News

Preston Stout Repeats as Champion of the 23rd Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship

Dallas – Preston Stout officially repeated as champion on Thursday at the 23rd Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship. The Richardson J.J. Pearce High School senior finished the 54-hole championship with a 7-under-par 206 total and defeated Henry Guan of Irving in a one-hole sudden death playoff. 

Stout posted a bogey-free final round 4-under 67. Unlike last year, the Oklahoma State commit, who won the 2021 Championship wire-to wire, trailed in each of his first two rounds. Early during Thursday’s final round Stout trailed by as many as three strokes, but he proceeded to roll in four birdies over his last 13 holes including one on his final hole to earn a spot in the playoff.

“It was a little more stressful at the end than it was last year,” Stout said. “But I think it’s always good to be in pressure situations. It means a little more to win two years in a row.”

In the one-hole sudden death playoff both Stout and Guan hit their drives into the middle of the fairway. They again matched each other with nearly identical approach shots to 15 feet from the hole. Guan’s putt came up just short as he made par and set the stage for Stout. Having just seen Guan’s putt, Stout stepped up and drained the birdie putt that was followed by an emphatic fist pump.

“There were some nerves there for sure,” Stout said. “Over that final putt I hadn’t made a putt all day so I was just like ‘one time please’.”

Stout joins an elite company of repeat winners after Thursday’s round, including three-time professional major champion Jordan Spieth who won the Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship three consecutive years from 2008-10. Spieth set Lakewood’s competitive course scoring record in 2009 with a second-round score of 62.

“It feels great, yeah it’s a big accomplishment,” Stout said. “It’s of course what I wanted to do coming into this week. It gives me a chance to go tie (Spieth’s) record next year so that’s exciting.”

Other past winners include Charlie Holland (2004), Cody Gribble (2007), Luke Dossey (2017) and Pierceson Coody (2018). 

Stout’s birdie putt on the playoff hole was met with a loud roar from the crowd that had assembled behind the green. Finishes like these have led the Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship to be considered the top junior boys’ tournament in Texas, if not the whole southwest region of the country. With his victory, Stout earned an exemption into the 113th Texas Amateur, set for June 16-19 at Willow Brook Country Club. 

Lakewood Country Club has hosted the tournament every year since its creation in 2000, except for two years during course renovations. Lakewood has continuously supported the TGA and its efforts to support junior golfers.

The LJT Staff extends a big thank you to Lakewood, its members and staff, as well as the LJT volunteers, who all played important roles in creating a fantastic championship week.

For more on the 2022 Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship, click here.

News

Algya Maintains Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship Lead

DALLAS – Trevor Algya of Highland Village maintained his lead at 4-under in the Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Jr. Championship. He finished his second round at Lakewood Country Club with a 1-over 72, ending the day with a one-stroke lead.

Algya started his day smoothly with a 2-under front nine, thanks to birdies on the par-4 1st hole and par-5 9th hole. On his back nine, Algya produced four bogeys that set him back a couple of shots, but not enough to take him out of the lead.

“I didn’t execute some shots that I should have,” said Algya of his back nine struggles. “My putter wasn’t working as well today as it was yesterday.”

Algya still remains positive heading into Thursday’s final round.

“Solid tee shots and landing spots on greens is my mindset throughout the whole tournament, especially for tomorrow,” Algya says of his game plan for the final round of the championship.

As Algya sits alone in first, there are 5 players tied for 2nd. Henry Guan, Andrew Petruzzelli, Ben Delarosa, Preston Stout, and Kevin Mu all sit at 3-under par total.

Defending champion, Preston Stout of Richardson, carded a 1-over par 72 today in the second round.

Stout was steady throughout his day by going 3-under through 14 holes. He then proceeded to go 4-over in his last four holes.

“I am not too happy about that,” says Stout about his finishing holes. “But that’s how it goes sometimes.”

Stout made an electric eagle by driving the green on the par-4 16th hole.

“The hole was downwind so I ripped my driver to 20-feet,” the Oklahoma State commit recounts. “I was able to just one-putt for eagle, so that was nice.”

Lakewood Country Club’s very own member Andrew Petruzzelli was on fire today as he carded the round of the day with a 5-under 66.

Petruzzelli finished his front nine one-under par and was able to finish his back nine strong.

“I just stayed patient all day,” Petruzzelli said. “The ball kept dropping in.”

Petruzzelli indeed had the ball dropping as he made 7 birdies total in the second round.

“I was wedging it close and pretty much made everything,” he says.

