Embry, Sherman, and Knox Claim North Texas Classic Titles

Briefly: Tyson Embry shot a 1-over 73 on Sunday to win the Boys Division of the North Texas Classic by 2 shots. Carly Sherman captured the Girls Division Title with a second round 1-over 73, while Dylan Knox birdied his 2^nd playoff hole to secure his victory in the Boys 14 & Under Division at 10-under par overall.

Tournament Leaderboard

Champions: Highland Village’s Tyson Embry went wire to wire to claim the North Texas Classic Victory.  He finished an impressive weekend with a 5-under par score of 139.  Embry followed up his amazing first round 66 with a gritty 1-over par 73 that saw a triple bogey on the ninth hole.  From that point, Embry recorded 4 birdies on the back nine to secure his first Legends Junior Tour victory. Bastrop’s Carly Sherman started the final round with a one-stroke lead and her 1-over par 73 was enough to secure a hard fought one stroke victory. Carly made birdies on holes 10 and 11 to start her final nine holes and finished the tournament at 4 -over par 148.   Austin’s Dylan Knox overcame a 5 shot deficit at the start of his final round with a round of 3-under 69 that included 5 birdies. Dylan finished the tournament at even par 144, and closed out his second LJT victory of the year with a birdie on his second playoff hole.

Top Finishers: In the Boys Division, Tomball’s Joshua McGown fired a 2-under par 70 to finish in second place, 2 shots off the lead.   McGown was able to birdie three of his last 5 holes as his late charge came up just short.  Dallas’s Charles Nelson and Austin’s Trenton Mierl finished in a tie for third finishing the tournament at 1-under par, 143. Deacon Dortch of Dallas rounded out the top 5 with his 36 hole total of even par.

In the Girls Division, Prosper’s Lucy Kate Smith finished second as her second round 73 wasn’t enough to chase down Sherman. Smith finished the tournament 1-stroke back at 5-over par 149.  Finishing in a tie for 3^rd was Frisco’s Megan Lee, and McKinney’s Kate Bennett, both posting 7-over 151. Rounding out the top 5 was Plano’s Lindsey Li at 9-over 153.

In the Boys 14 & Under Division, Selma’s Aadi Parmar shot a 1-under 71 in the final round to finish tied with Knox at even par 144.  Prosper’s Grant Clapp bogeyed his final hole to finish 1 stroke back and just outside of the playoff. Rounding out the top 4 was Garland’s Landon Hilario finishing at 4-over par.

Player of the Years Points: Tyson Embry, Carly Sherman and Dylan Knox all earned 1,000 points in the Player of the Year Point Race.  Points are awarded at each tournament to the top half of each age division.

Golf Course: Indian Creek Golf Club is hosting the North Texas Classic for the first time in the tournaments nine-year history with the Legends Junior Tour.  Located in Carrolton, the Lakes Course offers a challenge to the field, stretching out to 7,000 yards in the Boys Division, 6,500 yards in the Boys 14 & Under Division and 5,900 yards in the Girls Division.  The Lakes Course was completely renovated back in 2019 and included new greens and fairways.  The Lakes Course lives up to its name with water present on 16 of the 18 holes.

Weather: The weather started off warm with overnight lows only falling to the mid 70’s.  Sunny skies prevailed as the temperature rose to a high of 93 degrees by early afternoon.  A steady 10 – 15 mile per hour west wind was present throughout the day.

Tournament Format: The North Texas Classic is a 36-hole stroke play event for players 12-18 years old. All players in the field are required to have an active membership with the Texas Junior Golf Alliance. The North Texas Classic kicks off the Fall Swing of the Legends Junior Tour schedule.

Texas Junior Golf Alliance: The Alliance is a joint venture between the Texas Golf Association, Northern and Southern Texas PGA and Houston Golf Association. The goal of the Alliance was to allow junior golfers a clear path to the best tournaments in Texas. Each of the three tier-two organizations (STPGA, NTPGA, HGA) conduct events that serve as qualifiers into the statewide tier-one events run by the Legends Junior Tour (LJT). This allows players to compete in local events in which they can earn spots to play in statewide tournaments.

Next Up: The LJT travels to Squaw Creek Golf Club in Willow Park on Sept. 30 – Oct. 1^st for the 2023 Fall Challenge. For more information on the Fall Challenge, click here.

