Rice, Hofferkamp, Lee Lead Field after First Round of Bluebonnet Championship
Brownwood — Daniel Rice of Magnolia posted a 7-under 65 to lead the Boys 15-18 Division after 18 holes. The Boys 14 & Under Division leader is Evan Hofferkamp after a 3-under 69. Michelle Lee leads the Girls 12-18 Division after an opening round 4-under 68.
Leaders: Magnolia’s Daniel Rice leads the Boys 15-18 Division after a stellar 65 in his opening round. Rice was 7-under through 12 holes and coasted at even-par the rest of the way. Three birdies in his first four holes gave him confidence. “My shot of the day was my tee shot on 2 which I stuck to two feet, and next would be my approach on 3,” Rice said. He will tee off tomorrow at 2:15 pm. In the Boys 14 & Under division, The Woodlands’ Evan Hofferkamp set the pace with an opening round score of 69. Hofferkamp birdied two of his first four holes, as well as two of his final three to perch himself atop the leaderboard in the division. Michelle Lee of San Antonio leads the Girls 12-18 Division by three strokes after her opening round 68. Lee played her front nine at even-par, and then made the turn where she put together a string of four birdies in five holes to finish out her round at 4-under.
In Contention: William Mangione of Austin eagled the 16th hole to close in on his round of 66, one shot behind the lead. Austin Hofferkamp and Drew Helmle both posted a 5-under 67 to finish the day tied for third. Caden Clark of Lantana rounds out the top five after a 4-under 68. In the Boys 14 & Under Division, Gunter’s Austin Anderson sits in second place after a 1-under 71. Zachary and Lincoln Rubis, from Farmers Branch, are in solo 3rd and solo 4th, after an even-par 72 and a 2-over 74, respectively. In the Girls 12-18 Division, Gia Ahlowalia and Ava Osborne are both tied for second at 1-under. Elle Pistana and Naomi-Anne Phan round out the top five after posting even-par rounds of 72.
Weather: The players experienced a rare, chilly, but sunny Brownwood morning with temperatures in the mid 50’s when play became underway. Temperatures reached the high 70s in the afternoon, with winds staying calm for most of the day, but gusting up to 20 mph late in the afternoon. 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 25th 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 15-18, Boys 14 & Under, and Girls 12-18. This championship is ranked by Junior Golf Scoreboard. The top three finishers (and ties) in the Boys 15-18 Division will earn a spot in the 2025 Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship and the Texas Junior Amateur. For a full list of exemptions via this championship’s results, visit the LJT Homepage here.
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 Veritex 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.