Robert Gwin Wins 2025 Carlton Woods Invitational in Playoff Thriller

The Woodlands, TX (June 5, 2025) — The 2025 Carlton Woods Invitational delivered everything an elite mid-amateur championship should: drama, grit, and a walk-off winner. Robert Gwin emerged victorious after a tense playoff with Joseph Deraney, finishing at 4-under-par 212 and claiming one of amateur golf’s most respected titles on the Nicklaus Signature Course.

Gwin, who finished solo ninth at this same event in 2024 (73-70-74), entered the final round one shot back. He calmly carded a 69 with birdies on 10, 13, and 15 to catch Deraney at the top. After three tightly contested rounds (73-70-69), Gwin sealed the win in extra holes to hoist the Eagle Trophy. Deraney, the 36-hole leader . >>> READ MORE

Shane Heise emerges from 5-way tie late to win the Carlton Woods Invitational

In his many CWI appearances over the years, Shane Heise (The Woodlands, Texas) had performed well but had yet to contend for the championship.

Until this year.

Heise survived a furious final stretch to finish 3 under for the tournament and win the 2024 Carlton Woods Invitational by one shot at The Club at Carlton Woods.

Heise was immersed in a five-way tie with three holes remaining, but a birdie on No. 16 gave him a one-shot lead over the field, and pars on the final two holes saw him secure the win. Heise carded rounds of 68-72-73.

Domenic Maricocchi (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Kristoffer Marshall (Scottsdale, Ariz.) were joint runners-up at 2-under, while Kyle Maxwell, Kenneth Cook, and past champions John Hunter and Justin Kaplan finished the tournament at 1-under and T4.

In the Senior Division, Mark Strickland (San Diego, Calif.) and Doug Dvorak (Windermere, Fla.) battled all day for the title, separating themselves from the field and challenging the senior CWI scoring record. Both players shot rounds of 66-70 and were still tied with four holes to play. Dvorak would fall one behind with a bogey on the par-4 16th, and though he’d put the heat on Strickland with a birdie on the par-5 final hole, Strickland answered with a birdie of his own to take the title.

Billy Joe Tolliver finished in solo third place at 6-under, and John Pierce, Jon Valuck, and Mike Lohner finished at 3-under and T4.

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