The TCU commit knows this course well as he has been a member at Lakewood for a while.

“I have been here my whole life,” Petruzzelli said. “I’m out here every day and glad to be a member here.”

Sitting alone in 7th is Waco’s Brayden Bare at 2-under par. Bare carded an even-par 71 today in the second round.

A trio of players are tied for 8th at 1-under par. Nicholas Logis, Jake Maggert, and Brooks Simmons are all just three shots back of the lead.

The field was cut to the low 30 players and tee times will begin Thursday morning at 8:00 am. For more information on the Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Jr. Championship, click here.

News

Trevor Algya Leads Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship

DALLAS – Trevor Algya from Highland Village birdied his final hole Tuesday at Lakewood Country Club to take a one-shot lead after one round at the 2022 Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship. Algya, a recent graduate and incoming freshman at Loyola Marymount University, shot a 5-under-par 66 that included a bogey-free scorecard.

“I’m feeling pretty awesome,” Algya said of his first round. “A bogey-free round today and my caddie was great. We had a plan to every hole and stuck to it.”

Plan executed through 18 holes at Lakewood Country Club. Algya began his round on the back nine and immediately birdied his first hole, the par-4 10th. Algya tacked on a birdie on the par-4 18th and made the turn bogey-free and 2-under par. He made three more birdies on his second nine.

“I’ve played in this tournament the past two years,” said Algya, who finished T9 in the 2021 Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship. “The course is great and in great condition, so I’m excited for tomorrow.”

Sitting one shot back in solo second is defending champion Preston Stout. The incoming senior from Richardson put together another great round at Lakewood Country Club with a 4-under 67.

“I hit it really well and wedged it well too,” Stout said of beginning his title defense. “I could’ve made a few more putts, but 4-under is still a solid round.”

Stout sits a stroke ahead of a trio of players. Brooks Simmons of Dallas, Jaivir Pande of Houston, and Austin Hofferkamp of The Woodlands all shot 3-under 68 on Tuesday.

Two players share sixth place at 2-under 69. Brayden Bare from Waco and Noah Holtzman of Wichita, Kansas are all just three shots behind Algya headed into Wednesday’s second round of the prestigious 54-hole championship.

Seven players sit tied for eighth at 1-under par as the rest of the field chases a piece of Texas golf history.

For the second time in tournament history, the LJT conducted a Monday Qualifier for the final four spots into the 84-player field. Price Hill from Boerne won the Qualifier with an even-par 71. Luke D’Alise from Lubbock (+1), Logan Zurn from Grapevine (+2) and Parker Heath from Dallas (+3) also qualified for the championship on Monday.

The Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship has received registration entries from more than 350 juniors from across the state in each of the past few years.

“We decided to continue the Monday Qualifier this year because of the demand for entries,” said Kevin Porter, the TGA’s Director of Competitions for North Texas. “We also had a lot of positive feedback regarding the qualifier last year.”

Hill, who won the Qualifier, put himself in solid position heading into the rest of the event. In Tuesday’s first round he shot a 2-over 73 and sits in a tie for 37th.

Round 2 of the Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship starts Wednesday at 8 a.m. For more information, including complete scoring, click here.

Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship

Lakewood Country Club

June 7-9, 2022



TOURNAMENT LEADERBOARD

News

Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship Set for June 7-9 

DALLAS – The Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship, the most prestigious all-boys junior event in the state, is set for June 7-9 at Lakewood Country Club in Dallas.   

“We’re excited to be back at Lakewood Country Club for yet another incredible year,” said Kevin Porter, the TGA’s Director of Competitions for North Texas. “Each year this field continues to get stronger. This year will include four players that will earn their spots through a Monday qualifier for the second time. And we are excited to welcome back two past champions to the field as well.” 

Veritex Community Bank, one of the leading financial institutions in Texas, is the title sponsor for the fourth consecutive year. Longtime Lakewood Country Club member and Veritex Bank CEO/President Malcolm Holland was a part of a small group that created the Byron Nelson Junior Championship in 1999. Veritex Bank is excited to be a part of this monumental tournament and just renewed its’ agreement as title sponsor for this event for three more years. 

“Veritex Bank is honored to be associated with such a prestigious junior championship,” Holland said. “We are committed to serving the game, promoting junior golf and hosting an excellent championship for everyone involved.”  

