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Strydom Has Wire-to-Wire Victory at Bluebonnet Championship

BROWNWOOD, Texas – Kingwood’s Damin Strydom captured his first victory in the Boys 15-18 division after a wire-to-wire victory at the Bluebonnet Championship Sunday afternoon. His 10-under 134 tournament total was enough for a three-shot cushion at Brownwood Country Club.

In the Girls 12-18 division, Elina Sinz captured her second consecutive victory Sunday afternoon at Brownwood Country Club. Her 1-over 73 was enough to take home the title. Austin’s Evan Vo had a wire-to-wire victory, closing with a final-round, 3-under 69.

Now conducted by the Legends Junior Tour, the Bluebonnet Championship was created by Brownwood businessman Bart Johnson in 2001. The tournament has an impressive list of past champions, including two PGA TOUR winners – Patrick Reed and Cody Gribble. After not being held in 2006, the LJT took over control in 2007 and it has consistently produced one of the largest and strongest fields in the state each year.

Strydom continued his stellar play in the second round after his first-round 66. He came out hot with a birdie on the first and never looked back. He got it to 6-under on the day through 12 holes and had a victory in sight. He bogeyed two holes coming down the stretch, but had a large enough cushion to not worry about a bogey or two, still winning by three shots.

Granbury’s Tucker Allen made an eagle on the final hole, leapfrogging him into second place. He had a steady day, carding two birdies, one bogey, and the eagle on the par-5 18th. His 3-under 69 Sunday afternoon vaulted him to a 7-under 137 tournament total.

There was a four-way tie for third place at 6-under 138. Dawson Ovard, Jansen Smith, Nathan Petronzio, and Tommy Boone finished four shots back of Strydom. Jimmy Demaret Junior Classic champion Jake Kuwitzky shot the low round of the tournament, a 7-under 65, to vault him up to tie for 10th place.

In the Girls 15-18 division, Sinz, who also won the Collegiate Preview and did not play in the Jimmy Demaret Junior Classic, had an up-and-down day, but managed to stay calm throughout her back nine, which included a bogey and a double bogey.
She closed with back-to-back birdies on the final two holes, though, to win by two strokes and finished the tournament at 2-under 142.
2016’s winner at the Bluebonnet Championship, Sara Camarena, finished in a tie for second place with Kingwood’s Jackie Barry. The duo finished at even-par 144 for the tournament. Richardson’s Libby Winans finished in fourth place, and two-time defending LJT Girls 12-18 Player of the Year Hailey Jones finished tied for fifth with Calynne Rosholt.

In the Boys 14 & Under division, Evan Vo captured his first title of the season with a clutch performance. After making his only bogey of the day at the difficult par-3 13th, Vo carded three birdies in his final five holes to get to 3-under 69. Vo had two bogeys throughout the 36-hole event, both on the 13th hole, but his consistency and five birdies are why he was able to win by five shots.

Frisco’s Minas Manias finished in second place after a final-round, even-par 72 and a 2-over 146 tournament total. Shaheen Momin, winner of the Jimmy Demaret Junior Classic, finished in third place, seven shots back of Vo. Jack Watson finished in fourth place and Matthew Comegys rounded out the top five.

For more information on the Bluebonnet Championship or the Legends Junior Tour, please visit www.TLJT.org.

For final tournament results, click here.