Texas Wins 2005 USGA Men's State Team Championship

Terrence Miskell, 38, of New Braunfels recorded three sub-par rounds to lead Texas to a four-stroke victory over Alabama at Berkeley Hall’s South Course (7,073 yards) in Bluffton, S.C. Miskell, the runner-up at the 1990 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship to Michael Combs, carded a 2-under-par 70 in the final round as the three-man Texas squad finished at 10-under 422 in the 3-count-2 54-hole stroke-play competition. Miskell (67-71-70) finished as the low individual at 8-under 208. Texas joined Minnesota as the only teams to win multiple Men’s State Team titles.

But Miskell had help from 43-year-old Alan Hill of Spring Branch, a semifinalist in the 2001 APL, and 31-year-old Steve Galko. Hill posted his only sub-par round on the final day with a 70. It was a fitting high point for the three most recent Texas State Golf Association Players of the Year (Galko, 2005; Miskell, 2004; and Hill, 2003). 

“We felt we had a chance to do well,” said Miskell. “This is my 16th USGA event and to finally be a champion is really a nice deal.”

Alabama made a strong final-day push to finish second behind Steven Hudson of Birmingham, who made six birdies in a seven-hole stretch for a 6-under 66. Teammate Will Swift of Vestavia Hills added a 72 to leave Alabama four back. Danny Green of Jackson and Andrew Black of Chattanooga each shot 2-under 70s to help defending champion Tennessee finish third at 428. No team has been able to successfully defend since the biennial event began in 1995.

Home state South Carolina, which entered the final round two strokes back of Texas, got a 5-under 67 from Emmett Turner of Greenwood, to earn a share of fourth place with neighbor North Carolina at 429. Turner’s great round was offset by a 78 from Alex Hamilton, who had posted a 66 in the second round. 

“We couldn’t quite come up with it today,” said Turner. “We tried our best, especially after the first round. We gave it a good run.”

North Carolina was led by USGA championship veteran Paul Simson of Raleigh, who posted rounds of 68 and 69 around a 76.