For the 22nd time Lakewood Country Club will serve as host to the prestigious junior event. Opened in 1912, Lakewood was designed by Tom Bendelow, a Scottish architect whose tremendous career included north of 400 golf courses. In 1947, Texan Ralph Plummer redesigned the layout. In 1995, the team of Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore completed a facelift of Lakewood and then again in 2014. The par-71 layout plays from 6,750 yards and features Bermuda fairways and bentgrass greens.  

Throughout the years, the Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship has crowned many worthy champions including Jordan Spieth, who won three times from 2008-10. Ryan Grider, the 2020 Texas Amateur Champion, and Pierceson Coody, part of the recent Texas Longhorn National Champion Team, are also past champions of this event.  

Along with those players, fellow past champions include Ryan Baca (2000-01), Alex Moon (2006), Eric Durbin (2005), Vincent Martino (2011), Justin Fraley (2002), Levi Valadez (2016) and Luke Dossey (2017). Past Champions Gaven Lane (2019) and Preston Stout (2021) are in this year’s field and looking to repeat as champions. 

Preston Stout won last year after leading wire-to-wire. He posted 6-under par for the tournament and claimed the title by two shots. 

The 84-player field will play 54 holes of stroke play competition. After 36 holes, the field is cut to the low 30 players and ties for the final round. The tournament is World Amateur Golf, Golfweek and Junior Golf Scoreboard ranked. Numerous AJGA performance stars will be handed out to the top finishers, including “Fully Exempt” status.  

For the second year in a row 42 players will compete for four spots in the Championship via an 18-hole qualifier on June 6.   

For more information on the Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship, click here 

 

Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship

Lakewood Country Club

June 7-9



TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS


Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship

Lakewood Country Club
June 7-9

General Information

Date: June 7-9, 2022
Host Club: Lakewood Country Club
Address: 6430 Gaston Ave, Dallas, TX 75214
Phone: (214) 821-1491
Tournament Director: Kevin Porter

Entry & Eligibility Information

Entries Open: February 2, 2022 @ 9:00 AM
Entries Close: May 18, 2022 @ 5:00 PM

Entry Fee: $325

Eligibility: This is a boys-only event. Players must have a current membership with a member of the Texas Junior Golf Alliance. Players can renew or sign up with the Northern Texas PGA or the Southern Texas PGA membership to be eligible.

Entry Procedure: Players with exemptions will be added to the field leading up to the Registration Deadline. Players that sign up without exemptions will be placed on a waiting list and put into the field following the deadline and based on available spots.

Championship Information

Format/Field Size: Play will be contested over 54 holes of stroke play. The field is limited to 84 players.

Divisions: Boys

Practice Round Information: The official practice round is Monday, June 6. Players can email Kevin Porter ([email protected]) to request a practice round time between 11:00 am and 2:30 pm. Practice round pairings will be made in groups of four off the No. 1 tee. 

Monday Qualifying: The final spots of the field will be determined by a qualifier held at Lakewood Country Club. Registration for the Monday Qualifier will open on Friday, May 20 at 9:00 am. Players will not be permitted practice rounds for the qualifier. Please do not contact the club asking about practice rounds. Caddies are permitted for the qualifier and players are responsible for providing their own caddie and it cannot be the players' parent or legal guardian.

Registration Information: Players can check in with the Registration Tent outside the golf shop on Monday, June 6 from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm to receive tee gifts. Any players not able to register before their practice round must notify the Tournament Director and can pick up their gifts in scoring following the first round.

Starting Times/Pairings Information: Starting times/pairings for the first and second rounds will be available Friday, June 3. Final round starting times/pairings will be available in the evening preceding play (approximately one hour after the completion of play). There will be a cut to the low 30 players and ties following the second round. Final round starting times/pairings will be re-drawn based on total score following the previous rounds of play.

Caddies: Caddies are permitted for the championship. Players are responsible for providing their own caddie for the event and the caddie cannot be the player’s parent or legal guardian.

Cancellation/Withdrawal Procedure: Players may withdraw themselves from the field and receive a refund up until 10 days before the first round. If you need to withdraw, please contact the Tournament Director and they will instruct you on how to complete the WD. For full refund details, please reference the LJT Competition Policies.

Transportation: Players and caddies will be required to walk during the competition, unless acting under the direction of an LJT Rules Official. Non-motorized push/pull carts will be permitted during the championship.

Spectator Carts: Spectator carts are not allowed at the Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship. Spectators with a handicap placard can email Kevin Porter ([email protected]) to request a cart for the tournament rounds. Carts will not be permitted on Monday, June 6.

