Tradition Meets Competition: The Jackie Burke Cup Tees Off at Galveston Country Club
The 2025 Jackie Burke Cup matches are set to take place Nov. 15–16 at Galveston Country Club. The end-of-year, Ryder Cup-style competition features the top players from the Legends Junior Tour, who will represent either the North or South in one of the tour’s most anticipated events.
“From the staff and volunteers to the players, this is one of the most exciting events we host each year,” said Legends Junior Tour Director Scott Davidson. “These kids have battled all season for Player of the Year points and a chance to qualify for this event. Now they get to showcase their skills for their region in a match-play format.”
Founded in 1898, Galveston Country Club is the oldest country club in Texas and a cornerstone of the state’s golf history. Its evolution reflects more than a century of resilience, architectural influence and commitment to the game.
Scottish professional Mungo Park, son of Open Champion Willie Park Sr., designed the original nine-hole course and served as the first head pro. That layout was destroyed in the 1900 Galveston hurricane, prompting decades of rebuilding and relocation.
The club thrived near Dickinson Bayou around 1910 before a 1918 fire forced another move. By 1919, it returned to the island, where famed architect Donald Ross designed a new course near 61st Street and Avenue S. The club soon became a Texas golf hub, hosting the 1926 Women’s Texas Amateur and welcoming legends like Bobby Jones.
Hurricanes in the 1940s and another clubhouse fire brought further setbacks, but the club rebuilt again on Stewart Road in 1946. Architect Ralph Plummer designed the current layout in 1947, later rebuilt after Hurricane Carla in 1961.
Notable visitors included A.W. Tillinghast, who evaluated the course in 1937, and Masters champion Jackie Burke Jr., head professional in the 1940s.
In 2003, the course was re-grassed with salt-tolerant Paspalum, becoming one of the first in the region to use it.
From its Scottish origins to its modern seaside setting, Galveston Country Club endures as a symbol of Texas golf heritage and coastal resilience.
“We couldn’t be more grateful to the staff and membership at Galveston Country Club for hosting this event,” said Davidson. “This club has a rich history, and for an event that carries its own great tradition, it’s special to bring the two together for a few days.”
The Jackie Burke Cup was first played in 2005 and is named in honor of one of Texas’ most accomplished golfers, Jackie Burke Jr., who passed away in 2024. Burke won 17 PGA Tour events and made history in 1956 by capturing both the Masters and PGA Championship titles.
Teams will compete in Four-Ball, Foursome and Singles matches over two days, with each match worth two points. If a match is tied, each team earns one point. Play begins Saturday morning with six Four-Ball matches, followed by six Foursome matches in the afternoon. On Sunday, players will compete in 12 Singles matches, with a total of 48 points available throughout the weekend. The North Team needs 24 points to retain the cup, while the South Team must earn 25 points to win.
The North Team looks to retain the cup for the first time since 2021 after winning the 2024 Jackie Burke Cup at Hurricane Creek Country Club. That victory ended the South Team’s back-to-back wins in 2022 at The Hideout Golf Club and Resort and in 2023 at Eagles Bluff Country Club. With the North’s win in 2024, the Jackie Burke Cup series is now tied at 10 victories apiece, setting up the 2025 matches at Galveston Country Club as the tiebreaker to determine regional bragging rights.
Four-Ball Matches kick off the Jackie Burke Cup on Saturday, November 15 at 7:30 a.m.
2025 Jackie Burke Cup Members
North Team – Declan Dent (Grapevine), Stone Fancher (Dallas), Landon Hilario (Garland), Matthew Lewis (Arlington), Jaxson Henegar (Dallas), Andrew Scott (Wylie), Henry Jackson (Lantana), Jacob Baker (Mt. Pleasant), Eileen Lee (Plano | Girls Division Player of the Year), Stephanie De Marco (Southlake), Austin Anderson (Gunter | Boys 14 & Under Division Player of the Year), Lincoln Rubis (Farmers Branch)
South Team – William Mangione (Austin | Boys Division Player of the Year), Corrington Case (Kingwood), Kaden Frierson (Austin), J.P. Lynch (Austin), Dylan Knox (Austin), Ian Chen (Houston), Marco Baima (San Antonio), Isaac Diaz (Del Rio), Krysta Loftin (Pearland), Julia Bae (Austin), Isaiah Diaz (Del Rio), Ryan Chen (Houston)
To learn more about the Jackie Burke Cup, click here. To learn more about Galveston Country Club, click here.