Funkhouser, Madson Victorious at 2022 Elites Cup Invitational

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[AUG 2-3 | LAS COLINAS, TX] Another year of the Elites Cup Invitational, another round of extra holes to crown a champion. For the third time in 5 years, a playoff was needed in at least 1 of the divisions to settle the title at the 5th Annual Elites Cup Invitational. This year it was in the Girls Division, as Mansfield’s Lauren Madson squared off with Spring Branch’s Sayers Allen. Madson eventually emerged victorious, claiming the Elites Cup trophy along with College Station’s Jackson Funkhouse, who cruised to w 5-shot victory in the Boys Division.

In the Girls Division, Madson started off the final round tied with Trophy Club’s Jordyn Arts, while Allen rounded out the final group just a shot back of the two leaders. After 9 holes of play in the final round, all three young ladies stood on the 10th tee tied for the lead, with the back 9 looming to decide the champion. Allen took the early lead on the back two two early birdies, but gave them back with two matching bogeys. Madson and Arts were solid throughout, but a costly bogey on No. 14 would drop Arts one shot back. Standing on 18, Allen and Madson were tied, with Arts a shot behind – the best all 3 could muster on the difficult 18th were pars, and Allen and Madson headed to a playoff. Madson would capture the playoff victory a short time later, claiming the trophy as the Girls Elites Cup Champion.

In the Boys Division, there was a barrage of birdies on day 1, with two ultimately standing tied at 1-under-par after day 1 – Funkhouser and Colleyville’s Michael Chevalier. In the final round, Funkhouser was sharp early, making birdies on No. 3 and No. 4, while Chevalier stumbled a bit on the front, making 3 costly bogeys. Funkhouser added two more birdies on the back, getting him into the clubhouse at 2-under-par for the tournament, good enough for a 5-shot victory.

The race for second place was much more heated, as 2021 Champion Sterling Hurd shot a blistering 3-under 68 to vault up the leaderboard, ultimately falling 1 shot out of second, which was shared by Chevalier and Jake Lile of The Woodlands. San Antonio’s Jackson Hymer also went low in the final round, moving up the board as well into a tie for 4th with Hurd.