For more information on the North Texas Classic, click here. To see all the scores from Indian Creek Golf Club, click here.

Embry, Lewis, Sherman Lead at North Texas Classic

Briefly: Tyson Embry cards a first round 66 to lead the Boys 15-18 Division of the North Texas Classic at Indian Creek Golf Club. In the Girls Division, Carly Sherman leads at 3-over, while Cameron Lewis leads the Boys 14 & Under Division at 2-under.

Tournament Leaderboard

Leaders: Highland Village’s Tyson Embry had the hot hand on Indian Creek’s Lakes Course during Saturday’s first round. Embry racked up seven birdies en route to a 6-under 66 to take the first-round lead in the Boys 15-18 Division. Embry recorded five of his seven birdies in a 6-hole stretch on the back nine. Embry will be on the hunt for his first LJT victory in tomorrow’s final group. Bastrop’s Carly Sherman holds a one-shot lead in the girls division heading into Sunday’s final round. On a tough scoring day for the Girls Division, Sherman played a steady round with three bogeys and a birdie on the par 5 11^th. Dallas’ Cameron Lewis leads the Boys 14 & Under Division by two strokes after an opening round 70 on Saturday. Lewis started off steady, playing his first nine at even par, before recording a pair of birdies to play the back side at 2-under.

In Contention: In the Boys Division, Austin’s Daniel Macias sits three shots back in second after his 3-under 69. Austin’s Trenton Mierl and The Woodlands Alex Malanga are both tied for third at 2-under 70. Houston’s Austin Le, Tomball’s Joshua McGown, and Dallas’ Deacon Dortch are all tied for fifth after posting rounds of1-under 71.

In the Girls Division, Prosper’s Lucy Kate Smith is in second at 4-over, while McKinney’s Kate Bennett, Plano’s Lindsey Li, and Frisco’s Megan Lee are all tied for third at 5-over.

In the Boys 14 & Under Division, The Woodlands’ Tripp Depoy trails by Lewis by two strokes after a round of even par 72, with Selma’s Aadi Parmar sitting in third at 1-over 73.

Golf Course: Indian Creek Golf Club is hosting the North Texas Classic for the first time in the tournaments nine-year history with the Legends Junior Tour.  Located in Carrolton, the Lakes Course offers a challenge to the field, stretching out to 7,000 yards in the Boys Division, 6,500 yards in the Boys 14 & Under Division and 5,900 yards in the Girls Division.  The Lakes Course was completely renovated back in 2019 and included new greens and fairways.  The Lakes Course lives up to its name with water present on 16 of the 18 holes.

Weather: The Carrollton area experienced some early morning showers, which cooled off the temps to the mid 70’s for the first tee times at 8:00 AM.  Sunny skies prevailed as the day went on, and temperatures rose to a high of 95 degrees by midafternoon.  A steady 10 mile per hour west wind was present throughout the day.

Tournament Format: The North Texas Classic is a 36-hole stroke play event for players 12-18 years old. All players in the field are required to have an active membership with the Texas Junior Golf Alliance. The North Texas Classic kicks off the Fall Swing of the Legends Junior Tour schedule.

Texas Junior Golf Alliance: The Alliance is a joint venture between the Texas Golf Association, Northern and Southern Texas PGA and Houston Golf Association. The goal of the Alliance was to allow junior golfers a clear path to the best tournaments in Texas. Each of the three tier-two organizations (STPGA, NTPGA, HGA) conduct events that serve as qualifiers into the statewide tier-one events run by the Legends Junior Tour (LJT). This allows players to compete in local events in which they can earn spots to play in statewide tournaments.

Next Up: The Final Round is scheduled to begin at 8:00 am off the No. 1 and 10 tees on Sunday, September 11. To see the pairings for the Final Round, click here.

For more information on the North Texas Classic, click here. To see all the scores from Indian Creek Golf Club, click here.

North Texas Classic Heads to Indian Creek Golf Club

ADDISON – The North Texas Classic is set to kick off the LJT Fall Schedule on Sept. 9-10. The 120-player field will take on Indian Creek Golf Club’s Lakes Course as the race for LJT Player of the Year ramps up. 

