Camden Beard, Jasmine Zhang Capture Walnut Creek Shootout Titles

Mansfield, Texas — November 12th & 13th, 2016 – Nearly 70 junior golfers from the states of Texas, Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and West Virginia teed it up on the Pecan Course at Walnut Creek Country Club for the Texas Junior Golf Tour’s Walnut Creek Fall Shootout this past weekend.

In the Boys 15-18 Division, Arlington’s Camden Beard (2018) set a blistering pace in the first round, shooting a 4-under 66, the lowest round of the event, and one of the lowest rounds on Tour this year. Everything went well for Beard during his first round, as he notched birdies on hole Nos. 1, 4, 9, 15 and 18, and a lone bogey on the par-3 13th.

Beard’s impressive round was the only score under par for the entire event, and left him with a five-shot lead after round one. Arlington senior Keaton Williams (2017) shot a 1-over-par 71 in round 1, holding second place overnight. Williams struggled in the middle of the front nine, notching two bogeys and a double on the short par-4 sixth hole, but buoyed those struggles with four birdies, three coming on the back nine.

Sion Audrain (2019) of Garden City, Kan., Garrison Smith (2018) of Mansfield and Brody Phillips (2017) of Corsicana shared third place after round one, each shooting 74. All in all, 23 players shot 79 or better, but only eight were within nine shots of Beard’s lead.

With a five shot lead and only 18 holes to play, Beard simply needed to play smart golf in the final round to cruise to a victory. He made it a bit more interesting than it had to be, shooting a second-day 79 for a 145 total, but still coasted to a three-shot victory.

After opening rounds of 75, Arlington’s Jack Billingsley (2019) and Trophy Club’s David Harrison (2019) both shot 73 on day two, good enough to earn them a tie for second, three strokes behind Beard. Both young men had up-and-down days, mixing in birdies and bogeys throughout their rounds, but the two finished strong.

Williams, Flower Mound’s Brenden Stanton (2018) and Lubbock’s Eli Tran (2021) rounded out the top five, all three finishing in a tie for fourth. Tran shot the round of the day, a 1-over 71, that featured only two bogeys and one birdie.

The Girls 15-18 Division winners. 1st - Jasmine Zhang; 2nd - Aysis Azarcon; 3rd Isabel Huntsman
The Girls 15-18 Division winners. 1st – Jasmine Zhang; 2nd – Aysis Azarcon; 3rd Isabel Huntsman

In the Girls 15-18 Division, Midlothian’s Jasmine Zhang (2018) set the pace on day one with an opening round 74. Despite a triple-bogey 7 on the par-4 12th hole, Zhang kept things together during round one, notching two pivotal birdies to keep her clear of the field.

Three shots behind Zhang was Grand Prairie’s Caitlyn Lindell, who shot an opening round 77, placing her three shots back. Lindell had three birdies on the back nine, but struggled on the front, going six over in holes 1-5. One shot back of Lindell was fellow Grand Prairie resident Aysis Azarcon (2019), who opened with a 78.

Although she struggled a bit more on day two than she had on day one, Zhang played a solid final round, firing a five-over par 76 (the girls division played the course to a par 71, while the boys played to a par 70), good enough for a two-shot victory. Right behind her was Azarcon, who shot the low round of the day, a three-over 74. Jumping up into third place, with a second-round 78, was Huntsville senior Isabel Huntsman (2017). Huntsman carded two birdies in her second round, jumping up one spot to the bronze position.

Boys & Girls 11-14 Division Winners. Boys - Hunter Pratt; Girls - Maddi Olson
Boys & Girls 11-14 Division Winners. Boys – Hunter Pratt; Girls – Maddi Olson

In the Girls 11-14 Division, Maddi Olson (2020) from Abilene, Texas claimed victory over Hudson Oaks’ Blair Bagley (2021) and Ella Fisher (2021) of Aledo, Tx. Bagley took second place, while Fisher claimed third place.

In the Boys 11-14 Division, Hunter Pratt (2022) from Plano, Texas took home the top honors in his division and in second place was Pierce Johnson (2021) from Dallas, Texas.

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