Around the Green

Hole-in-One Propels Harrison to Lead at Winter Classic

DALLAS – David Harrison of Trophy Club, Texas, hit a 6-iron from 176 yards on the par-3 fourth hole and when he saw it go in for his first hole-in-one, he couldn’t believe it. That shot propelled him to the top of the leaderboard at the Winter Classic, the first event of the 2018 Legends Junior Tour season. He leads by two strokes in the Boys 15-18 division.

Lubbock’s Logan Vargas carded a 2-over 74 to lead by two shots in the Boys 14 & Under division at Dallas Athletic Club’s Blue course. Houston’s Zoe Slaughter leads the Girls 12-18 division after a 3-over 75.

The Jack Nicklaus Signature Design Blue course at Dallas Athletic Club challenged the players in the tough conditions. With the temperatures hovering in the low 50’s and constant 20 mph winds with gusts up to 35, only one player was able to manage an under-par round. That belonged to Harrison at 1-under 71.

Harrison was the last tee time off #1 and started out hot with back-to-back birdies on the opening par-5 first and par-4 second.  He got to the tee at the fourth, hit his 6-iron and thought it was good. He saw it go in, but he couldn’t believe it.

“I had to ask someone to make sure that it actually went in,” Harrison said. “That was my first ever hole-in-one so I just didn’t believe it.”

Harrison played steady the rest of the day, and managed to come in at 1-under 71. He sits two shots ahead Shayler Dance of Dallas. Hunter Bott and Matthew Griggs are three shots back of Harrison and in a tie for third. Jake Holbrook, Holden Wisener, Brendan Powers and Brian Boles sit a tie for fifth place heading into Sunday’s final round.

In the Boys 14 & Under division, Logan Vargas started slow, carding a bogey on the second hole, followed by a double bogey on the par-3 fourth hole. He came right back with three birdies in six holes to settle down. He had five birdies on the day.

Vargas leads by two shots over Spring’s Matthew Spaulding. Spaulding will be looking for his second victory in the Boys 14 & Under division after winning the 2017 James A. Ragan Memorial. Tyler Lee of Dallas sits in third place.

In the Girls 12-18 division, Zoe Slaughter looks to capture her first victory of 2018 and second overall. She won the 2017 Lanny Wadkins Junior Championship. She sits one shot ahead of three others. Her up and down round included three birdies against four bogeys and a double bogey. She had back-to-back birdies on the difficult par-4 fifth hole and par-4 sixth.

Delany Martin of Boerne, Kaylee Vesely of Austin, and Ellie Roth of Plano sit in a tie for second place after carding 4-over 76’s in their opening rounds. Dallas Athletic Club member, defending champion, and reigning three time LJT Girls Player of the Year, Hailey Jones sits in a tie for fifth place, three shots back of Slaughter. Jones is tied with Richardson’s Meagan Winans.

Final Round tee times are scheduled to begin at 8:00 AM off the first and 10^th tees. For full first round results, click here.