Knox, Galyean, McLaughlin, Bellendir Lead Field after First Round of Bluebonnet Championship
Brownwood — Dylan Knox of Austin posted a 7-under 65 to share the lead in the Boys Division with Daxton Galyean after 18 holes. The Boys 14 & Under Division leader is Beckett McLaughlin after a 5-under 67. Elizabeth Bellendir leads the Girls Division after an opening round even par 72.
Leaders: Austin’s Dylan Knox is tied for the lead atop the Boys Division after a stellar 65 in his opening round. Knox was 6-under through 17 holes and made a rare birdie at the par 4 18th to cap his stellar round. Daxton Galyean of Fort Worth also carded a 7-under 65. Galyean played a bogey free 18 holes and caught fire down the stretch, birdieing his final three holes to tie the lead.In the Boys 14 & Under division, Austin’s Beckett McLaughlin set the pace with an opening round score of 67. McLaughlin, the current Huntington Bank Player of the Year points leader in the Boys 14 & Under division, birdied the final three holes of his front nine on his way to a bogey free round. Elizabeth Bellendir of Coppell leads the Girls Division by two strokes after her opening round 72. Bellendir played her front nine at 2-under and then made the turn where she put together a string of two birdies in three holes to start her back nine. A few bogeys brought Bellendir back to even par for her round, but she will hold the overnight lead in the Girls Division.
In Contention: Isaac Diaz of Del Rio eagled the 3rd hole to kick start his round of 66, one shot behind the leader. Four players posted a 5-under 67 to finish the day tied for third, Henry Talarico of Austin, Hudson Ranken of Katy, and Alexander Zhang and Ryan Lee of Plano. In the Boys 14 & Under Division, two players sit tied for second place after rounds of 69. Prospers own Joseph Taylor and Bryar Murphy, will join McLaughlin in the final grouping tomorrow after posting impressive 3-under rounds. Isaiah Diaz of Del Rio sits in solo 4th just three shots back of the lead after a 2-under par round of 70. Rounding out the top 5 is Missouri City’s Reed Rodriguez after a 1-under 71. In the Girls Division, Jessie Lee, Izzy Brost and Alivia Bravo are all tied for second at 2-over. Lois Lee, Natalie Nobles, and Adrielle Miller round out the top five after posting rounds of 75.
Weather: The players experienced a chilly sunny Brownwood morning with temperatures in the low 50’s when play became underway. Temperatures reached a high of 76 in the afternoon, with winds staying calm for most of the day. Very similar conditions are expected for tomorrow’s final round.
Course: Brownwood Country Club has hosted the Bluebonnet Championship every year since 2000. The club sits in central Texas and features ample opportunities for players to post a low number. The par-72 layout stretches to 6,300 yards for the boys and 5,800 yards for the girls.
Tournament History: The Legends Junior Tour continues its tradition of hosting the annual Bluebonnet Championship with the 26th playing of the event this year.The Bluebonnet Championship was started by local businessman Bart Johnson in 2000 and has been played at Brownwood Country Club since its inception. The 36-hole championship features three separate divisions: Boys, Boys 14 & Under, and Girls. This championship is ranked by Junior Golf Scoreboard. The top three finishers (and ties) in the Boys Division will earn a spot in the 2026 Huntington Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship and the 100th Texas Junior Amateur. For a full list of exemptions via this championship’s results, visit the LJT Homepage here.
Huntington Bank POY Points Race: Competitors who finish in the top half of the field will gain points towards the LJT Player of the Year Standings. The champions will each get 1500 points towards the statewide honor followed by 1200 for runner-up, 1050 for third, 900 for fourth and 750 for fifth. For the full LJT POY points breakdown, click here.
What’s Next: The final round of the Bluebonnet Championship will begin Sunday morning at 7:30 am, and the last group will tee off at 2:15 pm. Champions in all three divisions will be crowned following the completion of play.
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, NTPGA, and STPGA. 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 Huntington Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship, Texas Junior Amateur and the Texas Girls’ Invitational as well as the Texas Cup Invitational. For More information about the Bluebonnet Championship, click here.