Waldrip, Madson, Jackson Win Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational

SUPHUR SPRINGS – Wylie Waldrip shot 4-under par 68 to win the Boys 15-18 Division of the weather shortened Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational at Sulphur Springs Country Club.  Lauren Madson won the Girls Division at 3-over par 75, while Henry Jackson won the Boys 14 & Under Division in a three-hole playoff, after finishing at 4-under par 68 for the tournament.

After the championship was converted to an 18-hole championship due to weather, Grapevine’s Wylie Waldrip notched a one stroke victory over Tomball’s Grayson Petru. Waldrip recorded five birdies and an eagle enroute to his round of 4-under 68, which included a crucial up and down to save par on the 18^th hole.

Trailing Waldrip was Tomball’s Grayson Petru who carded an impressive 3 under 69 in the tough conditions.  Dallas’s Deacon Dortch and Magnolia’s Aiden Wright finished tied for third at 2-under par, one stroke ahead of Dallas’s Nathan Zmolik in fifth place.

Mansfield’s Lauren Madson captured her first LJT victory of the year in a one-shot victory after posting 3-over par 75. Madson recorded birdies in the par 5 3^rd and par 5 11^th holes today.

Spring’s Darcy Wright, Tyler’s Sidney Robertson, and The Woodland’s Joann Bee finished tied for second and one shot off the lead at 4-over 76.  Houston’s Lauren Evans, McKinney’s Daniela Sitompul, and Frisco’s Grace Kalina all finished tied for fifth at 5-over 77.

Lantana’s Henry Jackson won the Boys 14 & Under Division in a playoff after 4-under 68. Jackson made three eagles and two birdies in his round on the day. Jackson bested Selma’s Aadi Parmar in a three hole playoff.  Dallas’s Luke Olive finishes in third after posting 2-under 70. Dallas’s JD Moore finishes in fourth at 1-under 71, and Spring’s Anthony Butt rounds out the top five at even par 72.

2023 Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational Leaderboard

The Course: Sulphur Springs Country Club is hosting the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational for the second 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: The course received 5” of rain early Saturday morning and consistent showers throughout the day forced play to be cancelled. After being converted to an 18-hole championship, players battled through another ½” of rain fall Sunday morning and temperatures ranging in the low 50’s to high 40’s.

About the Event: The Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational is the final event on the Legends Junior Tour schedule for 2023 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 Eagle’s Bluff Country Club in Bullard on Nov. 11-12. 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 30th. The South Team has won the cup the past two years.

Player of the Year Winners:  Congratulations to the Boys 15-18 Division Player of the Year, Garland’s Garrett McMellon. Joshua’s Kaylee Yuan ran away with the Girls Division Player of the Year honors by posting 4 victories in 6 events this year. Selma’s Aadi Parmar used a runner up finish this weekend to hang onto the Boys 14 & Under Player of the Year honors. Full POY Standings can be viewed here.

For more information on the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational, click here.

Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational Set for October 28-29 

SULPHUR SPRINGS – The Legends Junior Tour’s Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational will take place at Sulphur Springs Country Club for the second consecutive year. The 36-hole tournament is set for its fifth edition this coming weekend October 28-29. 

Sulphur Springs Country Club is a one-of-a-kind 18-hole par-72 golf course that scenically winds through the Sulphur Springs Country Club community. This layout surrounds the clubhouse and displays an array of beautiful holes that will challenge every golfer’s skill level. The course and practice areas are very well maintained and entice golfers in from all over East Texas. 

“The Legends Junior Tour is excited to take the TJGA Invitational back to Sulphur Springs,” LJT Tournament Manager Adam Schulte said. “The field of players is strong, and we are excited to see some competitive golf.” 

The Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational was first played at Eagle Pointe Golf Club in Mont Belvieu, TX from 2019-2020. In 2021 the event was played at Tempest GC. 

The Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational is restricted to players with an active membership with the TJGA with the majority of players earning exemptions through North and South Texas PGA events, as well as LJT events. The tournament will be competed in three divisions, Girls 12-18, Boys 14 & Under, and Boys 15-18.  

Prosper’s Ryan Shellberg captured the Boys 15-18 championship in 2022 with a three-under-par 141. Ryan Lee from College Station won the Boys 14 & Under division shooting four-over for the tournament, and Southlake’s Chiara Brambilla won the Girls Division by an impressive eight strokes after a 2-under 142 total over 36 holes. 

While Garland’s Garrett McMellon has locked up the Boys 15-18 Player of the Year race and Kaylee Yuan has locked up the Girls 12-18 Player of the Year honors, we have a tight race in the Boys 14 & Under Division that will conclude this weekend. It will come down to two players – Selma’s Aadi Parmar and Lantana’s Henry Jackson. 

Along with competing for LJT Player of the Points players will be competing for exemptions into LJT events like next year’s Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship, George Hannon Junior Invitational and other invitational events.  

You can view the pairings by clicking here. The final round pairings will be redrawn according to scores from the first round and will begin Sunday at 8:00 am. 

For more information on the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational, click here. 

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.

TJGAI Leaderboard

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.

