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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. 

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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. 

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Vo, Vivier and Guan Win George Hannon Junior Invitational

Briefly: Keaton Vo of Austin wins the Boys 15-18 Division at the George Hannon Junior Invitational presented by Texas Mutual following a final round 6-under-par 65 at The University of Texas Golf Club. Nicole Vivier of Austin cards a final round 2-under-par 69 and wins the Girls 12-18 Division, while Irving’s Henry Guan captures the Boys 14 & Under title.

Leaderboard:

Boys 15-18
1) Keaton Vo                       Austin                  68-65 | 133
2) Trevor Algya                  Highland Village 72-67 | 139
3) Andrew Tan                   Austin                   71-69 | 140

Girls 12-18
1) Nicole Vivier                   Austin                 70-69 | 139
2) Darrelyn Webster         Austin                 73-68 | 141
3) Alexa Saldana               Naucalpan           69-73 | 142

Boys 14 & Under 
1) Henry Guan                   Irving                   73-68 | 141
2) Trenton Mierl                Austin                  73-69 | 142
3) Rhett O’Rear                 Plano                   72-72 | 144

Final Results

Golf Course: The University of Texas Golf Club was built in 2003 and designed by Bechtol Russell Golf Course Design. The par-71 championship golf course stretches across the Texas Hill Country and overlooks Lake Austin. The 7,412-yard layout offers challenging shots and some of the best views in Austin. It is the home of the University of Texas Men’s and Women’s Golf Teams and has played host to the George Hannon Junior Invitational presented by Texas Mutual four times. The final round was contested at 6,900 yards in the Boys 15-18 Division; 5,842 yards in the Girls 12-18 Division and 6,301 yards in the Boys 14 & Under Division.

Weather: The temperature reached 102 degrees with winds reaching 10 mph out of the southwest.

Winner’s Info: Keaton Vo of Austin began the final round one stroke ahead of the field. The 2022 University of Texas commit never lost the lead and in fact, lengthened that lead on Tuesday. His 6-under 65 in the final round was the lowest score of the tournament and he won his division by six strokes.

“It was a great round,” Vo said. “I knew starting a little late, it was going to be a little more windy and if I can just keep it in play, I will be able to give myself some birdie looks, and I converted on those today which was nice.”

The junior at Chaparral Star Academy had a bogey-free final round. He carded six birdies, three on each side, and finished with a par on the par-4 eighteenth to get to 9-under 133 overall. Last Month, Vo verbally committed to the University of Texas Class for 2022 and he is excited to continue to play his home track in the future.

“This win is huge for me,” Vo said. “It’s an honor to be a Longhorn and I kind of had to protect my territory this week, which was what I did, and I am just happy to add another title to my record book and to UT.”

In the Girls 12-18 Division, Nicole Vivier of Austin took care of business in her final tournament as a junior golfer. The incoming Southern Methodist University freshman fired a bogey-free 69 in the final round to win by two strokes.

“It means a lot, Vivier said. “It’s just a great way to cap off my junior career and it gives me some good momentum going into college. I am just really excited, and I know that I will bring good golf into college.”

Vivier, a local Austinite, said she was in full control and played “boring golf” on Tuesday leaving herself a lot of easy pars. She was the only player in the Girls Division to post both rounds under- par.

“I hit my wedges really well, so I knew if I just put myself in the fairway, I was going to get inside 15-feet every time and get myself looks at birdie,” Vivier said. “If I missed the birdie I was like a foot away.”

In his debut on the Legends Junior Tour, Henry Guan of Irving won the Boys 14 & Under Division. He carded a 2-over 73 in Round 1 and trailed by one stroke heading into Tuesday’s round. The 12-year-old carded four birdies in the final round, bringing him to 1-under 141 overall to win by one stroke.

“This is my first Legends Junior Tour (event), so to actually win your first is almost like an accomplishment and a dream to actually win it on this course where Jordan Spieth played at,” Guan said.

In Contention: Trevor Algya of Highland Village carded a final round 4-under 67 and finished solo second and six shots back in the Boys 15-18 Division. Andrew Tan of Austin finished solo third at 2-under 140. Sam Dossey of Austin finished solo fourth at 1-under 141. Andrew Spaulding of Spring, Jay Pabin of Lucas, Truett Burns of Fredericksburg and Key Coker of Dallas all finished tied fifth at even-par 142.

Darrelyn Webster of Austin carded a final round 3-under 68 and finished solo second and two shots back in the Girls 12-18 Division. Alexa Saldana of Mexico finished solo third at even-par 142. Gabbi Bentancourt of Frisco and Mimi Burton of Austin rounded out the top-5 at 2-over 144.

