Around the Green

Griggs, Mierl Lead Texas Cup After Windy First Round

Fort Worth – Matthew Griggs and Trevor Mierl are tied atop the Texas Cup Invitational leaderboard after shooting 1-under 70 at Ridglea Country Club’s North Course during gusty conditions on Saturday.

Prosper’s Griggs started on hole No. 10 Saturday, making a bogey on the 385-yard par 4. He bounced back with a birdie on the next hole but dropped another shot on No. 12. Griggs strung together five pars before making a birdie on the par-5 18^th to get back to even-par.

After a bogey on No. 3, his 12^th hole of the day, he played the final six holes at 2-under to get to 1-under on the day and one stroke ahead of the field.

“I’ve been working on the position of the ball while putting and putted really well today,” said Griggs, “I adjusted to a lower ball flight today and worked on hitting fairways.”

Austin’s Mierl also started on hole No. 10, but teed off in the last group of the day. He was 3-over after his first five holes, but settled in and played his final 13 holes at 4-under. He made birdie on the par-4 14^th, the par-5 18^th and then both par 3s on the front nine for.

Winds were fierce throughout the first round of the Texas Cup Invitational. They stayed around 25 miles per hour throughout the day and gusted upwards of 40 miles per hour all day long. Players tightened their hats as they maneuvered through the par-71 layout at Ridglea Country Club.

This is the second year that Ridglea Country Club has hosted the Texas Cup Invitational. The North Course at RCC is being played at 6,477 yards for the 78-player field. The course features tight fairways and elevated greens that range from small to smaller.

Five players are tied for third and trail the leaders by one stroke heading into Sunday’s Final Round. McKinney’s Cody Winkler will play with the final group on Sunday, made three birdies during his even-par 71 in the first round.

Austin’s Thomas Bockholt III, who leads the Boys 15-18 Division Player of the year Standings, made three birdies and an eagle en route to his even-par 71, while fellow Austin-native Evan Vo made four birdies on the day, including three in a four-hole stretch to shoot 71.

Kingwood’s Damin Strydom made four birdies throughout his opening-round 71, while Grand Prairie’s Rondarius Walters made four birdies and finished with an eagle on the par-5 18^th to shoot even-par and into a tie for third.

Houston’s Drew Murdock, Mansfield’s Brendan Powers, Plano’s Matthew Comegys, San Marcos’ Trace Martin and Dallas’ Chance Mulligan are all tied for sixth and only two strokes back heading into Sunday.

Jake Holbrook of Granbury, Austin Chung of Austin, Karson Grigsby of Abilene and Cooper New of Comfort are all tied for 13^th and three strokes back of the leaders.

The final round of the Texas Cup Invitational is scheduled to start at 7:30 am on Nov. 4. Players will be paired according to scores from the first round with the leaders teeing off the No. 1 tee around 9:30 am at Ridglea Country Club’s North Course.

To see all the scores from the first round of the Texas Cup Invitational, click here. For more information about the Texas Cup, click here.