Rules of Golf

The Championship will be contested under the 2019 Rules of Golf as approved by the United States Golf Association and R&A, its interpretations and clarifications, 2022 Legends Junior Tour Local Rules and Terms of Competition and any local rules give to the player on their first tee. For information on rules, visit the TGA Rules of Golf Hub.



Wednesday, February 2
 9:00 AM - Registration Opens

Wednesday, May 18
 5:00 PM - Registration Closes

Friday, June 3
 3:00 PM - Pairings Released

Monday, June 6
 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM - Monday Qualifying
 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM - Player Registration
 11:00 AM - 2:30 PM - Practice Rounds
 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM - Lunch Available

Tuesday, June 7
 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM - Round 1 Tee Times off No. 1 & 10
 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM - Lunch Available

Wednesday, June 8
 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM - Round 2 Tee Times off No. 1 & 10
 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM - Lunch Available
 5:00 PM - Field Cut to Low 30 players and ties

Thursday, June 9
 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM - Final Round Tee Times off No. 1
 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM - Lunch Available

A) Past Champions: Gaven Lane, Preston Stout

B) Top 10 – 2021 Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship: Jase Summy, Ty Holbrook, Matthew Comegys, Zachary Kingsland, Ben Gregg, Ben Delarosa, Henry Guan

C) Top 5 – 2021 Texas Junior Amateur: Aaron pounds

D) Top 5 – 2022 Texas Cup Invitational: Connor Henry, Parker Sands, Brooks Harper, Chandler Cooke, Holden Webb, Elijah Galvan, David Martinez

E) Top 3 – 2022 Bluebonnet Championship: Grant Yerger, Trenton Mierl

F) Top 3 – 2021 George Hannon Junior Invitational: Sam Dossey, Eyan Edsall

G) Top 3 – 2021 Collegiate Preview: Trevor Algya, Reese Roberts

H) Top 3 – 2021 Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational: Andrew Tan, Noah McWilliams

I) Champion – 2022 Winter Classic: Sam Jenkins

J) Champion – 2022 Jimmy Demaret Junior Classic: Sterling Hurd

K) Champion – 2022 Spring Preview: Byungho Lee

L) 2021 LJT Tournament Champions Post ’21 VBBNJC: Grant Doggett, Matthew Foster, Preston Cooper, Palmer Valdez

N) 2021 Boys 14 & Under Player of the Year: Rhett O’Rear

O) 2022 Boys 14 & Under Points Leader (through Bluebonnet Championship): Jack Clancy

P) 2021 Texas Junior Amateur Champion (Boys 14 & Under): Austin Hofferkamp

Q) Top 10 – 2022 Junior Golf Scoreboard Class (through February 2 and Texas only): Jacob Sosa, Garrett Endicott, Keaton Vo, Kaelen Dulany, Christian Clark, Tomek Pickrell

R) Top 10 – 2023 Junior Golf Scoreboard Class (through February 2 and Texas only): Thomas Morrison, Jack Usner, Ethan Fang, Alex Papayoanou, Kistoffer Kuvaas, Jack Gilbert

T) NTPGA: Austin Hofferkamp, Jackson Vesper, Grant Baer, Aiden Tiet, Hunter Millsap, Jack Beauchamp, Noah Holtzman, Braylon Mahanay, Andrew Petruzzelli, Samuel Pampling, Lucas Latimer, Martin Kemp, Gage Gallo, Blake Taylor

U) STPGA: Mitchell Maier, Jaivir Pande, Brennan Young, Wes Helmer, Jaxon Bandelier, Esteban Gonzalez, Asher Vargas, Abhay Duggal, Kevin Mu, Corbin Null, Ian Immenschuh, Nicholas Logis, Maximus Cavasos, Jake Mayer, Whit Bartlett, Armond Walker

V) Host Club Exemptions: Gage Doyle, Harrison Carter, Hayes Carter

W) Sponsor / Special Exemptions: Mac McKenzie, Luke Harper

X) Committee Selected International Players: Francisco Solorza, Andres Rodriguez, Aaron Martin Del Campo

The LJT reserves the right to select players to be in the field. Exempt players must enter by the published deadline or they will lose their spot in the field.


News

Stout Crowned Champion of the 2021 Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship

Dallas – Preston Stout officially claimed his wire-to-wire victory Thursday at the 22nd Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship. The Richardson J.J. Pearce High School junior finished the 54-hole championship with a 6-under-par 207 total and won by two strokes over runner-up Jase Summy from Keller.

