in high-level events. He was 36th last week at the prestigious Trans-Miss Amateur and logged a Top 10 at the Texas State Amateur. He was fifth at the NCAA Midwest Regional and had Top 20s at the Valspar Collegiate, SMU Cabo Collegiate and Bayou City Collegiate Championship.
Aaron Hickman
With a win and a Top 5 at two of the top mid- amateur events of the season, consider Hickman to be among the hottest golfers in Texas. Hickman, who hails from Tyler, won the Birmingham National Invitational, which featured nationally-ranked contemporaries like Patrick Christovich, Tim Jackson, Jack Hall, Garrett Rank and Skip Berkmeyer. And earlier this season, Hickman earned a Top 5 at the prestigious Lupton Invitational.
Benjamin Baxter
Soon to start his college career at SMU, Baxter is making a name for himself. Baxter tied for 15th last week at the prestigious Trans-Miss Championship and earlier this year, took Top 15s at the FJ Invitational, Junior Invitational at Sage Valley and AJGA Under Armour Championship. We likely haven't heard the last of Baxter, either, as he recently qualified for the U.S. Amateur.
It sure is a good time to be playing good golf.
With that in mind, the team at AmateurGolf.com has begun taking a look at the hottest players in key amateur golf states.
Today, we look at the great state of Texas. Now, these aren't necessarily the Top 5 ranked golfers in the state, although there is a bit of correlation. You can see our Texas state rankings here. Rather, this is a snapshot of the players who are currently playing well and among the hottest in the state.
Will Zalatoris
The 17-year-old Wake Forest commit has simply been phenomenal. In June, he won the Texas State Amateur and earlier this month, he claimed the prestigious Trans-Miss Championship. We’ll surely be seeing a bit more from Zalatoris as he recently qualified for the 2014 U.S. Amateur in Atlanta. The start to the 2014 season started hot for the Plano, Tex. resident as he shot 59 in competition before winning the Champions Invitational, one of the top high school events in the nation.
Scott Scheffler
No list of the top players in the state of Texas would be complete without mentioning Scheffler. The soon- to-be Texas Longhorn took fourth at the Terra Cotta earlier this spring, tied for 21st at the Trans- Miss and 23rd at the Sahalee Players. Last month, he contended and nearly won the prestigious Northeast Amateur and perhaps most impressive, the reigning U.S. Junior Champion tied for 22nd at the PGA Tour's Byron Nelson Classic -- his PGA Tour debut.
Kolton Crawford
If consistency is worth something in the game of golf -- hint, it is -- then Crawford is doing something right. He's been stellar throughout the 2014 season and has continued to contend in high-level events. He was 36th last week at the prestigious Trans-Miss Amateur and logged a Top 10 at the Texas State Amateur. He was fifth at the NCAA Midwest Regional and had Top 20s at the Valspar Collegiate, SMU Cabo Collegiate and Bayou City Collegiate Championship.
Aaron Hickman
With a win and a Top 5 at two of the top mid- amateur events of the season, consider Hickman to be among the hottest golfers in Texas. Hickman, who hails from Tyler, won the Birmingham National Invitational, which featured nationally-ranked contemporaries like Patrick Christovich, Tim Jackson, Jack Hall, Garrett Rank and Skip Berkmeyer. And earlier this season, Hickman earned a Top 5 at the prestigious Lupton Invitational.
Benjamin Baxter
Soon to start his college career at SMU, Baxter is making a name for himself. Baxter tied for 15th last week at the prestigious Trans-Miss Championship and earlier this year, took Top 15s at the FJ Invitational, Junior Invitational at Sage Valley and AJGA Under Armour Championship. We likely haven't heard the last of Baxter, either, as he recently qualified for the U.S. Amateur.
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