TYLER, Texas — Maddox Mowad of Monroe, La. shot 1-under 70 in the opening round of the Texas Cup Invitational and leads at Willow Brook Country Club. This is the first Major Event for the Boys Division on the Legends Junior Tour in 2026.
Mowad managed through windy conditions and frigid temperatures as the lone person under par on Monday. The round featured five birdies, highlighted by long putts made on the par-3 15th and the par-4 eighth, giving him a 1-stroke advantage heading into Tuesday’s second round.
“I focused on hitting greens and making putts today,” said Mowad. “I committed myself to hitting the shot and focused on what I needed to do.”
Tyler’s Alex Egana and College Station’s Ryan Lee trail Mowad after the duo shot matching rounds of even-par 71. Egana, who is a member at Willow Brook Country Club used his course knowledge and patience en route to his score, while Lee leaned on five birdies in his round. Lee played his final six holes at 3-under on Monday.
Caden Clark, Grant DeLorenzo, Daniel Rice and Andrea Birolini are tied for fourth heading into the second round at 1-over 72, while Tripp Depoy, Ian Chen, Bennett Kuhns and Cooper Nichols are tied for eighth at 2-over.
The field felt the brunt of Willow Brook Country Club on Monday, as the course played to an average score of 78.27 with high winds and cold temperatures. Players battled against winds ranging 10 – 20 miles per hour with gusts upwards of 35 mph. The par-3 15th played the hardest on the day, while the par-5 second played the easiest.
The Texas Cup Invitational features a field of 84 players competing over 54 holes of stroke play. Following Tuesday’s second round, the field will be cut to the low 30 players and ties, who will advance to Wednesday’s final round.
This year marks the first time Willow Brook Country Club has hosted the Texas Cup Invitational, providing a new challenge for the Legends Junior Tour’s top junior golfers. The course proved to be a solid early-season test during the opening round, with players navigating firm greens, strategic bunkering, and demanding approach shots throughout the layout.
The Texas Cup Invitational is one of the premier championships on the Legends Junior Tour schedule, annually attracting many of the top junior players from across and around Texas.
Pairings for the second round will be pushed back to 9:30 am on Tuesday as players look to position themselves inside the cut line heading into Wednesday’s final round.
For complete scores and round-by-round updates, click here.