Around the Green

Burnett, Dasch, and Roberts Lead at Winter Classic

Dallas – Awesome Burnett shoots 4-under 68 in the first round of the Winter Classic and leads the Boys 15-18 Division by one stroke heading into the final round at Dallas Athletic Club’s Blue Course. Caroline Dasch leads the Girls 12-18 Division after posting a first round of 1-over 73, while Reese Roberts holds a one-shot lead in the Boys 14 & Under Division at even-par.

Full Leaderboard

Division Leaders: Flower Mound’s Burnett posted the low round of the day in the Winter Classic with his 4-under 68. Burnett made eight birdies on the day, five of which came on the front nine, and leads the Boys 15-18 Division by one stroke. Austin’s Dasch finished the first round at 1-over-par. Dasch holed five birdies in her round and leads the Girls 12-18 Division by two strokes. Roberts of Dallas also recorded five birdies in the first round to lead the Boys 14 & Under Division at even-par 72.

In Contention: In the Boys 15-18 Division, Jay Pabin of Lucas is just off the pace by one stroke heading into the final round after his score of 3-under 69 in the First Round. Frisco’s Davis Ovard, Granbury’s Ty Holbrook, Austin’s Ethan Parker, and Dallas’ John Vassallo all are tied for third at 1-under 71. In the Girls 12-18 Division, Austin’s Chaemin Kim, Cypress’s Maggie Ni, and Cedar Park’s Jiyu Han are all tied for second at 3-over, followed by Maelynn Kim of Katy in fifth place at 4-over 76. In the Boys 14 & Under Division, Dallas’ Brooks Harper and The Woodlands’ Austin Hofferkamp are tied for second at 1-over 73. Matt Pawly of San Antonio is currently fourth at 2-over 74, while Austin’s Nicholas Logis rounds out the top five at 4-over 76.

Weather: Play was delayed for an hour and a half this morning due to frost. Temperatures started in the high thirties when play began and rose into the mid-fifties by the afternoon. After 20 miles per hour winds the day before, the players recieved much better playing conditions today, as winds only reached upwards of eight miles per hour.

Course: Dallas Athletic Club is hosting the Winter Classic for the 12th straight year. The Blue Course was originally designed Ralph Plummer and then remodeled by Jack Nicklaus in 1984. Nicklaus won the 1963 PGA Championship, which was held at Dallas Athletic Club. The course stretches out to 6,700 yards in the Boys 15-18 Division, 6,200 yards in the Boys 14 & Under Division and close to 6,000 yards in the Girls 12-18 Division.

Tournament Format: The Winter Classic is a 36-hole stroke play event for players with an active membership with the Texas Junior Golf Alliance. Players ages 12-18 are split into three different divisions. The event is ranked by Junior Golf Scoreboard, Golfweek and has AJGA Performance Stars that will be handed out to the top finishers.

What’s Next: The final round of the Winter Classic is set for Sunday, January 17 with tee times going off the No. 1 and 10 tees starting at 8:00 am. Pairings for Sunday are drawn according to score from the first round and can be found by clicking 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 Texas PGA and Houston Golf Association. The Tour operates as part of the Texas Golf Association and its Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. Since its inception in 2005, the Tour has provided more than $250,000 to promote junior golf initiatives and exposure to the game to those who might not otherwise have the opportunity across the state.

To learn more about the Winter Classic, click here.