Stebbins, Yuan, and Anderson lead at Spring Preview
Dallas, Texas – Payne Stebbins fired a five-under par 67 in the opening round of the Spring Preview to lead the Boys 15-18 Division at Cleburne Golf Links. Kaylee Yuan leads the Girls 12-18 Division at five-under par 67, while Austin Anderson leads the Boys 14 & Under Division with a first round low six-under 66.
Leaders: Magnolia’s Stebbins had a fantastic day at in Cleburne with a round that included six birdies and just one bogey. After making the turn from his first nine, one-under par start, Stebbins birdied holes #12, #13, #15, and #17 to take a lead in the boy’s 15-18 division. Yuan, who is from the neighboring town of Joshua got off to an great start with three birdies and no bogeys on her first nine holes of golf. Yuan continued the good play, carding another three birdies on the back nine and just one bogey. Gunter’s Anderson leads the Boys 14 & Under Division by one stroke after shooting an impressive six-under 66. He had an eventful round that included six birdies and an eagle and just missed a birdie putt on 18 that would’ve taken his score to seven-under par.
In Contention: Two players are tied for second at four-under par 68 including Dallas’ Dylan Wisener, and travelling in from Little Rock, Arkansas, Jack Denery. Wisener and Denery were two of just seven players in the Boys 15-18 division to birdie the 18th hole. Mckinney’s Zac Morales, Houston’s Davis Shoaf, Lantana’s Henry Jackson and Del Rio’s Isaac Diaz are all tied for 4th at three-under par. 12 other players in the Boys 15-18 division sit under par after wonderful rounds. Conroe’s Aleah Shields-Rodipe sits in solo second with a four-under par 68 helped by an impressive three-under par back nine that included an eagle and three birdies. Frisco’s Megan Lee sits alone in third place, two shots behind the leader. In the Boys 14 & Under Division, Isaiah Diaz of Del Rio sits just one shot back of the lead after firing a first round five-under par, 67. Diaz is looking for his second victory of the 2025 LJT season. Celina’s Wyatt Brindza is within striking distance after his respective round of three-under, 69.
Weather: The morning started off chilly temperatures in the high 40’s with calm winds. As the sun came out, temperatures crept up to 79 degrees in the afternoon with calm winds throughout the day.
Host Course: Cleburne Golf Links, located on Lake Pat Cleburne in Cleburne, TX plays host to this years Spring Preview. The layout features a mix of challenging holes and is designed to accommodate all skill levels. The course, which opened in 2009, stretches 7,068 yards from the longest tees and is considered a hidden gem worth the drive from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Part of the land on which Cleburne Golf Links sits was once home to Cleburne Country Club, which hosted the Cleburne Invitational from 1929 to 1941. The inaugural championship was won by a high school golfer from Fort Worth—Ben Hogan. Three years later, Hogan became the first golf professional in Cleburne Country Club’s history, which dates back to 1906. A brick home at the corner of Prairie and Second streets marks where Hogan married Valerie Fox, whose father was the projectionist at the Yale Theater. The historic Yale Theater building is currently undergoing renovations in downtown Cleburne.
What’s at Stake: This is the third Open Event on the LJT schedule in 2025 and player of the year points are going to be awarded to the top half of each division. Along with points, the top finishers will get AJGA Stars and exemptions into future LJT Majors like the Bluebonnet Championship, Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship and Texas Junior Amateur. The event is ranked by Junior Golf Scoreboard.
Next Up: Pairings for the Final Round of the Spring Preview are available and can be viewed by clicking here. Players will be teeing off from the #1 tee from 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM.
To see all the scores from Saturday’s first round, click here. For more information on the LJT Spring Preview, click here.