DALLAS – Luke Colton of Frisco leads after Round 1 at the 25th Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship. The junior fired a 5-under 66 to kick off the second major for the boys on the LJT schedule.
“I feel good,” shared Colton. “I played pretty well and left a few shots out there, but overall, it’s a good start to the tournament.”
Colton showcased his skill by going bogey-free through seventeen holes, including six birdies. On No. 18, Colton missed a putt a few inches short, scoring his only bogey of the day. Despite tough weather conditions at the start of the round, Colton remained unfazed, going 2-under on the front nine.
“I just tried to get off to a good start,” said the junior out of Wakeland High School. “The first three holes were rainy, but I calmed myself and continued playing.”
Following Colton is Brooks Harper and Brooks Simmons of Dallas, who both finished with a 4-under 67 in the first round.
“It was a solid opening round,” shared the two-time Legends Junior Tour champion Harper. “I played pretty consistently, and I’m in a good spot.”
Harper, who started his round in the troubling weather as well, shared his strategy for battling through it. “I wore rain gloves, which I haven’t done in a while,” he said with a laugh. “I made sure to swing 80 to 85 percent through the front nine to keep the grip from slipping and keep the ball in play.”
Simmons, who is tied with Harper at 4-under, launched a bogey-free round today. “I feel good. I hit the ball well and only made one eight-foot putt, but still hit the ball well,” the local Dallas golfer shared. “I don’t worry about what others are doing, even after nine holes. It all comes down to the final day.”
Simmons, a major champion on the Legends Junior Tour, looks to add another piece of hardware to his trophy case heading into the second round tomorrow.
Following the top three is Trevor Gutschewski of Elkhorn, Neb., after firing off a 2-under 69. Gutschewski showed true grit after finishing the front nine with three bogeys and four birdies to keep himself in contention.
Rounding out the Top 5 are Abhay Duggal of Spring and Collin Bond of Norman, Okla., who both finished with a 1-under 70.
The weather to start the First Round of the 25th Veritex Bank Byron Nelson was less than ideal. After rain surprised the field in the morning, soggy conditions stuck around until the afternoon when the temperature picked up along with the wind.
This is the sixth consecutive year that Veritex Bank has sponsored this prestigious tournament. To kick off the silver jubilee year, champions and current players joined for a player banquet on the evening of June 3. Malcolm Holland, Chief Executive Officer of Veritex Community Bank, shared a few words with the current players about the importance of this tournament and what junior golf means to the Veritex Bank Community.
Round 2 will commence at 8:00 AM tomorrow where a cut will be made to the low 30 players and ties for the Final Round. To learn more about the 25th Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship, click here.