Around the Green

Texas Girls' Invitational Moves to Golfcrest Country Club

DALLAS – As the Texas Girls’ Invitational hits 10 years strong, the tournament extends to 54 holes and moves to Golfcrest Country Club on Feb. 16-18.

Conducted by the Legends Junior Tour, the Texas Girls’ Invitational was modeled after the Byron Nelson Junior Championship and the Texas Cup Invitational. The tournament has taken on its own identity and quickly become a favorite among girls on the LJT schedule. The tournament began in 2010 with only 12 participants and has now grown into an elite girls-only field and Major Tournament for the LJT.

The championship was originally 36 holes and ranked by Golfweek and Junior Golf Scoreboard and was held in the fall. In 2019, the event has moved up to February with an extra round to add a ranking by the World Amateur Golf Ranking. The tournament will also offer numerous AJGA Performance Stars to the top finishers including 12 for the champion.

Golfcrest Country Club is hosting the Texas Girls’ Invitational for the first time in tournament history. The club was originally built in southeast Houston in 1927 and moved to it’s current location in Pearland in 1971. Golfcrest Country Club sits on 200 acres and was designed by Joseph S. Finger. The course will stretch to 6,061 yards for the Texas Girls’ Invitational and prove a tough
test as fairways traverse through trees and bodies of water.

Sugar Creek Country Club hosted the Texas Girls’ Invitational in 2018. Austin’s Makenzie Niblett won the tournament after making a birdie on the fourth playoff hole. Niblett was tied with Dallas’ Hailey Jones, who won the tournament in 2016, at 4-under 140 overall after 36 holes. Niblett became the first two-time winner of the Texas Girls’ Invitational and Jones looks to become the second at Golfcrest Country Club in 2019.

The champion will have her name engraved on the ‘Nez Muhleman trophy. Inez “Nez” Muhleman of Houston is known for her dedication to junior golf. Muhleman never missed a Girls national championship until she retired in 2010. In 2011, she received the USGA Joe Dey Award, which is the organization’s highest honor for volunteerism, for her service to the game and for establishing the Junior Girls’ Travel Fund to help young Texans afford travel expenses to the U.S. Girls’ Junior.

Past champions of this girls-only event include Kaci McCartan, Lakareber Abe, Maddie McCrary, Vanessa Ha, Jaravee Boonchant, Anne Chen, Hailey Jones and Makenzie Niblett. This is the first “Major” tournament for the girls on the Legends Junior Tour schedule.

For more information on the Texas Girls’ Invitational, please click here.