Around the Green

Feldman and Martinez, Kim and Reed, Clancy Lead LJT Winter Classic

Dallas – Grant Feldman and David Martinez shoot 4-under 68 in the first round of the Winter Classic, leading the Boys 15-18 Division by two strokes heading into the final round at Dallas Athletic Club’s Blue Course. Ashley Kim of Westlake and Sarah Reed of Midland lead the Girls 12-18 Division after posting first rounds of 1-over 73, while Jack Clancy holds a four-shot lead in the Boys 14 & Under Division at 6-under-par.

Leaderboard:

Boys 15-18 Division
T1. Grant Feldman, Austin 68
T1. David Martinez, Houston 68
T3. Rhett O’Rear, Plano 70
T3. Palmer Valdez, Southlake 70
T3. Awesome Burnett, Flower Mound 70
T3. Gabe Post, Southlake 70
T3. Ethan Parker, Austin 70

Girls 12-18 Division
T1. Ashley Kim, Westlake 73
T1. Sarah Reed, Midland 73
3. Nirjara Gulhane, Cedar Park 75
T4. Mimi Burton, Austin 76
T4. Wenyue (Sonia) Hao, Dallas 76
T4. Lauren Madson, Mansfield 76
T4. Raleygh Simpson, Kerrville 76

Boys 14 & Under Division
1. Jack Clancy, Dallas 66
2. Brooks Harper, Dallas 70
3. Asher Vargas. Spring 71
4. Henry Zhong, Irving 72
5. Ross Miller, McKinney 75

Full Leaderboard

Division Leaders: Austin’s Grant Feldman and Houston’s David Martinez posted the low rounds of the day for the Boys 15-18 Division in the Winter Classic with their 4-under 68’s. Feldman made five birdies on the day, three of which came on the front nine, and leads the Boys 15-18 Division by one stroke. Martinez made four birdies and emphasized his round with an eagle on the par-5 13th hole. Westlake’s Kim and Midland’s Reed finished their rounds at 1-over-par round to lead the Girls 12-18 Division by two strokes. Kim recorded three birdies in her round and achieved a bogey-free front 9. Co-leader Reed also recorded three birdies in the first round. Clancy of Dallas made five birdies in the first round to lead the Boys 14 & Under Division at 6-under-par 66.

In Contention: In the Boys 15-18 Division, Park of Austin, Valdez of Southlake, Burnett of Flower Mound, Post of Southlake, and O’Rear of Plano sit tied for third and are just off the pace by two strokes heading into the final round after each recorded a 2-under 70 in the first round. In the Girls 12-18 Division, Cedar Park’s Nirjara Gulhanek sits at solo third following her round of 3-over 70. Austin’s Burton, Dallas’s Hao, Mansfield’s Madson and Kerville’s Simpson are all tied for fourth at 4-over. In the Boys 14 & Under Division, Dallas’ Brooks Harper sits at second at 2-under 70. Asher Vargas of Spring is currently third at 1-under 73, while Irving’s Henry Zhong rounds out the top four at even-par 76.

Shot of the Day: Lauren Madson of Mansfield highlighted her round with an ace on the 122-yard, par-3 7th hole on the first day of tournament play at Dallas Athletic Club, her first ever hole-in-one. Madson sits tied for fourth heading into the final round of the Winter Classic.

Weather: Temperatures started in the low thirties when play began and rose into the mid-forties by the afternoon. The players recieved great playing conditions today, as winds only reached upwards of six miles per hour.

Course: Dallas Athletic Club is hosting the Winter Classic for the 13th 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 23 with tee times going off the No. 1 and 10 tees starting at 10:00 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.