Around the Green

Texas Girls' Invitational Set for Feb. 16-17

MONTGOMERY – The Texas Girls’ Invitational, one of the most prestigious junior girls’ championships in the state, returns to Bentwater Yacht & Country Club on Feb. 16-17 with the champion looking to earn an exemption into an LPGA event this fall.

The champion of the 2020 Texas Girls’ Invitational will earn an exemption into a 16-player match play event later this year. The match-play field will be made up by winners of various Texas Junior Golf Alliance events, which will all have a chance to compete and earn an exemption into the LPGA's Volunteers of America Classic on Oct. 1-4 at Old American Golf Club.

Conducted by the Legends Junior Tour, the Texas Girls’ Invitational was modeled after the Veritex Bank 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 Championship 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 was moved to February and became a 54-hole championship with World Amateur Golf Ranking points up for grabs. The tournament also offers numerous AJGA Performance Stars to the top finishers including 12 for the champion.

Bentwater Yacht & Country Club is hosting the Texas Girls’ Invitational for the sixth time in the championship’s history. The dedicated TGA member club was originally built in 1993 by two renowned golf course architects, Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish. Their efforts created broad, rolling fairways and TiffDwarf greens that wind through the signature forests of hardwood and pines along Lake Conroe. The Texas Girls’ Invitational was played at Bentwater Yacht & Country Club from 2012-2016.

“We are very excited to host the Texas Girls’ Invitational again and welcome some of the best junior girls back top Montgomery,” Bentwater Yacht & Country Club Head Golf Professional Cord Roberson said. “The camaraderie among the juniors is great and hosting this event has had a positive impact on our community as well.”  

Last year’s championship was held at Golfcrest Country Club in Pearland. Hailey Jones of Dallas captured her second Texas Girls’ Invitational title. The freshman at Oklahoma State University carded rounds of 72-69-73 to finish at 2-under overall and win by a record 11 strokes. Jones, a three-time LJT Player of the Year, won at Bentwater Yacht & Country Club in 2016 and recorded top-10s in 2018, 2017, 2015 and 2014. 

The Texas Girls’s Invitational champion will have her name engraved on the ‘Nez Muhleman trophy. Inez “Nez” Muhleman of Houston was 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 championship include Kaci McCartan, Lakareber Abe, Maddie McCrary, Vanessa Ha, Jaravee Boonchant, Anne Chen and Makenzie Niblett. This is the first Major Championship for the girls of the 2020 LJT season.

“This is one of the best events for girls to compete in each year,” LJT Tournament Director Kevin Porter said. “The Texas Girls’ Invitational field is always competitive and with the added round, offers a great gauge for girls as they prepare to compete in collegiate golf.”

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

About the LJT: The Legends Junior Tour is part of the Texas Junior Golf Alliance, which is a joint venture between the Texas Golf Association, Northern and Southern PGA and Houston Golf Association. The tour operates as part of the Texas Golf Association and its foundation. Since its inception in 2005, the tour has provided funds to promote junior golf initiatives while conducting some of the state’s top junior championships including the Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship, Texas Junior Amateur and the Texas Girls’ Invitational as well as the Texas Cup Invitational.