Around the Green

McDonough, Jones, Pickrell Lead Fall Challenge

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Spicewood’s Hunter McDonough carded a stellar round of 2-under-par 69 in tough playing conditions Saturday afternoon to lead after the first round of the Fall Challenge at The Golf Club at Texas A&M.

Dallas’ Hailey Jones leads the Girls 12-18 division after a 2-over-par 73. Cypress’ Tomek Pickrell leads the Boys 14 & Under division after a 2-under 69 as well. He takes a three-shot lead heading into Sunday’s final round.

Players fought 25-30 mph winds with gusts up to 35 mph Saturday afternoon at The Golf Club at Texas A&M. The Jeff Blume designed golf course sits on the north end of the Texas A&M campus on a relatively open piece of land, allowing winds to whip through the minimal trees on the course.

McDonough started on the 10^th hole, a 550-yard, downwind, par-5. He had an opening par, but carded two birdies on his opening nine, the par-4, 15^th hole and the difficult, par-4 18^th hole. McDonough had another birdie on the par-4, fourth hole, before carding his first and only bogey on the day on the difficult 191-yard, par-3 fifth hole, which played directly into the wind.

McDonough has a small lead, just one shot, over Frisco’s Crosby Guercio and Lake Jackson’s Jacob Borow, who both carded 1-under 70’s in their opening rounds. Jack Lawlor, Matthew Comegys and Patrick Kahanek sit in a tie for fourth place, four shots back of McDonough.

In the Girls 12-18 division, Jones started out steady, carding eight pars and one birdie on her opening nine. She made the turn at 1-under and was even-par heading into the 18^th hole. She made a double-bogey on the 360-yard, uphill, into-the-wind, par 4, but still leads the division.

Jones leads by one shot over Valerie Routzong, who carded a 3-over 74 Saturday afternoon. Tillie Claggett of The Woodlands and Zoe Slaughter of Houston sit in a tie for third place after 4-over 75s.

In the Boys 14 & Under division, Pickrell started out hot, making a birdie on the first hole, a split fairway, par-4. He had two more birdies on the front nine, against two bogeys to go out in 1-under-par. On the back nine, he carded two birdies on the par-5 10^th and the par-3, 14^th holes. After the second birdie, he had four straight pars coming home.

Pickrell leads by three shots heading into Sunday’s final round at The Golf Club at Texas A&M. Grant Yerger sits in second place after a 1-over 72. Houston’s Jack Gilbert is in third place, followed by Drew Wagner            and Tyler Durden tied for fourth place.

The final round is scheduled to begin Sunday morning at 8:00 off the first and 10^th tees. For more information on the Fall Challenge or Legends Junior Tour, visit www.TXGA.org.

For first round results, click here.