Playing from the lead since the first round, Stout posted a 1-over 72 in the final round. Near the midway point of final 18 holes, Stout led by as many as four shots, but that advantage shrunk to two as he traversed the final two holes at historic Lakewood Country Club. Stout persevered and handled the challenges thrown his way thanks to a good attitude and strong mental game.

“There’s so many great players out here, so it took a lot out of me to stay in it,” Stout said. “I didn’t have my best stuff today, but I was able to stay in it.”

Stout got off to a strong start Thursday morning with back-to-back birdies on the second and third holes. He wobbled shortly after with two front-nine bogies, but a birdie on the par-5 ninth hole allowed him to turn at 1-under for the day.

As it did for Stout in the second round, the back nine started out a little shaky. This time, Stout took a double bogey on the par-4 10th hole. He was able to get one stroke back with a birdie three holes later. Holding a three-shot lead with two holes to play, Stout bogeyed the par-5 17th hole. With his two-shot cushion, he made a routine par on his 54th hole of the tournament to clench the 2021 Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship victory.

Stout joins an elite group of winners after Thursday’s round, including three-time professional major champion Jordan Spieth who won the Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship three consecutive years from 2008-10. Spieth set Lakewood’s competitive course scoring record in 2009 with a second-round score of 62.

“It feels great, a lot of great players have won this tournament,” Stout said. “It feels good to add myself to the list.”

Other past winners include Charlie Holland (2004), Cody Gribble (2007), Luke Dossey (2017) and Pierceson Coody (2018). 

These prominent names have led the Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship to be considered the premier junior boys’ tournament in Texas, if not the entire southwest region of the country. With his victory, Stout earned an exemption into the 112th Texas Amateur, set for June 17-20 at Midland Country Club.

Save for two years during course renovations, Lakewood Country Club has hosted the tournament every year since its creation in 2000. Built by architect Thomas Bendelow in 1912, Lakewood has continuously supported the TGA and its efforts to support junior golfers.

In 2017, Lakewood hosted three of the TGA’s major events: the 108th Texas Amateur, U.S. Open Final Qualifying and the Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship. All of these prestigious events were hosted by the club in a short, frantic three-week span.

Back in 1944, Byron Nelson won the Texas Victory Open at Lakewood Country Club. The win at Lakewood was Nelson’s catalyst that resulted in a 26-win streak over the course of two golf seasons, including his run of 11 straight wins in 1945.

The Texas Victory Open was eventually renamed the Byron Nelson Championship, which is the ninth longest-running tournament on the PGA Tour and certainly one of the most competitive and is greatly celebrated by golf fans nation-wide.

The competitors in the 2021 Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship are members of the Texas Junior Golf Alliance, 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.  

The LJT Staff extends its sincere gratitude to Lakewood, its members and staff, as well as the LJT volunteers, who all played integral roles in creating a memorable championship week.

For more on the 2021 Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship, click here.

News

Stout Maintains Veritex Byron Nelson Junior Championship Lead

DALLAS – Preston Stout, a rising junior from J. J. Pierce High School in Richardson, closed Round 2 on Wednesday at the Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship with an eagle on No. 17 and a birdie on No. 18 at Lakewood Country Club. Stout finished with a 2-under-par 69 to extend his overall lead and total score to 7-under 135 for the tournament.  

Stout took off early in the round, carding three birdies to shoot a to 3-under on his front nine. His score soared to 8-under, but Wednesday’s round wasn’t without its battles. On his back nine, Stout stumbled with four bogeys; suddenly he was 1-over par through 16 holes on his second round.

“I had a little trouble reading some of those putts early on the back nine,” Stout said of his early back-nine struggles. “I lost a couple iron shots to the right and couldn’t get up and down.”

Stout fought back, however, and answered with an eagle on 488-yard, par-5 17th hole.

“I hit a really good drive down there and had about 175 yards in,” Stout said. “I hit a cut 7-iron to about 6 feet and made the putt.”

With the momentum coming off 17, Stout then birdied the final hole at Lakewood, a 416-yard rollercoaster of a par 4. Stout said he never gave up and trusted his game.

“I just told myself to stay in it, you’re always in the golf tournament,” Stout said. “There were a lot of holes left to play. I just tried to stay in it and hit some good golf shots coming down the stretch.”

Stout said he plans to get in some more practice later today and then rest for the final round tomorrow.

“I’ll get a good night’s rest and be ready to come to play tomorrow,” Stout said.

