Beverly, Bellendir, and Anderson Lead Fall Challenge
Briefly: Jace Beverly of Montgomery, Alicia Bellendir of Coppell, and Austin Anderson of Gunter lead their divisions after the first round at the Legends Junior Tour Fall Challenge. Beverly leads after a first round 65, Bellendir leads with a first round 67, and Anderson jumps out to an early lead with a first round 64.
Beverly outpaced the rest of the Boys Division with a 7-under par 65 in the first round. Beverly crushed the par five’s today, playing them in 5-under par thanks a pair of eagles on #7 & #10. Beverly holds a 2-shot lead over a crowded leaderboard atop the division.
Bellendir holds a three-shot lead in the Girls Division after firing a 5-under 67 in the first round. Bellendir birdied all the par five’s enroute to 7 total birdies on the day.
Anderson also holds a 3-shot lead in the Boys 14 & Under Division after shooting a spectacular 8-under par 64 on Saturday. Anderson made four birdies and an eagle on his way to an opening nine 31. Anderson poured in four more birdies on the back nine to bring the round totals to eight birdies and an eagle.
In Contention: In the Boys Division, Houston’s Aryan Magon shot an opening round 5-under par 67 and finds himself two shots back in second place. Austin’s William Mangione, Tomball’s Rhett Turner, and Cedar Park’s Hakon Hundhausen round out the top five in a tie for third at 4-under par 68. In the Girls Division, Lumberton’s Annie Whitehead sits in second place after an opening round of 2-under par 70. Adrielle Miller will round out the final group after a 1-over par 73. In the Boys 14 & Under Division, Del Rio’s Isaiah Diaz is in second and three shots back after a 5-under par 67. Spring’s Mason McCord is in third at 3-under par 69, and Sugar Land’s Keion Ting is in fourth at 1-under par 71.
Golf Course: The Wilderness Golf Club, located in Lake Jackson, TX is hosting its first Fall Challenge. Designed by Jeffrey Brauer and opened in 2004, the course is bordered by the Brazos River and three wildlife sanctuaries. The property covers more than 230 acres and offers a sense of seclusion and harmony with nature. The Wilderness features holes that weave through and around hardwood forests, streams, marshes, and protected wetlands, with large contoured green complexes guarded by deep-faced bunkers. The course will play to 6,942 yards in the Boys 15-18 Division, 6,439 yards in the Boys 14 & Under Division and 5,926 yards in the Girls 12-18 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 began in the upper 60s and crept up to the mid-80s under sunny skies. The winds were light in the morning hours and picked up to 8-10 mph later in the afternoon. Players took advantage of great scoring conditions to light up the first-round leaderboard.
Player of the Year Points: 1000 points in the 2025 Player of the Year Point Race are up for grabs this weekend at the Fall Challenge. Points are awarded at each tournament to the top half of each age division.
What’s Next: The Final Round of the Fall Challenge is scheduled for tee times at 8:00 am on Sunday, September 28th. Pairings for the final round can be found by clicking here. Following Sunday’s play, awards will be handed out to the top finishers of each division along with LJT Player of the Year Points.
For more information on the Fall Challenge, click here.