Shellberg, Brambilla and Lee Lead at the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational

Briefly: Ryan Shellberg shot a 1 under par round of 71 in the opening round of the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational and leads the Boys Division. Chiara Brambilla leads the Girls Division, while Ryan (Woojin) Lee leads the Boys 14 & Under Division at Sulphur Springs Country Club. All of the players in the field fought windy conditions throughout the day with winds gusting as high as 40 mph.

2022 Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational Leaderboard

Boy’s Division: Prosper’s Ryan Shellberg made 3 birdies and an eagle en route to a 1 under par 71 and a one-shot lead over Fair Oaks Ranches Phoenix Guerra. Included in a three-way tie for third is Richmond’ s Eli Walker Campbell, San Antonios’s Matt Pawley and Austin’s Trenton Mierl, all finishing at 1 over par 73. Mierl currently sits in the second spot in the LJT Player of the Year standings and is looking for a solid finish to overtake Conner Henry in this season’s final points event and earn Player of the Year Honors. Four players are tied for 6th at 2 over par and in all there are 14 total players within 4 shots of the lead.

Girls Division: Southlake’s Chiara Brambilla made 5 birdies in her round, and they seemed to come in bunches as she made 3 consecutive on holes 3, 4 and 5 and then two more on holes 10 and 11. Chiara posted the only under par round of the day and finishing at 1 under par 71. Chiara is looking for her first victory of the year on the LJT and will start Sunday’s final round with a 4-shot lead over Cypresses Jasmine Do. Edmond, Oklahoma’s Evyn Cannon and Tyler’s Sidney Robertson sit in a tie for third at 5 over par.

Boys 14 and Under Division: Ryan Lee from College Station holds a two-stroke lead in the Boys 14 & Under Division after fighting through the windy conditions to post 2 over par 74. Ryan is looking to break through for his first LJT win of the year after finishing 2nd, 2nd and 3rd in his last three tournaments. Houston’s Austin Le and Sulphur Spring’s own Nick Burney sit in a tie for 2nd at 4 over par. Four different players are tied for 4th at 5 over par going into the final round.

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.

Weather: The temperatures started in the mid 60’s on Saturday reaching a high of 85 in the afternoon under partly sunny skies. The winds were the story of the day as the golfers experienced sustained winds of 20 mph with gusts up to 40 mph.

About the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational: The Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational is the final event on the Legends Junior Tour schedule for 2022 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.

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 Final Round of the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational is scheduled for Sunday at 8:00 am. Tee times will go off the No. 1 & 10 tees in the morning and the champions will be crowned once play has finished that afternoon.

For more information on the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational, click here.

Tan, Barber and Tiet Win Alliance Invitational

GLADEWATER – Andrew Tan shot 5-under 67 in the final round and wins the Boys 15-18 Division of the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational at Tempest Golf Club. Savannah Barber won the Girls 12-18 Division at 2-over, while Aiden Tiet won the Boys 14 & Under Division in a playoff.

Austin’s Tan completed his wire-to-wire victory with rounds of 65-67 to get to 12-under overall and seven strokes ahead of the field. This is Tan’s second consecutive victory with the Legends Junior Tour after capturing the James A. Ragan Memorial earlier this month.

Trailing Tan was Sam Dossey of Austin and Noah McWilliams of Benton, La. at 5-under overall. Trevor Algya of Highland Village and Kevin Mu of Austin finished tied for fourth at 2-under, while Shaunak Nair finished sixth at 1-under and Eli Walker Campbell finished seventh at even-par.

Fort Worth’s Barber captured her first victory with the Legends Junior Tour this year after rounds of 75-71 to get to 2-over 146 overall. Barber, who paired with Alexa Saldana to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship earlier this year at Maridoe Golf Club, made four birdies in the final round, including the par-3 fourth and the par-5 sixth.

Dallas’ Sophie Biediger and Cedar Park’s Jiyu Han finished tied for second in the Girls 12-18 Division at 3-over. Both players were tied for the lead following the first round. Spicewood’s Emma Von Hoffmann finished fourth at 5-over and Mexico’s Saldana finished fifth at 6-over.

Garland’s Tiet won the Boys 14 & Under Division after shooting 2-under 70 in the final round and making a par on the first sudden-death playoff hole. Tiet overtook first round leader Coltrane Mittag in the playoff, which was held on the par-3 seventh. This was Tiet’s first win with the Legends Junior Tour.

Mittag finished runner-up after falling short in a playoff with rounds of 70-72 to get to 2-under 142 overall. Selma’s Shiv Parmar finished third at 1-over, while Houston’s Austin Le finished fourth and Elijah Estonilo and Kuan Zhou finished tied for fifth.

Tempest Golf Club hosted the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational for the first time. Located in Gladewater, which is just outside of Tyler, Tempest Golf Club was opened in 2018 and the par-72 layout is a distinct look with it’s tall pine trees and hilly terrain. Jeffrey Brauer designed the course, which has now hosted USGA Qualifying as well as collegiate events in the short time it’s been open.

