Randle, Chang Lead Byron Nelson Junior Championship
Randle, Chang Lead Byron Nelson Junior Championship
DALLAS – Jack Randle of The Woodlands and Austin’s Hanseung Chang lead the 18th Byron Nelson Junior Championship at Lakewood Country Club. Randle and Chang both carded 1-under-par 70s to lead the field by one stroke.
Randle, 17, bounced back from an early bogey on the par-4 third with an eagle on the par-5 fourth and a birdie on the par-3 fifth. He followed a bogey on the sixth hole with another birdie on the par-3 seventh to go out in 2-under 34.
Randle remained patient throughout his round concentrating on a set of notes from his older brother, and former Lakewood Country Club professional, Grady Randle.
“He let me know which greens were really tricky,” Randle said. “He let me know which certain hole locations on certain greens not to fire at and just take par and leave.”
Randle, playing in his first Nelson Junior, remained focus on his closing loop. His approach shot on the par-4 11th landed just beyond the putting surface and bounded across the cart path out of bounds. Randle double bogeyed, but said he tried to shake it off on the 12th tee.
“I was not going to complain about a bad shot,” said Randle, a senior at College Park High School. “I wanted to hit the same shot on the downhill par-3 and try to stick it and I did.”
He found the bottom of the cup from inside 10 feet on the par-3 12th and again on the par-4 fifteenth. Randle bogeyed 16 and finished with back-to-back pars to post 1-under 70 and share the tournament lead.
Chang, 15, played without faze as well. After bogeying his first hole of the championship, Chang birdied two of his closing eight holes on the front nine. He went out at even-par 36 with a bogey on the par-3 seventh.
Chang bogeyed the 10th hole, but followed with a birdie on the par-4 11th. After giving another shot back on 13, he birdied two of his closing four to card 1-under-par 70.
“My irons were kind of deadly today,” Chang said. “I think staying calm, being relaxed and having fun is the most key part of the game for me.”
Paul Gonzalez of Waxahachie and Temple’s William Paysse carded even-par 71. They are T-3 and one shot off the lead. Four notable LJT competitors, Tyson Dinsmore, Nathan Petronzio, Jake Holbrook and Luke Dossey, sit T-5 after rounds of 1-over 72.
Lakewood Country Club is playing host to the Byron Nelson Junior Championship for the sixteenth time. The players teed it up from 6,631 yards and averaged 76.8. The 78-player field will be cut to the top-30 and ties following Round 2 tomorrow.
The second round begins Wednesday at 8 a.m. For more information on the Byron Nelson Junior Championship click here.