Roach, Kim, Farrow, Huang and Lynch Lead Fall Challenge
Briefly: Gable Roach of Keller, Andrew Kim of Frisco, and Colt Farrow of Andover, KS are all tied for the lead after the opening round of the Legends Junior Tour Fall Challenge with 4-under par 68’s They will head into Sunday’s final round at The Nutcracker Golf Club in Granbury all paired together. Katy’s Maye Huang leads the Girls Division after shooting 3-under 69 on Saturday, while Austin’s J.P. Lynch leads the Boys 14 & Under Division at 2-under.
Leaders: Gable Roach had a solid opening round posting 5 birdies versus just one bogey. Andrew Kim pushed out to an early 6-under par through the first 11 holes but cooled off with a couple of bogeys coming down the stretch. Colt Farrow, playing in his first LJT event, dominated the par 5’s in round one playing them at 5-under par. Maye Huang holds a four-stroke lead in the Girls Division after shooting 3-under 69 in the first round. The UCLA commit had a steady round coupling five birdies with only 2 bogeys. J.P. Lynch holds a slim 2 shot lead in the Boys 14 & Under Division after shooting 2-under on Saturday. Lynch made 5 birdies on his opening nine, but his putter cooled off on the back, and an aggressive play on the par 5 16th cost him a double bogey.
In Contention: In the Boys Division, Needville’s Jackson Sledzik and Haydn Robertson of Maumelle, Arkansas sit in a tie for 4th at 3-under par 69. Lucas Latimer of Rockwall and Daniel Ferguson of Duncanville are tied for 6th place, 2 shots back. Daniel is playing his first event since his win earlier this month at the North Texas Classic. In the Girls Division, Aleah Shields-Rodipe of Conroe trails Huang after shooting 1-over 73. Anika Singh of McKinney and defending champion Kaylee Yuan of Joshua sit in a tie for third place at 2-over 74. Plano’s Eileen Lee and Southlake’s Stephanie De Marco are tied for 5th place at 3-over 75. In the Boys 14 & Under Division, Brayden Verret of McKinney shot an even par round putting him 2 shots off the lead in second place. Austin’s Henry Talarico is currently in third place with a 2-over par 74.
Golf Course: Nutcracker Golf Club, located in Granbury, TX is hosting its second Fall Challenge its first since 2022. Designed by Lee Singletary and opened in 1992. The course was initially carved out of the Leonard Bend Pecan Orchard and still features those same Pecan trees which line its fairways. The course will play to 6805 yards in the Boys 15-18 Division, 6,495 yards in the Boys 14 & Under Division and 5,944 yards in the Girls 12-18 Division.
Weather: Temperatures began in the mid 60s and crept up to the mid-80s under sunny skies. The winds were light in the morning hours and picked up to 10-15 mph later in the day. Mother Nature provided the competitors with a perfect day for golf.
Tournament Format: The Fall Challenge is a 36-hole stroke play event with players ages 12-18 that have an active membership within the Texas Junior Golf Alliance. The 84-player field is split into a Boys Division, Girls Division and a Boys 14 & Under Division.
Texas Junior Golf Alliance: The Alliance is a joint venture between the Texas Golf Association, Northern and Southern Texas PGA and Houston Golf Association. The goal of the Alliance was to allow junior golfers a clear path to the best tournaments in Texas. Each of the three tier-two organizations (STPGA, NTPGA, HGA) conduct events that serve as qualifiers into the statewide tier-one events run by the Legends Junior Tour (LJT). This allows players to compete in local events in which they can earn spots to play in statewide tournaments.
Player of the Year Points: 1000 points in the 2024 Player of the Year Point Race are up for grabs this weekend at the Fall Challenge. Points are awarded at each tournament to the top half of each age division.
What’s Next: The Final Round of the Fall Challenge is scheduled for tee times at 8:00 am on Sunday, September 29th. Pairings for the final round can be found by clicking here. Following Sunday’s play, awards will be handed out to the top finishers of each division along with LJT Player of the Year Points.
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.
For more information on the Fall Challenge, click here.