Around the Green

Jones Shoots 3-under and Leads Texas Girls' Invitational

Pearland, Texas – Hailey Jones of Dallas shot 3-under 69 in the second round at Golfcrest Country Club and leads the Texas Girls’ Invitational by two strokes heading into the Final Round.

Jones has now put together rounds of 72-69 to get to 3-under overall. Her bogey-free round on Sunday consisted of birdies on No. 3, No. 9 and No. 14 but it was her par saves that kept her round going throughout the day.

“I was chipping and putting really well today,” said Jones, “My sand saves on holes five, 13 and 18 were a big help.”

The weather on Sunday turned chilly and a steady drizzle covered the golf course, but it didn’t affect Jones. “The weather didn’t really get to me today, but I know if I want to win tomorrow, I’m going to need to make more birdies.”

Jones heads into Monday’s final round with a two-stroke lead and looks to win her second Texas Girls’ Invitational and become the second player to win multiple times. The 2019 high school graduate won this event in 2016 at Bentwater Yacht & Country Club. She played her way into a playoff in 2018, but fell short on the fourth playoff hole at Sugar Creek Country Club.

Austin’s Jensen Jalufka posted a round of 3-under 69 to get to 1-under through 36 holes and into second place. Jalufka made six birdies on Sunday, including three in her first five holes and back-to-back birdies on holes 16 and 17.

Elina Sinz of Katy shot 1-under 71 in the second round and moved to third at 1-over-par overall. Sinz made three birdies and two bogeys in her first nine holes and then made nine straight pars to finish 1-under.

Round 1 co-leader, Julia Garcia sits in fourth place after shooting 3-over 75 in the second round. The Temple native made birdie on the 153-yard 12^th hole, but made three bogeys in her last six holes to drop back to 3-over-par overall.

Houston’s Allyn Stephens rounds out the top five at 148 overall, followed by Plano’s MacKenzie Moore in sixth, Frisco’s Caroline Kent in seventh and Houston’s Zoe Slaughter in eighth.

Natalie Cao, Sydni Leung, Emma Luna and Olivia Mitchell are all tied for ninth at 10-over.
The final round of the Texas Girls’ Invitational is set to begin at 8:00 am on Monday, Feb. 18. Players will be sent off in tee times off the No. 1 tee in groups of three.

Golfcrest Country Club is hosting the Texas Girls’ Invitational for the first time in the tournament’s 10-year history. Golfcrest joins a list of past host sites which includes Bentwater Yacht & Country Club, Crown Colony Country Club, Sugar Creek Country Club and Gleannloch Pines.

To see all the scores from Sunday’s second-round action, click here. To learn more about the Texas Girls’ Invitational, click here.