Around the Green

95th Texas Junior Amateur Set for July 26-28

ADDISON – The 95th Texas Junior Amateur will be held at The Clubs of Kingwood’s Island and Lake Course from July 26-28. This is the second time in the last three years that Kingwood has hosted this 240-player event.

“The Legends Junior Tour is excited to return to The Clubs of Kingwood for the state’s biggest championship,” LJT Tournament Director Kevin Porter said. “The Island and Lake Courses provide a top-notch test for every division and will produce great champions.”

Located in Kingwood, the club features five total golf courses with the Island and Lake Course being on the main property next to the expansive clubhouse. The Island Course is a par-72 layout designed by Joe Finger with Tiff Eagle greens. The par-5 18^th is recognized by Golf Digest as one of the toughest finishing holes and the course is ranked in the top 50 by the Dallas Morning News. The Lake Course was designed by Bruce Litell and sits on the western side of the property. The par-72 layout features Tiff Eagle greens with water on 13 of the 18 holes.

The Boys Division will be competing on the Island Course, while the Girls Division will be competing on the Lake Course. Both divisions are scheduled for 54 holes of stroke play competition with the fields being cut after the second round. The Boys and Girls 14 & Under Divisions will play on the Lake Course and are scheduled for 36 holes of stroke play competition.

The Texas Junior Amateur has been one of the strongest fields in recent years and produced some great champions. Last year’s Boys Division winner, Zach Heffernan of Fair Oaks Ranch defended his 2019 title with a 4-under 209 overall score at Horseshoe Bay Resort’s Ram Rock Course. He bested the field by one stroke to become the first back-to-back winner since Hunter Haas in 1994-95. Heffernan will look to become the event’s second three-time winner and join Buck Luce who won in 1935, 1937 and 1938.

Katy’s Lauren Nguyen won the Girls Division in 2020 after shooting 6-under 66 in the final round at Horseshoe Bay Resort’s Apple Rock Course. She won by one stroke at 3-under 213 overall and completed the sweep of winning the younger and older division of the Texas Junior Amateur.

Brooks Simmons of Dallas won the Boys 14 & Under Division last year, while Sidney Robertson of Chandler won the Girls 14 & Under Division. Simmons looks to defend his title, while Robertson moves up into the Girls Division.

Other past champions of the Texas Junior Amateur include Ben Crenshaw, Jordan Spieth, Jeff Maggert, Scott Verplank, Omar Uresti, Angela Stanford, Hunter Haas, Jacob Sosa, Sadie Englemann, Stratton Nolen, Kelsey Vines, Alex Moon, Heather Haas, Lindsey McCurdy, Morris Williams Jr. and Nancy Hager.

The Texas Junior Amateur is open to all residents of Texas. The Boys Division was built through exemptions and qualifiers, which were held throughout the state from June 15 – July 22. Exemptions were available through Texas Junior Golf Alliance events like the Northern and Southern Texas PGA Sections.

Players in the Girls Division as well as the Boys and Girls 14 & Under Divisions are entered based on the LJT Priority Entry System, which awards players that have played well in LJT events as well as Texas Junior Golf Alliance events.

The Texas Junior Amateur is ranked by Junior Golf Scoreboard, Golfweek and the World Amateur Golf Ranking. Players are also competing for points towards the LJT Player of the Year Standings as well as AJGA Performance Stars.

The First Round will begin at 7:30 am on Monday, July 26. Live scoring will be available on throughout the week.

For more information on the 95th Texas Junior Amateur at KingwoodThe Clubs of Kingwood, click here.