Fully renovated in 2019, the Lakes Course has new greens, fairways and cart paths. This nature lined course is a sanctuary for birds and golfers alike. A strategic approach here starts with proper club selection off the tee and players who can shape their shots will have an advantage. Tipping out at 7,000 yards, it’s a great course for players of all skill levels.  

The North Texas Classic is split into three divisions: Boys 15-18, Girls 12-18 and Boys 14 & Under. The champion of the Boys 15-18 Division will earn exemptions into the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational, 2024 Texas Cup Invitational, 2024 Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship and 2024 Texas Junior Amateur. The champion of the Girls Division will earn exemptions into the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational and 2024 Texas Girls’ Invitational. The Boys 14 & Under champion will also earn an exemption into the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational. 

Including the North Texas Classic, only four LJT tournaments remain before the Player of the Year Points List will determine the teams for the Jackie Burke Cup, as well as the overall Players of the Year for each division. Garrett McMellon of Garland leads the Boys 15-18 Division. Joshua’s Kaylee Yuan leads the Girls Division while Henry Jackson of Lantana leads the Boys 14 & Under Division. 

Waco’s Corbin Null scored a four-shot victory in last year’s North Texas Classic with rounds of 66-67 to post 9-under for the championship.  

In the Girls Division, Sidney Robertson of Tyler won by two strokes after carding rounds of 69-70 and finishing at 3-under for the tournament. Robertson finished two shots ahead of Austin’s Darrelyn Webster. 

 Spring’s Asher Vargas won the Boy 14 & Under Division by an astounding 14 shots. Vargas fired rounds of 65-67 and finished at 10-under for the tournament. He had two of the three total rounds under par from the Boys 14 & Under Division in route to the record setting win. 

Null, Robertson, and Vargas add to the list of North Texas Classic past champions. It includes 2017 Texas Junior Amateur Champion Jansen Smith, 2019 Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Champion Gaven Lane, three-time LJT Player of the Year Hailey Jones as well as Zach Kingsland, Kaylee Vesely, Mark Reppe, Dawson Ovard, Jennie Park, Jun Min Lee, Cole Sherwood and Serena Shah. 

The first round of the North Texas Classic is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 9 with tee times starting at 8 a.m. off No. 1 and No. 10. The final round pairings will be redrawn according to scores from the first round and will begin at 8 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 10. 

For more information on the North Texas Classic, click here. 

O’Rear, Sathish, Parmar Win George Hannon Junior Invitational

Briefly: Plano’s Rhett O’Rear won the Boys 15-18 Division of the George Hannon Junior Invitational presented by Texas Mutual after firing another sub-par round at University of Texas Golf Club. Swetha Sathish of Oakville captured her first victory with the Legends Junior Tour, while Aadi Parmar of Selma won the Boys 14 & Under Division for his third LJT title of the year. 

Leaders: O’Rear picked up his first win in the Boys 15 – 18 Division with the Legends Junior Tour after firing 68 – 69 to finish at 5-under overall and win the division by four strokes. O’Rear had two days of solid play with his last day consisting of three birdies. Sathish’s consistent play and solid putting awarded her the victory in the Girls Division at 2-over 144 after rounds of 72-72 over the two days.  Parmar recorded rounds of 71-70 to get to 1-under 141 overall. Parmar played a consistent game this week, recording five birdies and 4 bogeys.  

In Contention: In the Boys 15 – 18 Division, Preston Hiller of San Antonio and Ryan Lee from Plano finished runner-up with 1-under, 141 total, for the two days. New Braunfels’ Kyle Doolittle finished fourth at even-par 142, while Garrett McMellon and Grayson Sebastian tied for fifth in the division with overall scores of 1-over 143. In the Girls Division, Austin’s Isabel Emanuels and Mimi Burton tied for second at 4-over 146 and Danica Lundgren and Lydia Portlock tied for fourth at 5-over 147. Henry Jackson of Lantana and Ainslie Stanford III tied for second in the Boys 14 & Under Division at 5-over 147, while Cameron Lewis finished fourth at 6-over 148 and Dylan Knox and Luke Olive tied for fifth at 8-over 150.  

