John Barnes watches his putt on the first green during the West Texas Amateur golf tournament, July 18, 2026, at Midland Country Club.
Christopher Hadorn/Reporter-Telegram
Lane Branum watches his tee shot at hole No. 18 during the West Texas Amateur golf tournament, July 18, 2026, at Midland Country Club.
Christopher Hadorn/Reporter-Telegram
Kellen Young watches his approach shot at hole No. 17 during the West Texas Amateur golf tournament, July 18, 2026, at Midland Country Club.
Christopher Hadorn/Reporter-Telegram
Alex Escamilla stands on the third green during the West Texas Amateur golf tournament, July 18, 2026, at Midland Country Club.
Christopher Hadorn/Reporter-Telegram
Kellen Young watches his tee shot at hole No. 16 during the West Texas Amateur golf tournament, July 18, 2026, at Midland Country Club.
Christopher Hadorn/Reporter-Telegram
Mason Leary watches his putt on the 16th green during the West Texas Amateur golf tournament, July 18, 2026, at Midland Country Club.
Christopher Hadorn/Reporter-Telegram
Terence Begnel watches his putt on the 16th green during the West Texas Amateur golf tournament, July 18, 2026, at Midland Country Club.
Christopher Hadorn/Reporter-Telegram
John Barnes watches his tee shot at hole No. 2 during the West Texas Amateur golf tournament, July 18, 2026, at Midland Country Club.
Christopher Hadorn/Reporter-Telegram
A.J. Adams hits his tee shot at hole No. 17 during the West Texas Amateur golf tournament, July 18, 2026, at Midland Country Club.
Christopher Hadorn/Reporter-Telegram
John Barnes watches his approach shot at the first hole during the West Texas Amateur golf tournament, July 18, 2026, at Midland Country Club.
Christopher Hadorn/Reporter-Telegram
Alex Escamilla watches his tee shot at hole No. 2 during the West Texas Amateur golf tournament, July 18, 2026, at Midland Country Club.
Christopher Hadorn/Reporter-Telegram
Jay McHugh watches his putt on the first green during the West Texas Amateur golf tournament, July 18, 2026, at Midland Country Club.
Christopher Hadorn/Reporter-Telegram
Jackson Griffin watches his tee shot at hole No. 3 during the West Texas Amateur golf tournament, July 18, 2026, at Midland Country Club.
Christopher Hadorn/Reporter-Telegram
Carter Tipton watches his putt on the second green during the West Texas Amateur golf tournament, July 18, 2026, at Midland Country Club.
Christopher Hadorn/Reporter-Telegram
Carter Tipton watches his tee shot at hole No. 2 during the West Texas Amateur golf tournament, July 18, 2026, at Midland Country Club.
Christopher Hadorn/Reporter-Telegram
Alex Escamilla watches his tee shot at hole No. 2 during the West Texas Amateur golf tournament, July 18, 2026, at Midland Country Club.
Christopher Hadorn/Reporter-Telegram
Michael Carnes maintained his two-shot lead after the second round of the 98th West Texas Amateur at Midland Country Club on Saturday.
The New Braunfels golfer has a 12-under 65-67—132 total to lead former Midland College golfer Bryce Womack, who has a 67-67—134 total. Midland’s John Barnes dropped from being in a four-way tie for second to third but is still very much in contention with a 67-69—136 total.
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Carnes is looking for his second Texas Golf Association win in 2026.
Womack helped lead Midland College to the 2025 NJCAA national championship and earned NJCAA All-American honors. The San Antonio native just transferred from Texas State University to play for his hometown UT-San Antonio men’s golf team.
Three other Midlanders are in the top 10 as recent Midland High graduate Carter Tipton (70-70—140), Lane Branum (69-71—140) and Trinity senior Alex Escamilla (67-73—140) along with Odessa’s Austin Anderson (71-69—140) are tied for eighth.
The Championship Division field was cut in half for Sunday’s final round at 4-over par or better.
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The final round in the Championship Division begins at 7:30 a.m.
TIGHT SENIOR DIVISION: Only one shot separates four golfers at the top of the senior division after Saturday’s second round.
Andrew Whitacre (70-68—138), of The Woodlands, and Andy Hydorn (68-70—138), of Houston, are tied at the top of the standings, while Midland’s Rick Houston (67-72—139) and Trey Womack (71-68—139) are tied for third, just one shot back.
Trey Tyner, of Kerrville, sits in fifth place with a 72-70—142 total heading into the final round, which begins at 8:24 a.m.
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SUPER SENIOR: Richardson’s Michael Jones held on to his lead in the Super Senior Division after Saturday’s second round.
Jones is 5-under 68-71—139 for a four-shot lead of Bob Kearney (70-73—143), of Houston, and Odessa’s Luke Groves (72-71—143), who are tied for second.
Midland’s Mac McGee (70-76—146) and Dub Huckabee (73-73—146) are part of a five-way tie for sixth heading into Sunday’s final round, which begins at 7:30 a.m. on Hole 10.
