Lee, Patridge, McLaughlin Win at the Fall Challenge
Briefly: College Station’s Ryan Lee wins the Boys Division after finishing at 10-under par 134 for the tournament. Leander’s Michaela Partridge goes wire-to-wire to win the Girls Division at 6-under par 138 overall. Austin’s Beckett McLaughlin wins the Boys 14 & Under Division once again after going 6-under par 138 total.
Champions: Ryan Lee started the day tied for third place at 3-under before he pulled away on the final nine. Lee opened up Sunday’s round with six straight pars, before finishing the front nine 3-under on the final three holes, birdieing the par-5 7th and eagling the par-5 8th. Entering the back nine, Lee started out even through the first three holes, before shooting up the leaderboard, birdieing four of the final six holes. Lee finished a field best 7-under 65 on the day, edging out the rest of the field with a final score of 10-under 134.
In the Girls Division, Michaela Partridge picked up right where she left off after round one. Partridge opened the round with a one-shot lead and played great defensive golf all day. Partridge finished the first 12 holes at 4-under, before stumbling slightly with a 1-over total on the final six holes, but paring when needed to finish on top. Partridge finished the championship with a one-shot victory and a final score of 6-under 138 overall.
In the Boys 14 & Under Division, Beckett McLaughlin started the day three shots ahead of the field in the final group. He was cruising at 3-under after the front nine, before securing his victory with a birdie on the par-3 14th to bounce back after a bogey on the par-4 11th. McLaughlin cruised to his sixth Legends Junior Tour Boys 14 & Under Division victory of the year as he finished the event at 6-under par 138 overall.
In the Boys Division, we had ties for both second and fourth to round out the top five. Del Rio’s Isaiah Diaz and Farmer’s Branch’s Lincoln Rubis finished tied for second with a total score of 9-under 135. Farmer’s Branch’s Zachary Rubis and College Station’s Jackson Black round out the top 5 tied fourth with total scores of 7-under 137. In the Girls Division, Coppell’s Elizabeth Bellendir finishes runner-up with a total score of 5-under 139 with Tuscola’s Aspen Clawson rounding out their division with a final score of 23-over 167. In the Boys 14 & Under Division, Austin’s Asher Anderson finishes runner-up with a final score of 2-under 142. Granbury’s Jude Mourning rounds out the top three with a total score of 2-over 146.
Golf Course: Located on 300 rolling acres along the Concho River in San Angelo, Quicksand Golf Course consists of challenging golf featuring many bunkers, bodies of water and generous rolling fairways that combine to make this a unique experience. This is the first time the Fall Challenge is being played at Quicksand Golf Course. The course will play 6,995 yards in the Boys Division, 6,597 yards in the Boys 14 & Under Division and 5,725 yards in the Girls Division.
Tournament Format: The Fall Challenge is a 36-hole stroke play event with players ages 12-18 that have an active membership within the Texas Junior Golf Alliance. The 84-player field is split into a Boys Division, Girls Division and a Boys 14 & Under Division.
Weather: Temperatures again began in the mid-70s and made its way into the low-90s with partly cloudy skies. The winds were light in the morning and afternoon, with consistent gusts around 10 mph the whole day. Players loved the conditions to lead to lower scores in the final round.
Player of the Year Points: Ryan Lee, Michaela Partridge and Beckett McLaughlin all earned 1000 points in the Player of the Year Point Race. Points are awarded at each tournament to the top half of each age division. Learn more about the LJT Player of the Year Points, click here.
What’s Next: The Legends Junior Tour heads to Corpus Christi for the James A. Ragan Memorial on October 11-12. The 84-player field will take on Corpus Christi Country Club as players continue to position themselves for Player of the Year and Jackie Burke Cup team places.
For more information on the Fall Challenge, click here.