Golf Course: The University of Texas Golf Club was designed by Bechtol Russell and opened in 2003. The course is set along the Colorado River and features stunning Texas Hill Country views along with a challenging par-71 layout.  

Weather: Temperatures reached 100 again on Tuesday with steady winds out of the south at 12 miles per hour with gusts around 20 mph which offered a challenge for the field.  

Player of the Year Points:  Rhett O’Rear, Aadi Parmer, and Swetha Sathish all earned 1500 points in the Player of the Year Point Race.  Points are awarded at each tournament to the top half of each age division.  2023 LJT Player of the Year Points Standings   

About George Hannon: George Hannon, who was affectionately called “Coach”, coached the University of Texas golf team for 18 seasons. Coach Hannon saw his Longhorns win two National Championships in 1971 and 1972, 12 Southwest Conference Titles and three individual titles. Hannon’s Horns included Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite, Mark Brooks, Phil Blackmar, Brandel Chamblee, Rik Massengale and Paul Thomas. 

Hannon Cup Association: The Hannon Cup Association contributes to golf scholarships, supports the Austin Junior Golf Academy and hosts the George Hannon Junior Invitational and Hannon Cup Matches. Mark Coward and Brent Buckman were instrumental in conceiving the idea and in organizing and forming the initial committee for the Hannon Cup. Support was provided by a group of individuals and businesses that became known as the Hannon Society. To date the Association has distributed more than $145,000 worth of secondary education scholarships through the Southern Texas PGA Foundation.  

Texas Junior Golf Alliance: The Alliance is a joint venture between the Texas Golf Association, Northern and Southern Texas PGA and Houston Golf Association. The goal of the Alliance was to allow junior golfers a clear path to the best tournaments in Texas. Each of the three tier-two organizations (STPGA, NTPGA, HGA) conduct events that serve as qualifiers into the statewide tier-one events run by the Legends Junior Tour (LJT). This allows players to compete in local events in which they can earn spots to play in statewide tournaments.  

Tournament History: The George Hannon Junior Invitational finished it’s 14th year on the Legends Junior Tour schedule and features past champions such as Maxwell Miller, Cole Hammer, Chandler Phillips, Tayler Termeer, Hailee Cooper, Joe and Julia Beck, Matthew Comegys, Keaton Vo, Henry Guan and Nicole Vivier. This event has been held at UT Golf Club for the last six years.  

Next Up: The Legends Junior Tour heads to Indian Creek Golf Club in Carrollton for the North Texas Classic on September 9-10. The George Hannon Junior Invitational caps off a busy and exciting summer for the Legends Junior Tour. 

For more information on the George Hannon Junior Invitational, click here. To see all the scores from UT Golf Club, click here. 

Burt, O’Rear, Parmar, Sathish Lead at George Hannon Junior Invitational

Briefly: Blake Burt and Rhett O’Rear both fired a 3-under 68 in the opening round of the George Hannon Junior Invitational leading the Boys 15-18 Division by two strokes. Aadi Parmar leads the Boys 14 & Under Division at University of Texas Golf Club, and Swetha Sathish stayed focused and finished Round 1 as the sole leader of the Girls Division.  

Tournament Leaderboard 

Leaders: Austin’s Blake Burt and Plano’s Rhett O’Rear both shot 3-under par 68, on Monday at the UT Golf Club. Both O’Rear and Burt played consistently posting five and six birdies, respectively. Burt’s 3-under consisted of 5 total birdies, with four of them coming in his first 10 holes. O’Rear’s 3-under, 68 consisted of consisted of 6 total birdies, with four on the back nine at the UT Golf Club.  

Oakville’s Swetha Sathish fought hard to stand alone as the leader of the Girls 12-18 Division. Her round consisted of 4 birdies beginning on hole 9, and pulled her one-shot ahead of her competitors.   

in the Boys 14 & Under Division, Aadi Parmar from Selma attributed his even-par 71, to his putting. His first round consisted of 3 birdies and steady play.   

