Mowad Takes Early Lead at Winter Classic as Tight Races Emerge Across All Divisions
Maddox Mowad shot a brisk 2-under 70 in the first round of the Winter Classic, leading the Boys 15-18 Division by one stroke heading into the final round at The Dallas Athletic Club. Joseph Taylor and Jacob Babb are tied in the Boys 14 & Under Division, carded a round of 73 in the first round while Adrielle Miller, Dresden Bounds, and Stephanie De Marco are in an intense 3-way tie leading the Girls division after a round of 75.
Division Leaders: Monroe’s Maddox Mowad delivered a composed performance in cold conditions, shooting a 2-under-par 70 to take the lead in the Boy’s Division at Dallas Athletic Club’s Blue Course. After a bogey on the par-3 16th, he responded immediately, finishing with a clutch birdie on the par-4 18th to post another 35 on the back. Joseph Taylor of Prosper and Jacob Babb of Mansfield sit in a tie for first after finishing with a one over par round of 73. Joseph and Jacob both displayed impressive consistency and mental toughness by posting nearly identical front-nine and back-nine scores, maintaining focus and composure throughout their rounds in challenging conditions. Adrielle Miller, Dresden Bounds, and Stephanie De Marco sit in a 3-way tie for the Girls Division after a first round of 75. Adrielle Miller carded 4 birdies on the back 9, Dresden Bounds had 2 birdies on the front, and Stephanie De Marco had 4 birdies overall in her round.
In Contention: In the Boys Division, Southlake’s Andrea Birolini is in solo second after a first round one-under 71. McKinney’s David Ruggeri, Fort Worth’s Parker Brown and Austin’s Bennett Kuhns are all tied for third after a round of 72. In the Girls Division, Alivia Bravo of Lantana is in the hunt after a first round of 76. Following Alivia is Daniela Sitompul of McKinney who sits right behind her in the top 5 with a first round of 77. In sixth, one stroke behind, is Elizabeth Bellendir from Coppell. In the Boys 14 & Under Division, Del Rio’s Isaiah Diaz sits in second place after a 75 while Dallas’s Lennox Lannon is following right behind with a first round of 76. Houston’s Tanner Hwang, Grand Prairie’s Caden Huynh, and Tyler’s Reid Habermehl are at a three-way tie for 5th after shooting a 77. Finishing out the 14 & Under boy’s division is Prosper’s Owen Layton, and Celina’s Wyatt Brindza are chasing to get into the top 5 after Round 1 has been completed.
Weather: Temperatures started in the low 40’s when play began and stayed in the mid 40’s in the afternoon. Moderate winds made for challenging scoring conditions for players throughout the day.
Course: Dallas Athletic Club is hosting the Winter Classic and will be conducted on The Blue Course which was originally designed by Jack Nicklaus in 1986. Nicklaus won the 1963 PGA Championship, which was held at Dallas Athletic Club. The course plays 6,672 yards in the Boys Division, 6,174 yards in the Boys 14 & Under Division and close to 5900 yards in the Girls Division. DAC was the host of the 2024 U.S. Open Final Stage qualifier, held on both their Blue and Gold Courses.
Tournament Format: The Winter Classic is a 36-hole stroke play event for players with active membership with the Texas Junior Golf Alliance. Players ages 12-18 are split into three different divisions. The event is ranked by Junior Golf Scoreboard, Golfweek and has AJGA Performance Stars that will be handed out to the top finishers.
Player of the Year Points: 1000 points in the 2025 Player of the Year Point Race are up for grabs this weekend at the Winter Classic. Points are awarded at each tournament to the top half of each age division.
What’s Next: The final round of the Winter Classic is set for Sunday, January 18 with tee times going off the No. 1 and 10 tees starting at 10:00 AM. Pairings for Sunday are drawn according to score from the first round and can be found by clicking 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 Texas PGA and Houston Golf Association. 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 $300,000 to promote junior golf initiatives and exposure to the game to those who might not otherwise have the opportunity across the state.
To learn more about the Winter Classic, click here.