Temperatures crept up to the high 70s on Sunday but winds were still calm out of the north ranging around five miles per hour. Conditions were perfect despite a chill in the air each morning.

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.

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.

The Legends Junior Tour stays out east as the Jackie Burke Cup comes to Willow Brook Country Club on Nov. 13-14. 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, Nov. 1. The North has won or held the cup for the last seven years.

For more information on the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational, click here.

Tan Shoots 65 and Leads Alliance Invitational

GLADEWATER – Andrew Tan fires a 7-under 65 in the opening round of the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational and leads the Boys Division. Sophie Biediger and Jiyu Han are tied atop the Girls Division, while Coltrane Mittag leads the Boys 14 & Under Division at Tempest Golf Club.

Austin’s Tan continued his stellar play on the Legends Junior Tour by making eight birdies to one bogey in his first 18 holes. The Louisville commit is coming off a win at the James A. Ragan Memorial and seeking his second of the season as he currently sits third in the Player of the Year standings.

Trailing Tan in the Boys Division is Brooks Simmons of Dallas and Noah McWilliams of Benton, La. at 3-under, while Austin’s Kevin Mu and Sam Dossey are tied for fourth at 2-under. Dossey is the current leader in the Boys 15-18 Division Player of the Year Standings.

Cedar Park’s Han came into the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational as the leader of the Girls 12-18 Division Player of the Year standings and looks for her second win after capturing the Fall Challenge last month. Han made two birdies with no bogeys on Saturday and is tied with Dallas’ Biediger, who made a birdie on the par-4 18^th to get to 2-under. Biediger is also seeking her second win of the season with the LJT.

McKinney’s Jenna Madden joins the leaders in the final group on Sunday after shooting 2-over 74 at Tempest. Fort Worth’s Savannah Barber sits in fourth at 3-over, while Houston’s Cathilyn Lee is in fifth at 5-over.

Mittag holds a two-stroke lead in the Boys 14 & Under Division after the Nebraska native made five birdies, including back-to-back birdies on the par-5 10^th and the par-4 11^th. Mittag looks to win his first LJT event on Sunday with two runner-up finishes already under his belt this year.

Garland’s Aiden Tiet trails Mittag at even-par and they are joined by Brooks Harper of Dallas in the final group on Sunday. Selma’s Shiv Parmar is coming off a win at the James A. Ragan Memorial and is fourth at 2-over, while three players are tied for fifth at 3-over.

Tempest Golf Club is hosting the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational for the first time. Located in Gladewater, which is just outside of Tyler, Tempest Golf Club was opened in 2018 and the par-72 layout is a distinct look with it’s tall pine trees and hilly terrain. Jeffrey Brauer designed the course, which has now hosted USGA Qualifying as well as collegiate events in the short time it’s been open.

The temperatures started in the 40s on Saturday, but crept into the 70s in the afternoon to make for a near-perfect day. The winds remained calm around five miles per hour out of the north.

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.

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.

The Final Round of the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational is scheduled for Sunday at 8:00 am. Tee times will go off the No. 1 & 10 tees in the morning and the champions will be crowned once play has finished that afternoon.

For more information on the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational, click here.

Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational Set for October 30-31

TEMPEST – The Legends Junior Tour’s Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational moves to Tempest Golf Club after spending the last two years at Eagle Pointe Golf Club. The 36-hole tournament is set for the weekend of October 30-31.

Tempest Golf Club is rated the #1 golf course in East Texas and a Top 50 course in the state. Tempest tabbed architect Jeffrey Brauer to reinvent the course in 2016 with renovations being completed in 2018. Since reopening in 2018 Tempest has hosted a USGA Amateur qualifier as well as the annual Tempest Intercollegiate Division III golf tournament.

“The Legends Junior Tour is excited to take the TJGA Invitational to east Texas,” LJT Tournament Manager Adam Schulte said. “The field of players is strong and we are excited to see some competitive golf.”

The Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational was first played in 2019 at Eagle Pointe Golf Club in Mont Belvieu, TX and the event returned to Eagle Pointe in 2020.

The Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational is restricted to players with an active membership with the TJGA with the majority of players earning exemptions through North and South Texas PGA events, as well as LJT events. The tournament will be competed in three divisions, Girls 12-18, Boys 14 & Under, and Boys 15-18.

Colleyville’s Kevin Watts captured the Boys 15-18 championship in 2020 with a two-under-par 140. Jason Shwartz from Bellaire, TX won the Boys 14 & Under division shooting even for the tournament, and Lauren Nguyen of Katy, TX won the Girls Division also shooting even par.

Watts, Shwartz, and Nguyen joined the short list of champions with 2019’s champions Henry Frizzell, Daniel Zou, and Elina Sinz.

Along with competing for LJT Player of the Points players will be competing for exemptions into LJT events like next year’s Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship, George Hannon Junior Invitational and other invitational events.

Tee Times for the first round will be published on the TXGA website on Friday, October 29. You can view the pairings by clicking here. The final round pairings will be redrawn according to scores from the first round and will begin Sunday at 8:00 am.

For more information on the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational, click here.