In Contention: There are seven players tied for third place in the Boy’s Division at 1-under par 70 including Burleson’s’ Blake Keen, Dallas’ Luke Harper and Jack Clancy, Richmond’s’ Grayson Sebastian, Highland Villages’ Tyson Embry, Plano’s’ Ryan Lee and McAllen’s’ Dylan Villarreal Trailing Parmar by two strokes in the Boys 14 & Under is Division is Luke Olive from Dallas, Henry Jackson from Lantana, Ainslie Stanford III from Edmond. Lydia Portlock from San Antonio is hot on Swetha’s heels in the Girls 12-18 Division shooting 2-over, 73, only 1-shot behind Swetha Sathish. Austin’s Caroline Dasch sits in fifth place in the division at 3-over. In the Boys 14 & Under Division, Dallas’ Brooks Harper is in second at 2-over, while Duff Mckay of Dallas and Luke Colton of Frisco are tied for third at 3-over. Nicholas Logis and Austin Hofferkamp are tied for fifth at 4-over.  

Golf Course: The University of Texas Golf Club was designed by Bechtol Russell and opened in 2003. The course is set along the Colorado River and features stunning Texas Hill Country views along with a challenging par-71 layout. The course overlooks Lake Austin and borders the Balcones Natural Wildlife Preserve and has hosted the George Hannon Junior Invitational six times now, including the last four years.  

Weather: Temperatures started in the low 80s without a cloud in the sky on Monday and peaked above 100 degrees. Winds were light and out of the south at 10  – 15 mph. 

Tournament Format: The George Hannon Junior Invitational is a 36-hole stroke play event for players that have earned an exemption through the Texas Junior Golf Alliance or the Hannon Society. The 90-player field is one of the strongest in the state as they play 18 holes each day.   

Player of the Year Points: 1500 points in the 2023 Player of the Year Point Race are up for grabs to the winners this week at the George Hannon Junior Invitational.  Points are awarded at each tournament to the top half of each age division.  2023 LJT Player of the Year Points Standings 

About George Hannon: George Hannon, who was affectionately called “Coach”, coached the University of Texas golf team for 18 seasons. Coach Hannon saw his Longhorns win two National Championships in 1971 and 1972, 12 Southwest Conference Titles and three individual titles. Hannon’s Horns included Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite, Mark Brooks, Phil Blackmar, Brandel Chamblee, Rik Massengale and Paul Thomas. 

Hannon Cup Association: The Hannon Cup Association contributes to golf scholarships, supports the Austin Junior Golf Academy and hosts the George Hannon Junior Invitational and Hannon Cup Matches. Mark Coward and Brent Buckman were instrumental in conceiving the idea and in organizing and forming the initial committee for the Hannon Cup. Support was provided by a group of individuals and businesses that became known as the Hannon Society. To date the Association has distributed more than $145,000 worth of secondary education scholarships through the Southern Texas PGA Foundation. 

About Texas Mutual: Texas Mutual is the presenting sponsor of the George Hannon Junior Invitational and has been caring for hardworking Texans for more than 25 years. Taking care of people is what Texas Mutual does and that’s why they invest time, energy and resources into increasing safety, wellness and education for all Texans. Texas Mutual has been the presenting sponsor of this event for the last three years.  

Texas Junior Golf Alliance: The Alliance is a joint venture between the Texas Golf Association, Northern and Southern Texas PGA and Houston Golf Association. The goal of the Alliance was to allow junior golfers a clear path to the best tournaments in Texas. Each of the three tier-two organizations (STPGA, NTPGA, HGA) conduct events that serve as qualifiers into the statewide tier-one events run by the Legends Junior Tour (LJT). This allows players to compete in local events in which they can earn spots to play in statewide tournaments.  

Next Up: The Final Round of the George Hannon Junior Invitational is scheduled for Tuesday with tee times starting at 7:30 am off the No. 1 and 10 tees. Following Tuesday’s Final Round, awards will be handed to the top five in the Boys Division and top three in the Girls and Boys 14 & Under Divisions.  

For more information on the George Hannon Junior Invitational, click here. To see all the scores from UT Golf Club, click here. 

Price Hill and Kaylee Yuan Win 97th Texas Junior Amateur 

Mierl and Yuan Lead at 97th Texas Junior Amateur

Hill, Yuan, and Vollmer Lead 97th Texas Junior Amateur

McMellon, Lewis, and Yuan Win at Lanny Wadkins JC

Briefly:  Garland’s Garrett McMellon claims his first LJT victory in a two-hole playoff after finishing at 3-under par 137 for the tournament. Joshua’s Kaylee Yuan goes wire to wire to won the Girls 12-18 Division at even par 140, while Dallas’ Cameron Lewis won the Boys 14 & Under Division in a playoff after finishing at 1 over-par 141.