Trenton Mierl of Austin, the 2019 George Hannon Junior Invitational 14 & Under Division champion, finished second at even par overall. Rhett O’Rear of Plano finished solo third at 2-over 144. Bowen Ballis of Shenandoah and Daniel Macias of Austin rounded out the top-5 at 4-over 146 in the Boys 14 & Under Division.

What’s Next: The Legends Junior Tour season continues with the Volunteers of America Classic Girls’ Match Play Championship at Old American Golf Club in The Colony September 4-6. You can view the entire Legends Junior Tour calendar here.

More Info: The Legends Junior Tour extends its sincere appreciation to the staff and members of UT Golf Club, the George Hannon Society and our volunteers for their integral part in making the George Hannon Junior Invitational presented by Texas Mutual a memorable and successful event. For more information on the George Hannon Junior Invitational presented by Texas Mutual, click here.

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Keaton Vo Leads Boys 15-18 Division at George Hannon Junior Invitational

Briefly: Keaton Vo of Austin leads the Boys 15-18 Division at the George Hannon Junior Invitational presented by Texas Mutual following a 3-under-par 68 in Round 1 at The University of Texas Golf Club. Mimi Burton of Austin and Alexa Saldana of Naucalpan, Mexico are tied for the lead in the Girls 12-18 Division with opening rounds of 2-under 69, while Plano’s Rhett O’Rear fires a 1-over 72 to lead the Boys 14 & Under Division by one stroke.

Leaderboard:

Boys 15-18
1) Keaton Vo                        Austin                68
2) Andrew Spaulding         Spring                69
T3) Blake Moreno              Austin                 70
T3) Kevin Watts                 Colleyville           70
T3) Kellan McGinnis          Austin                 70
T3) Jeffrey Zatorski            Houston             70

Girls 12-18
T1) Mimi Burton               Austin                  69
T1) Alexa Saldana             Naucalpan           69
T3) Nicole Vivier               Austin                  70
T3) Julia Vollmer              San Antonio        70

Boys 14 & Under 
1) Rhett O’Rear                   Plano                   72
T2) Trenton Mierl              Austin                  73
T2) Henry Guan                  Irving                  73
T2) Daniel Macias               Austin                  73

Round 1 Results | Round 2 Pairings

Golf Course: The University of Texas Golf Club was built in 2003 and designed by Bechtol Russell Golf Course Design. The par-71 championship golf course stretches across the Texas Hill Country and overlooks Lake Austin. The 7,412-yard layout offers challenging shots and some of the best views in Austin. It is the home of the University of Texas Men’s and Women’s Golf Teams and has played host to the George Hannon Junior Invitational presented by Texas Mutual five times. Round 1 was contested at 6,900 yards in the Boys 15-18 Division; 5,842 yards in the Girls 12-18 Division and 6,301 yards in the Boys 14 & Under Division.

Weather: The temperature reached 101 degrees with winds reaching 12 mph out of the south.

In Contention: Keaton Vo of Austin carded an opening round 3-under-par 69. The 2022 University of Texas commit made the turn at 2-under. He birdied the par-3 sixteenth and the par-4 seventeenth and closed out Monday’s round with a par on the par-4 eighteenth to lead the Boys 15-18 Division by one stroke. Vo looks to win his first Legends Junior Tour event in the Boys 15-18 Division on his home course and future college stomping grounds.

“It’s a tough course so you just got to take what it gives you sometimes,” Vo said. “I am lucky enough to play a lot of times here so I can just trust my game and trust my shots and hopefully it will pay off.”

Andrew Spaulding of Spring sits solo second after carding a 2-under 69. Blake Moreno of Austin, Kevin Watts of Colleyville, Kellan McGinnis of Austin and Jeffrey Zatorski of Houston are all tied third at 1-under 70.

In the Girls 12-18 Division, Mimi Burton of Austin and Alexa Saldana of Naucalpan, Mexico are tied for the lead at 2-under 69. Burton, a sophomore at Vandegrift High School, had a bogey-free back nine and carded three birdies in Monday’s round. Saldana started and finished strong carding 1-under on each nine. She carded five birdies in the first round. Both will look to take home their first Legends Junior Tour win in tomorrow’s final round.

Austin local and incoming Southern Methodist freshman commit Nicole Vivier is tied third with San Antonio’s Julia Vollmer at 1-under 70. Gabbi Bentancourt of Frisco sits solo fifth at even par. Two players in the Girls 12-18 Division are tied sixth at 1-over 72.

In the Boys 14 & Under Division, Rhett O’Rear of Plano fired a 1-over 72 in Monday’s first round. The 13-year-old had a steady round and birdied the hardest hole on the golf course, the par-4 fifth. He holds a one shot lead in his division.

Trenton Mierl of Austin, Henry Guan of Irving and Daniel Macias of Austin are tied second at 2-over 73. Five players are tied fifth at 4-over 75.

