Texas Junior Masters
The Texas Junior Golf Tour hosted the historic Texas Junior Masters at the Hyatt Hill Country Resort. Eighty junior golfers played the Creeks nine and Lakes nine that played to 6,931 yards for the Boys 16-18 division, 6,425 yards for the boys 12-15 division, and 5,752 yards for all girls. The course was in great shape and presented a stern test for players from Texas, Oklahoma, Hawaii, Florida, Washington, DC and Mexico.
Elena Warren got off to a great start with an opening round of even par 72 on day one. Warren began the day on the Lakes nine and turned in three over, but heated up on the Creeks nine and posted three under to shoot even for the day. Even more impressive, she followed up her round of even par on day one, with a round of one under 71 on day two. Warren was the only player in the field to post under par for the 36 hole event. Warren posted three birdies on the back nine to get to one under. Coming in second and third was the Mexico duo of Maria Saavedra and Alejandra White. Saavedra posted very solid rounds of 76-78 to come in second, while White bounced back with a 76 after opening with an 81 on day one. Congratulations to Elena Warren for winning the event as well as the AJGA Performance Based Entry exemption.
In the younger girls division, day one ended in a three way tie between Taylor Coleman, Kristen Miller, and Emily Gillman. Coleman takes the title by firing an impressive 77 on day two. Miller clips Gillman by two to take second, while Gillman finishes third.
In the older boys division, Medina Valley product Matthew Van Winkle got off to a great start with an opening round 73 to take the lead after day one. Van Winkle enjoyed a three stroke lead over several players that included Stayton Lindeman, Richard Dutchover, Vance Edwards, and Cameron Blizzard, all of whom opened with rounds of 76. On day two, the leaders struggled which allowed Roman Robledo, who has verbally committed to the University of Houston, to finish in a tie for first with Vance Edwards. Robledo fired the second low round of the day with a 74. In the sudden death playoff, Vance Edwards wins the event and claims the AJGA Performance Based Entry exemption with a par on the first playoff hole. Coming in third was Jose Narro who fired the low round of the day in the boys division with a 73. Narro got off to a great start, opening with a one under on the front nine that included three birdies.
In the younger boys division, Southlake Carroll’s Corbin Kasten fired the low round of the tournament for all competitors with a second round 70. Kasten’s round of 70 included five birdies on the day. Kasten finished at two over for tournament to claim the title and the Junior All Star Exemption. Coming in second was Trey Kidd who fired very steady rounds of 73-74. There was a three way tie for third between Gerhard Hernandez, Alex Levy, and Thomas Wheeler. In the sudden death playoff, Wheeler wins on the first hole with a birdie.
Top 3 finishers in each age group (MUST INCLUDE players name, hometown, grad year, and scores by round):
Boys 16-18:
T1 Roman Robledo Harlingen, TX 2011 77 74 151
T1** Vance Edwards Corpus Christi, TX 2011 76 75 151
3 Jose Narro Altamira, Mexico 2013 79 73 152
** - Won sudden death playoff for first
Boys 12-15:
1 Corbin Kasten Southlake, TX 2013 76 70 146
2 Trey Kidd Honolulu, HI 2013 73 74 147
T3 Gerhard Hernandez Minatitlan, Mexico 2013 79 78 157
T3 Alex Levy Austin, TX 2013 78 79 157
T3 Thomas Wheeler*** The Woodlands, TX 2013 78 79 157
*** - Won sudden death playoff for third.
Girls 16-18:
1 Elena Warren Austin, TX 2011 72 71 143
2 Maria del Mar Saavedra Cd. de México 2012 76 78 154
3 Alejandra White Tampico Mexico 2012 81 76 157
Girls 12-15:
1 Taylor Coleman San Antonio, TX 2015 81 77 158
2 Kristen Miller Austin, TX 2013 81 86 167
3 Emily Gillman Lakeway, TX 2014 81 88 169
The Texas Junior Golf Tour’s Montgomery Bear Junior Championship held
at the pristine Walden Golf Club in Montgomery, Texas proved to be an
exciting combination of home town success and unexpected victory. The
forty player field consisted of Houston’s best as well as talented
players from around the state of Texas. Walden on Lake Conroe, which
was ranked the 4th best golf course in Houston and the 11th best in
the state by GolfDigest in 2010, played 6756 yards for the Boys 16-18
division, 6248 yards for the boys 12-15 division, and 5665 yards for
all girls.
Local talent, William Young (Montgomery, TX - Class of 2010) claimed
victory with a two-day total of 75-77-152 to win the Boys 16-18
division. Young, the first round leader, managed to hold off charges
from second-place, Joseph Molina (Magnolia, TX - Class of 2011)
78-76-154 and third-place, Phillip Stewart (Lake Jackson, TX - Class
of 2012) 77-78, in order to win on his home course.
In the Boys 12-15 division, Fred Wedel (The Woodlands, TX - Class of
2012) stormed back on the second day, 78-74-152, to beat Andrew Jacobe
(Houston, TX - Class of 2013), 76-81-157, by 5 strokes and claim
medalist honors. William Wilder (Henderson, TX - Class of 2013)
claimed third-place with a steady 82-81-163.
In the Girls 16-18 division, Nicole Budnik (The Woodlands, TX - Class
of 2012) fired a second round 78 (82-78-160) and held off the home
course girls Abby Corson (Montgomery, TX - Class of 2011) 80-82-162,
and Betsy Eargle (Montgomery, TX - Class of 2010) 80-85-165, for a 2
stroke win. Courtney Ford (Class of 2013) came all the way from Austin
to win in the girls 12-15 division with a 99-93-192.