Latest News
Dates Set for the 2009 Harvey Penick Invitational
AUSTIN, Texas (January 1, 2009)--After a one-year hiatus for a golf course renovation, the Harvey Penick Invitational returns in 2009. The tournament dates have been set for October 9-11, with a practice round scheduled for October 8.
The tournament honors Harvey Penick, the renowned Hall of Fame teaching professional who created the tournament in 1935 and whose association with Austin Country Club spanned 82 years. He was one of the finest teachers and gentlemen of the game, whose students included Tom Kite, Ben Crenshaw, Mickey Wright, Kathy Whitworth, and countless other golfers of all ability levels. His instructional books Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book (1992) and And If You Play Golf, You’re My Friend (1993) became the top two all-time sports best-sellers.
The Harvey Penick Invitational is a 54-hole individual stroke play event with two divisions, one for Mid-Amateurs aged 25 and over and one for Senior Amateurs aged 55 and over. The event is played at Austin Country Club, a Pete Dye design that opened in 1984 and has consistently been rated as one of the best courses in Texas. It is the home of the Morris Williams Intercollegiate, one of the premier college tournaments in the nation, and regularly hosts USGA qualifiers including those for the U.S. Open.
The tournament has long drawn a top amateur field, with an impressive list of participants and past champions. Winners of the tournament have gone on to win 12 PGA Tour titles, including the Masters, and 29 Champions Tour titles. Closer to home, winners of The Penick have won seven Texas State Amateur Championships, over fifty state titles overall, and the USGA State Team Championship for Texas. Participants in The Penick have included winners of the U.S. Amateur, British Amateur, NCAA Championships, and numerous state, regional and national amateur championships; as well as qualifiers for every USGA Championship including the U.S. Open.
Because of its history, traditions, and quality of field, the Harvey Penick Invitational has been designated as a points tournament in the Golfweek/Titleist National Amateur Rankings for both amateurs and seniors. The Penick is one of only four mid-amateur tournaments in the U.S., and the only tournament in Texas, with that designation.
2007 Results: Mathias
Repeats as Champion
 |
|
 |
|
AUSTIN, Texas (Sept. 23, 2007)-- Jonathan Mathias was a bit tired when he began play in the Harvey Penick Invitational, Sept. 21-23 at Austin Country Club. It was understandable considering that he had played in the Texas Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championhip and the USGA State Team Championship in the week leading up to the Penick.
Mathias, an Air Force officer who is stationed at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, showed no signs of fatigue in Ausitn. He shot three consecutive rounds under par on the demanding ACC course to win the Penick Invitational for the second year in a row.
Mathias shot rounds of 69, 71 and 70 for a 54-hole total of 6-under 210. That was just good enough to hold off Austin's Michael Cooper, the 2005 Penick champion, who shot a closing round of 5-under 67 to take second place at 213. Gene Black, another accomplished Austin golfer, shot 69 in the final round to finish third at 215.
Mathias began the final round with a four-shot lead. Cooper and Black put pressure on him through the final round but could not finish the deal. Cooper got within one shot of the lead with a birdie on the par-5 17th.
Mathias answered with a birdie on No. 17 and another birdie on the par-4 18th to clinch the championship.
"I really like this course, and I really like the tournament," Mathias said. "I feel very comfortable here. Every year when the calendar turns to September I start to get excited about coming up here."
Prior to the final round, Austin's Billy Clagett predicted he would need a 3-under 69 to have a chance for a victory in the senior division.
He was exactly right.
His final round of 71 left him at 2-over 218 and one shot behind the winner, Doug Farr of Monroe, La., who also shot 71 Sunday for a 217 total.
Steven Hakes of San Diego, Gayle Sanchez of Denham Springs, Ia. and Ted Smith of Knightstown, In. tied for third at 219.
Click here for 2007 results and story from amateurgolf.com.
2007 Tournament Set to Get Underway
AUSTIN, Texas (September 18, 2007) – The Harvey Penick Invitational, one of the top Mid-Amateur and Senior Tournaments in the United States, gets underway Friday at Austin Country Club.
Defending Champion Jonathan Mathias of San Antonio will face a strong field in the Mid-Amateur division, while Bob Hullender (also of San Antonio) will defend his Senior Division against a serious contingency of 45 players from across the U.S.
“We definitely have the strongest Senior field ever,” explained Austin Country Club’s Senior Assistant Pro Aaron Chilek. “15 of 45 of the players are nationally ranked.”
Click here for 2006 results and story from amateurgolf.com.
|