What’s Next: Final Round tee times start Tuesday morning at 7:30 a.m. off No. 1 tee at UT Golf Club.

More Info: For more information on the George Hannon Junior Invitational presented by Texas Mutual, click here.

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George Hannon Junior Invitational Set for Aug. 10-11

AUSTIN — The George Hannon Junior Invitational is set to cap off another great Legends Junior Tour summer schedule when the 36-hole event returns to the University of Texas Golf Club August 10-11. Texas Mutual Insurance Company is the proud presenting sponsor for the second straight year as part of a two-year deal with the Hannon Cup Association.

“Having a partnership with Texas Mutual is such a blessing to the Hannon Cup Association,” Hannon Cup Association Managing Director Randi Long said. “When we set out to have a junior tournament, the goal was to host one of the best ones in Texas. Along with Texas Mutual and the Legends Junior Tour, I believe we have accomplished that goal.”

Texas Mutual Insurance Company is one of the state’s leading workers’ compensation providers. Texas Mutual Vice President of Marketing and Customer Engagement Jeremiah Bentley said the company is proud to be associated with this year’s championship.

“We’re happy to have the opportunity again to contribute to the organization’s mission,” Bentley said. “As a leader in the workers’ compensation industry, Texas Mutual is always seeking to partner with other leading organizations. This tournament is a high-quality event that provides value to sponsors and exposure to a first-class audience.”

George Hannon was born in Kemp, Texas, and had a 59-year PGA career, including an 18-year term as the University of Texas Men’s Golf coach. Hannon’s career at UT included NCAA titles in 1971 and 1972, as well as 12 Southwest Conference Championships. Hannon coached legends such as Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite, Mark Brooks, Phil Blackmar, Brandel Chamblee, Warren Chancellor, Rik Massengale and Paul Thomas. He was inducted into the Texas Golf Hall of Fame in 1991 and was the Golf Coaches Associations’ 2001 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.

The Legends Junior Tour has conducted the George Hannon Junior Invitational since the Hannon Cup Association created the event in 2009. It brings together the top 96 boys and girls in and around the state. Three divisions compete separately: Boys 15-18, Boys 14 & Under and Girls 12-18.

The field will take on UT Golf Club’s par-71 layout. Since it opened for play in 2003, the demanding Bechtol Russel design has always had a championship pedigree. The Austin-based club is the home of the University of Texas Men’s and Women’s golf teams, including the 2012 NCAA Men’s Golf National Champions. It’s played host to NCAA Regional Championships, the Betsy Rawls Invitational as well as TGA Major Championships, including the 99th Women’s Texas Amateur in July.

Over the years, the club has welcomed some of the highest profile players in the game of golf. These include 3-time major champion Jordan Spieth, PGA Tour winners Dylan Frittelli, Cody Gribble and Jhonattan Vegas, 2019 Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year Scottie Scheffler, 2017 U.S. Women’s Amateur Champion Sophia Schubert and the 13th ranked female amateur golfer in the world Kaitlyn Papp.

This is the fifth time in the tournament’s 12-year history for UT Golf Club to host. It’s a challenging test of golf complemented by scenic Texas Hill Country views and always delivers a great championship.

“We’re always excited to head to Austin for the George Hannon Junior Invitational,” LJT Tournament Coordinator Adam Schulte said. “It’s a great event year after year and we can’t thank the Hannon Cup Association enough for making it all possible.”

Frisco’s Henry Frizzell trailed by two strokes to begin the final round at last year’s championship. Following a solid opening nine, Frizzell held a one-stroke lead standing on the par-4 17th. He made a clutch birdie to extend his lead and closed out his round with a par on the par-4 18th to win the Boys 15-18 Division by two strokes.

In the Girls 12-18 Division, Kaylee Vesely of Austin fired a final round 2-under-par 69. The UT Golf Club member birdied the par-5 ninth (her finishing hole) to post 2-under overall for the championship and win by one stroke. Austin’s Trenton Mierl won the Boys 14 & Under Division after carding rounds of 66-79 to win by two shots. This year, he’ll look defend his title and add another LJT victory to his resume.

The George Hannon Junior Invitational is held in the Austin area annually and features one of the top-ranked fields on the LJT Schedule. Past champions of this event include Max Miller, Joe and Julia Beck, Scottie and Callie Scheffler, Brendan Redfern, Cole Hammer, Thomas Critch, Levi Valadez, Alexandra Rossi, Chandler Phillips, Hailee Cooper and Stephen Campbell Jr.

The George Hannon Junior Invitation will award players with additional points towards the LJT Player of the Year Points List. Sam Dossey of Austin leads the Boys 15-18 Division, while Lauren Nguyen of Katy leads the Girls 12-18 Division and Trenton Mierl of Austin leads the Boys 14 & Under Division.

For more information about the George Hannon Junior Invitational, click here.