Around the Green
The latest golf-related news, notes, and feature stories from the TGA.
Shellberg, Brambilla and Lee Win Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational
SUPHUR SPRINGS – Ryan Shellberg shot 2 under par 70 to win the Boys 15-18 Division of the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational at Sulphur Springs Country Club. Chiara Brambilla won the Girls Division at 2-under, while Ryan (Woojin) Lee won the Boys 14 & Under Division finishing at 4 over par for the tournament.
Prosper’s Shellberg completed his wire-to-wire victory with rounds of 71-70 to get to 3-under overall and a one stroke victory over San Antonio’s Matt Pawly. Ryan had a clutch chip-in birdie on the tough par 3 17th hole to give him the cushion he needed to win. Ryan was the only player in his division to finish under par in both tournament rounds as the heavy wind played havoc with the golfers this weekend. This is Shellberg’s first ever victory on the Legends Junior Tour.
Trailing Shellberg was Matt Pawly of San Antonio who carded an impressive 3 under 69 in the tough conditions. Richmond’s Eli Walker Campbell finished third at 3 over par, one stroke ahead of Dallas’s Aiden Dortch and Fair Oak Ranches Phoenix Guerra.
Southlake’s Brambilla captured her first victory with the Legends Junior Tour this year after rounds of 71-71 to get to 2-under 142 overall. Brambilla made eight birdies over the weekend to finish with an eight stroke victory.
Austin’s Claire Wan came back from a rough first day to post 3 under par 69 on Sunday, tying for the best round of the tournament. Dallas’s Adrienne Ahn finished third in the Girls 12-18 Division and earned enough Player of the Year points to overtake Farrah O’Keefe for the honor.
College Stations’s Ryan (Woojin) Lee won the Boys 14 & Under Division after shooting matching 2-over par 74’s to finish the tournament at 4 over par 148. Ryan bested Garland’s Aiden Tiet and Houston’ Austin Le by one shot as the three players battled it out through the high winds all day long. Lantans’s Henry Jackson finished in fourth place at 8 over par.
The Course: Sulphur Springs Country Club is hosting the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational for the first time. The course played to just under 6500 yards for the Boys 15-18 division, 6200 yards for the Boys 12-14 division and 5700 for the girl’s division.
The Weather: Temperatures crept up to the mid 80s on Sunday and winds were up again throughout the day blowing at 15 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.
About the Event: The Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational is the final event on the Legends Junior Tour schedule for 2021 and the last chance players have to earn points towards the Player of the Year Standings and earn spots on their respective Jackie Burke Cup teams. The Invitational is open to all players that have an active membership with the Texas Junior Golf Alliance. Players earn exemptions into the field through the Alliance Partners.
About the Texas Junior Golf Alliance: The Alliance is a joint venture between the Texas Golf Association, Northern Texas PGA and Southern Texas PGA. The goal of the Alliance was to allow junior golfers a clear path to the best tournaments in Texas. The players transition from regional events like the NTPGA and STPGA into statewide events like the LJT. The elevation of tours allows junior golfers a chance to grow their game, while preparing them for the next level.
Up Next: The Legends Junior Tour will take the Jackie Burke Cup Matches to The Hideout Golf Club and Resort in Brownwood on Nov. 12-13. The Alliance Invitational was the final event for players to earn points towards the Jackie Burke Cup and the North and South Teams will be announced on Monday, October 24th. The North has won or held the cup for the last seven years.
Player of the Year Winners: Congratulations to Austin’s Trenton Mierl who used his 6th place finish to overtake Fort Worth’s Conner Henry in the Boys Division Player of the Year race. Dallas’s Adrienne Ahn’s third place finish gave her enough points to overtake Austin’s Farrah O’Keefe and win the Girls POY honor. In the Boys 14 and Under Division, Jack Clancy from Dallas ran away with the honors this year posting 5 victories in his 8 events. Full POY Standings can be viewed here.
For more information on the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational, click here.