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At Midland Country Club, par 72
Saturday’s second round
Standings – 1. Michael Carnes, New Braunfels, 65-67–132; 2. Bryce Womack, San Antonio, 67-67—134; 3. John Barnes, Midland, 67-69—136; 4. Ben Jones, Hutto, 68-69—137; 5. Colin Leonard, Ballinger, 72-66—138; t-6. Jonathan Kim, Cedar Park, 70-69—139; t-6. Esteban Gonzalez, McAllen, 72-67—139; t-8. Carter Tipton, Midland, 70-70—140; t-8. Lane Branum, Midland, 69-71—140; t-8. Austin Anderson, Odessa, 71-69—140; t-8. Jake Hollingsed, Dallas, 68-72—140; t-8. Alex Escamilla, Midland, 67-73—140; t-13. Terence Begnel, Midland, 70-71—141; t-13. Preston Mohon, Southlake, 68-73—141; t-13. Jay McHugh, Midland, 70-71—141; t-13. Matthew Lewis, Arlington, 72-69—141; t-13. Andrew Grice, Austin, 67-74—141; t-18. John Beringer, San Antonio, 73-69—142; t-18. Alex Clouse, Midland, 73-69—142; t-18. Richman Houston, Midland, 71-71—142; t-18. Luke Harper, Dallas, 69-73—142; t-18. Ethan Armendarez, Fort Worth, 70-72—142; t-18. Anniston McIlwain, Bulverde, 70-72—142; 24. AJ Adams, Plano, 75-68—143; t-25. Jerod Padgett, Midland, 73-71—144; t-25. David Bolen, Lubbock, 71-73—144; t-25. Ryan Griff, Bulverde, 76-68—144; t-25. Nathan Nelson, Gunter, 75-69—144; t-25. Kolbe Fielder, North Richland Hills, 71-73—144; t-25. Dylan Villarreal, Edinburg, 71-73—144;
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t-31. Shoichiro Kato, Kobe, 75-70—145; t-31. Brady Mann, Bridgeport, 70-75—145; t-31. Preston Cooper, Dallas, 75-70—145; t-34. Holden Kittelberger, Katy, 76-70—146; t-34. Kellen Young, Midland, 72-74—146; t-34. David Buckheit, Bryan, 73-73—146; t-37. Brady Billingsley, San Angelo, 72-75—147; t-37. Grant Menard, Odessa, 72-75—147; t-37. Leyton Hiebert, Idalou, 76-71—147; t-40. Francisco Taboada Diaz, San Antonio, 75-73—148; t-40. Miles Seybert, Lubbock, 77-71—148; t-40. Bryce Hoech, Spring Branch, 75-73—148
t-43. Walt Harris, Llano, 73-76—149; t-43. Awesome Burnett, Flower Mound, 74-75—149; t-43. Garrett Starks, Richardson, 72-77—149; t-43. Drew Ironside, Midland, 80-69—149; t-47. Kade Burton, Midland, 74-76—150; t-47. Andrew Petruzzelli, Dallas, 78-72—150; t-49. Cameron Van Horn, Kemp, 77-74—151; t-49. Hank Germany, Ovilla, 74-77—151; t-49. Andrew Bin, Abilene, 74-77—151; t-49. Shayler Dance, Dallas, 77-74—151; t-49. Bradley Lane, Kyle, 78-73—151; t-54. Preston Defriend, Lubbock, 73-79—152; PJ Collier, Bryan, 74-78—152; t-56. Cole Cantu, San Antonio, 82-71—153; t-56. Brennyn Smith, Odessa, 77-76—153; t-56. Dominic Green, Houston, 73-80—153; t-56. Gage Morrow, Midland, 79-74—153; t-56. Mitchell Hudgens, Midland, 73-80—153; t-56. Braxton Simpson, Kerrville, 73-80—153; t-62. Mason Leary, Midland, 76-78—154; t-62. Conor Smith, The Hills, 76-78—154; t-62. Kallaway Soto, Idalou, 81-73—154; t-65. Drew Warmbrod, Austin, 79-76—155; t-65. Taylor Cussimanio, Leander, 79-76—155; t-65. Travis Skorheim, Spring, 72-83—155; t-68. Travis Skorkeim, Spring, 80-83—155; t-68. Alex Kolodziejski, Schertz, 80-76—155; t-68. Will Farish, Midland, 81-75—156; 70. Justin Skorheim, Spring, 80-77—157; t-71. Brannon Smith, Midland, 79-79—158; t-71. Heath Bailey, Odessa, 76-82—158; t-71. True Graves, Odessa, 81-77—158; t-71. Chad Carlson, Austin, 82-76—158; t-75. Leyton Lee, Lubbock, 78-81—159; t-75. Cayden Henderson, Argyle, 79-80—159; t-77. Matt Pawly, San Antonio, 83-78—161; t-77. Kyle Logan, Victoria, 81-80—161; t-79. Matthew McCoy, Midland, 83-81—164; 80. Jackson Griffin, Midland, 81-85—166; 81. George Ulmo, Midland, 84-83—167; 82. Ryan S. Martinez, Odessa, 88-90—178; 83. Savino Sanchez, Roswell, 91-99—190; 84. Nic Bryson, Odessa, 76-DQ
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