Ferguson, Habermehl, Buckley Win at the LJT Lanny Wadkins Junior Championship
Briefly: Daniel Ferguson of Duncanville, TX, survived a 3-hole playoff to win the Boys 15-18 Division of the Lanny Wadkins Junior Championship after shooting an even par 72 at South Shore Harbour Country Club. Reid Habermehl of Tyler gained the win after a fantastic 3-under 69 to take sole lead after being three back going into the day. Finally, Madeline Buckley of Magnolia maintained her lead in the Girls Division with a 1-over 73 in the final round.
Champions: Daniel Ferguson entered Tuesday’s final round with a three-stroke lead on the field. His even par 72 was enough to overcome the push by the field. Ferguson’s even par round consisted of a lot of ups and downs, posting 4 birdies and 4 bogies over the first 13 holes. He secured victory on the third playoff hole against Jake Knobler with a two-foot par putt to secure.
Magnolia’s Madeline Buckley won the Girls 12-18 Division after shooting rounds 71-73 to finish the tournament at even par. Buckley played great recovery golf on the round, posting 4 birdies to secure her victory.
Tyler’s Reid Habermehl won the Boys 14 & Under Division after posting a 3-under 69 on the final round. Entering the day, Habermehl was three back from the lead, but posted 5 birdies against two bogeys in his final round, he gained those strokes back to take sole victory.
Top Finishers: Starting the day in the Boys 15-18 Division, six players were tied at 1-under, but the leaderboard shaped out towards the end of the round. After a three-hole playoff, Sugar Land’s Jake Knobler fell short to Ferguson to land in second. Austin’s William Mangione, Magnolia’s Daniel Rice, Monroe’s Maddox Mowad, and Pearland’s Adrian Bowers sit in a tie for 3rd place at 3-under par (141).
In the Girls 12-18 Division, Buckley maintained her lead over Houston’s Peyton Debruin, as she sits six strokes behind at six-over par (150). Austin’s Julia Bae, Katy’s Lora Kim, and Dallas’s Jacqueline Zhuang are tied for 3rd place at 13-over par (157).
In the Boys 14 & Under Division, Sugar Land’s Keion Ting and Prosper’s Bryar Murphy sit three back from Habermehl after posting 1-over par totals (145). Dallas’s Jacob Ringwald and Austin’s Oliver McFadden sit at 4th place with a 4-over par score (148).
Host Club: South Shore Harbour Country Club is the centerpiece of a master-planned Gulf Coast community developed in the 1980s and ’90s. Officially opened in 1983, the Dave Marr and Jay Riviere 18-hole original golf design evolved into a classic waterside championship venue by the late 1990s. Since 1994, South Shore Harbour now features three nine-hole courses (South, Shore, and Harbour). The Boys Division will play from 6,886 yards, the Boys 14 and Under Division will play from 6,583 yards, and the Girls Division will play from 5,800 yards.
Weather: The weather for Tuesday’s final round started at 79 degrees with heavy air at 85% humidity. We faced a temporary lightning delay around 10:00 AM, but it subsided after 45 minutes. Temperatures quickly rose into the mid 90’s by the end of play. The southwest winds picked up as the day went on, rising from 6 mph to gusts nearing 20 mph at completion.
Tournament Format: The Lanny Wadkins Junior Championship is a 36-hole stroke play event for players 12-18 years old. All players in the field are required to have active membership with the Texas Junior Golf Alliance.
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 Texas PGA sections. The Tour operates as part of the Texas Golf Association and its Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. Since its inception in 2005, the Tour has provided more than $250,000 to promote junior golf initiatives and exposure to the game to those who might not otherwise have the opportunity across the state.
Player of the Year Points: Daniel Ferguson, Madeline Buckley, and Reid Habermehl all earned 1000 points in the 2025 Player of the Year Point Race. Points are awarded at each tournament to the top half of each age division. Click here for more information on the 2025 LJT Player of the year Standings.
Tournament Exemptions: In the Boys Division, the Top 3 finishers will receive exemptions into the 99th Texas Junior Amateur presented by Edwin Watts Golf, George Hannon Invitational, Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational, 2026 Bluebonnet Championship and 2026 Byron Nelson Jr Championship. The top 5 in the Boys Division will receive exemptions into the 2026 Texas Cup Invitational. In the Girls Division, the Champion will receive an exemption into the 99th Texas Junior Amateur presented by Edwin Watts Golf and the George Hannon Invitational while the Top 2 will receive exemptions into the Texas Junior Golf Alliance Invitational. The top 3 will receive exemptions into the 2026 Texas Girls Invitational and 2026 Bluebonnet Championship.
Next Up: The Legends Junior Tour will head to Horseshoe Bay Resort on July 28-30 for the 99th Texas Junior Amateur presented by Edwin Watts Golf.
For more information on the Lanny Wadkins Junior Championship, click here. To see all the scores from South Shore Harbour Country Club, click here.