Tournament Leaderboard

Champions: Garrett McMellon entered Tuesday’s final round in the second to last group, two shots off the lead after a first round 68.  McMellon started the day with bogeys on holes #1 & #3, but rallied with birdies on Holes #4, #10, and #12 to post 1-under 69 on the day.  McMellon finished at 3-under par 137 for the tournament and secured his first LJT victory with a 12 foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole.

Joshua’s Kaylee Yuan won the Girls 12-18 Division after shooting rounds of 68-72 to finish the championship at even par and nine strokes ahead of the field. She posted the only under par round of the tournament in the girls division with a 2 under par score of 68 in the first round. This is Yuan’s second LJT victory in as many starts.

Dallas’ Cameron Lewis won the Boys 14 & Under Division at 1-over 141 overall in a playoff Dexter Zimmerman. Lewis drained a 50 foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to claim the title. Lewis recorded rounds of 72-69 for his first LJT victory.

Top Finishers: In the Boys 15-18 Division, Belton’s Chandler Cooke finished runner up after shooting rounds of 67-70 to finish at 3-under par 137 and losing in a playoff. Dallas’s Blake Goodnight, the first round leader, took home third place after finishing one off the pace at 2-under par 138. Jack Hollingsed of Dallas finished at 1-under par 139, which was good enough for fourth place, and New Braunfels’ Kyle Doolittle rounded out the top five at even-par 140.

In the Girls 12-18 Division, Prosper’s Lucy Kate Smith finished runner up at 9-over 149. Austin’s Julia Sosa finished in 3^rd place with a score of 10-over 150. San Antonio’s Abby Jimenez claimed fourth place at 11-over 151, and Dallas’s Bella Scucchi rounded out the top five at 16-over 156.

In the Boys 14 & Under Division, Dallas’s Dexter Zimmerman finishes runner up after losing in a playoff at 1-over par 141. Lantana’s Henry Jackson finishes third at 8-over par 148.

Golf Course: Iron Horse Golf Course, located in North Richland Hills, is hosting the Lanny Wadkins Junior Championship for the first time in the tournament’s 15-year history. Century-old oak, mesquite and cottonwood trees frame emerald Bermuda fairways and manicured greens, which traverse beneath a working railroad trestle – with numerous doglegs, two meandering creeks which come into play on 17 holes, and unique bunkering creating both strategic diversity and a breathtaking backdrop for golf. Adding to the charm and nostalgia of the course are three authentic caboose cars, which serve as on-course facilities.

Weather: Temperatures began in the low 80’s and did not creep into the 90’s until late in the afternoon. Players enjoyed cloud cover and a cool breeze in the morning as storms rolled through the opposite side of the DFW metro.

Tournament Format: The Lanny Wadkins Junior Championship is a 36-hole stroke play event for players ages 12-18 years old. Membership with a Texas Junior Golf Alliance Partner is required to play in Legends Junior Tour events.

Texas Junior Golf Alliance: The Alliance is a joint venture between the Texas Golf Association, Northern and Southern Texas PGA and Houston Golf Association. The goal of the Alliance was to allow junior golfers a clear path to the best tournaments in Texas. Each of the three tier-two organizations (STPGA, NTPGA, HGA) conduct events that serve as qualifiers into the statewide tier-one events run by the Legends Junior Tour (LJT). This allows players to compete in local events in which they can earn spots to play in statewide tournaments.

Player of the Year Points:  Garrett McMellon, Kaylee Yuan and Cameron Lewis all earned 1000 points in the Player of the Year Point Race.  Points are awarded at each tournament to the top half of each age division.

Next Up: The Legends Junior Tour heads to White Bluff Resort on July 24-26 for the 97^th Texas Junior Amateur. The 240-player field is split between four division: Boys, Girls, Boys 14 & Under and Girls 14 & Under. The Boys Division will play the New Course at White Bluff, while the Girls Division and both 14 & Under Divisions will play the Old Course at White Bluff.

