Fancher and Pawly Tied, De Marco and Anderson Lead Jimmy Demaret Junior Classic
KERRVILLE – Stone Fancher and Matt Pawly, Stephanie De Marco and Austin Anderson lead their respective divisions after the first round of the Jimmy Demaret Junior Classic at Riverhill Country Club. De Marco seeks her second consecutive victory on the Legends Junior Tour.
Division Leaders: Dallas’ Stone Fancher is tied with San Antonio’s Matt Pawly in the Boys 15-18 Division after shooting 2-under 70 at Riverhill Country Club and hold a two-stroke lead heading into Sunday’s Final Round. Fancher, a 2026 high school graduate finished 4-under in his final nine holes, including an eagle on the par-5 fifth. Pawly, of the 2025 class, carded seven birdies on the day en route to his 2-under 70 to sit tied with Fancher. Southlake’s Stephanie De Marco shot 1-over 73 on Saturday and leads the Girls 12-18 Division by four strokes. Coming off her win at the Winter Classic last month, De Marco steadied her round by making birdie on three of four holes after making the turn. She dropped a shot on the par-4 15th and 17th, but made a par on the 18th to finish 1-over. Gunter’s Austin Anderson holds a one-stroke lead in the Boys 14 & Under Division after shooting 2-over 74. Anderson finished with a birdie on the par-4 18th.
In Contention:
In the Girls Division, Quinn Timmerman of Boerne trails De Marco after shooting 5-over 77, while Sayers Allen of Spring Branch will round out the final group in third place. Tied with Allen is San Antonio’s Claire McMyler with Louisiana’s Mattie Purgahn rounding out the top five after shooting 78. In the Boys 14 & Under Division, Jack Lyssy of Dallas chases Anderson after shooting 3-over 75. Isaiah Diaz of Del Rio sits in third and joins the duo in the final group after shooting 4-over 76. In the Boys 15-18 Division Gavin Hymer and Gable Roach sit two shots off of Fancher and Pawly’s lead at even-par 72 heading into the final round.
Course: Riverhill Country Club is hosting the Jimmy Demaret Junior Classic for the first time in the event’s history. The par-72 layout was established in 1974 and is a Byron Nelson / Joe Finger Design located in Kerrville. The course meanders through a neighborhood with hilly terrain surrounding the greens and fairways. The Bentgrass greens are sloped and provide a tough test for the field.
Weather: Temperatures started in the mid 30s on Saturday but crept upwards of 75 degrees in the afternoon. Winds were mild, around 10-15 miles per hour, and the sun was shining as the players navigated the course.
Tournament Format: The Jimmy Demaret Junior Classic is a 36-hole stroke play event for players with an active membership with the Texas Junior Golf Alliance. Players ages 12-18 are split into three different divisions: Boys 15-18, Girls 12-18 and Boys 14 & Under. The event is ranked by Junior Golf Scoreboard, Golfweek and has AJGA Performance Stars that will be handed out to the top finishers.
What’s Next: The Final Round of the Jimmy Demaret Junior Classic is scheduled for Sunday, February 2 with tee times going off the No. 1 and 10 tees. To see pairings for the final round, click here.
For more information on the Jimmy Demaret Junior Classic, click here.
About the LJT: The Legends Junior Tour is part of the Texas Junior Golf Alliance, which is a joint venture between the Texas Golf Association, Northern and Southern PGA. The tour operates as part of the Texas Golf Association and its foundation. Since its inception in 2005, the tour has provided funds to promote junior golf initiatives while conducting some of the state’s top junior championships including the Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship, Texas Junior Amateur and the Texas Girls’ Invitational as well as the Texas Cup Invitational.
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