That’s a good thing, too, because Keller’s Jase Summy is just two shots back from Stout. Summy fired a 4-under 67 in the second round to climb to 5-under 137 for the tournament.

“Nothing’s really going to change from what I did today,” Summy said regarding his final round game plan. “I just have to play smart and hit more smart shots.”

Sharing third place through two rounds of the 54-hole championship are Ben Gregg from Dallas and Plano’s Matthew Comegys. They both grinded Wednesday to finish at 4-under 138. Gregg shot 1-under 70 in the second round; Comegys came in 3-under 68.

Not far behind and tied for 5th place at 139 are Ben Delarosa from Dallas and Jack Beauchamp of Westlake.

Thirty-five players survived the championship’s 36-hole cut at 4-over 146. They’ll get going for the Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship’s final round Thursday at 8 a.m. For more information, including complete scoring, click here.

News

Preston Stout Leads Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Championship

DALLAS – Preston Stout from Richardson birdied his final hole Tuesday at Lakewood Country Club to take a one-shot lead after one round at the 2021 Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship. Stout, an incoming junior at J.J. Pearce High School, shot a 5-under-par 66 that included an eagle-2 on the par-4 13th hole.

“I’m trying to win the golf tournament,” Stout said of his expectations for the week. “I’ve been hitting the ball well lately, so I was hoping to keep the good ball-striking going.”

Mission accomplished though 18 holes. Stout began his round on the back nine and quickly birdied his first hole, the par-4 10th. After the eagle on No. 13, Stout added a birdie on the par-5 17th and made the turn bogey-free and 4-under par. He made two more birdies on his second nine, offset by his lone bogey on the 211-yard, par-3 fifth hole.

“I kept it in the fairway and hit a lot of greens,” said Stout, who finished T39 in the 2020 Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship. “I like this course because it’s tight, and I’m pretty straight off the tee. It’s a nice course, a lot of fun to play.”

Stout came into the championship riding a heater of momentum. He won the American Junior Golf Association’s Carolina Trace Junior in late March. In early May, Stout was victorious at the TaylorMade Junior Open at Texas Rangers Golf Course in Arlington. A couple weeks after that, he finished as a runner-up in UIL Class 6A Individual State Championships.

Stout leads a pair of Austin juniors, Andrew Tan and Zachary Kingsland. They both shot 4-under 67 on Tuesday. Tan, a junior at Vandegrift High School, poured in six birdies on Lakewood’s pure rolling bentgrass greens. Kingsland, a junior at Westlake High School, also made six birdies in the first round. Kingsland in May helped lead Westlake to its fourth consecutive (and 11th overall) UIL Class 6A state championship with an 18-shot victory at Legacy Hills Golf Club in Georgetown.

Three players share fourth place at 3-under 68. Ben Gregg from Dallas, Ty Holbrook from Granbury and Westy McCabe from Dallas are all just two shots behind Stout headed into Wednesday’s second round of the celebrated 54-hole championship.

As it has been virtually all year, weather was a factor on Tuesday. After nearly 2 inches of rain fell on Monday, and another half inch on Tuesday morning, the Legends Junior Tour staff moved back first round tee times by 30 minutes, but another 30-minute delay was needed to let the course dry out.

Lakewood has received more than 10 inches of rain since May 1.

For the first time in tournament history, the LJT conducted a Monday Qualifier for the final four spots into the 90-player field. Elijah Estonilo from Allen won the Qualifier with a 2-under 69. Matthew Foster from Dallas (-1), Grant Yerger from Austin (+1) and Luke D’Alise from Lubbock (+1) also played their way into the championship on Monday.

In each of the past few years, the Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship has received registration entries from more than 350 juniors from across the state. With a 90-player cap to the starting field, most who try to enter don’t get in.

“We decided to do a Monday Qualifier this year to help meet the demand for entries,” LJT Tournament Director Kevin Porter said. “We also wanted to give the championship more of a professional feel to it. The Monday Qualifier helps there, too.”

Estonilo, who won the Qualifier, was one of those juniors who, in years past, couldn’t get into the Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship. He said the experience was stressful, but he added that the addition of a Monday Qualifier to what he considers to be the best junior tournament in Texas only makes the event more special.

“I think it was an amazing decision to add the Monday Qualifier,” Estonilo said. “With the Qualifier, you can prove yourself on this course, which is very difficult. You can prove that you belong in this tournament with the best players in Texas and in the entire U.S., perhaps.”   

Round 2 of the Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship starts Wednesday at 8 a.m. For more information, including complete scoring, click here.