For more information on the Lanny Wadkins Junior Championship, click here. To see all the scores from Iron Horse Golf Course, click here.

Goodnight, Yuan, and Zimmerman Lead at Lanny Wadkins Junior Championship

Briefly: Blake Goodnight of Dallas, TX, sits alone atop the Boys 15-18 Division of the Lanny Wadkins Junior Championship after shooting a solid 4-under 66 at Iron Horse Golf Club. Dexter Zimmerman, also of Dallas, holds a two shot lead in the Boys 14 & Under division at even-par 70. Finally, Kaylee Yuan of Joshua leads the Girls Division by six strokes after her 2-under-par 68 in round 1.

Tournament Leaderboard

In Contention: In the Boys 15-18 division, The Colony’s Jackson Vesper and Belton’s Chandler Cooke are tied for second after rounds of 3-under par 67. Garrett McMellon of Garland finds himself in solo fourth after a round of 2-under par 68. Grapevine’s Wylie Waldrip, Flint’s Braden Bergman, and Houston’s Ford Montgomery round out the top five after rounds of 1-under par 69.

In the Girls 12-18 Division, Prosper’s Lucy Kate Smith sits six shots back in second place after an opening round of 4-over par 74. Julia Sosa rounds out the second round’s final pairing in third place after a first round of 6-over par 76.

In the Boys 14 & Under Division, Dallas’ Cameron Lewis is in second place at 2-over par 72. Lantana’s Henry Jackson currently holds third at 3-over par 73, and Houston’s Freeman Woldert is in fourth at 7-over par 77.

Golf Course: Iron Horse Golf Course, located in North Richland Hills, is hosting the Lanny Wadkins Junior Championship for the first time in the tournament’s 15-year history. Century-old oak, mesquite and cottonwood trees frame emerald Bermuda fairways and manicured greens, which traverse beneath a working railroad trestle – with numerous doglegs, two meandering creeks which come into play on 17 holes, and unique bunkering creating both strategic diversity and a breathtaking backdrop for golf. Adding to the charm and nostalgia of the course are three authentic caboose cars, which serve as on-course facilities.

Weather: The weather for Monday’s first round began with cloud cover and temperatures in the mid 80’s. The clouds cleared out in the afternoon and temperatures reached the mid to upper 90’s.  Winds remained calm throughout the day, peaking around 10 mph.

Tournament Format: The Lanny Wadkins Junior Championship is a 36-hole stroke play event for players 12-18 years old. All players in the field are required to have an active membership with the Texas Junior Golf Alliance.

Texas Junior Golf Alliance: The Alliance is a joint venture between the Texas Golf Association, Northern and Southern Texas PGA and Houston Golf Association. The goal of the Alliance was to allow junior golfers a clear path to the best tournaments in Texas. Each of the three tier-two organizations (STPGA, NTPGA, HGA) conduct events that serve as qualifiers into the statewide tier-one events run by the Legends Junior Tour (LJT). This allows players to compete in local events in which they can earn spots to play in statewide tournaments.

Future Tournament Exemptions Available:

Boys Division: The top three (3) finishers in the Boy’s 15-18 Division will be awarded an exemption to play in the Texas Junior Amateur.  The Champion in the Boy’s 15-18 Division will earn exemptions to the George Hannon Junior Invitational, Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational, 2024 Texas Cup Invitational, 2024 Byron Nelson Junior Championship and the 2024 Bluebonnet Championship.

Boy’s 14 and Under Division: The Champion in the Boy’s 14 and under division will earn an exemption to play in the George Hannon Junior Invitational, Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational, and the 2024 Bluebonnet Invitational.

Girls Division: The Champion in the Girl’s Division will earn exemptions into the George Hannon Junior Invitational, Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational, 2024 Texas Girls’ Invitational, and the 2024 Bluebonnet Championship.

Player of the Year Points: 1000 points in the 2023 Player of the Year Point Race are up for grabs this weekend at the Winter Classic.  Points are awarded at each tournament to the top half of each age division.

Next Up: The Final Round is scheduled to begin at 7:30 am off the No. 1 tee on Tuesday, July 11. To see the pairings for the Final Round, click here.

For more information on the Lanny Wadkins Junior Championship, click here. To see all the scores from Iron Horse Golf Course, click here.