Verret, Lee, Phan, and Murphy Lead North Texas Classic
Briefly: Brayden Verret set the pace in the Boys 15-18 Division after posting a 2-under-par 68 in round one of the North Texas Classic. In the Girls Division, Megan Lee and Naomi-Anne Phan lead the field at 3-over, while Bryar Murphy is currently setting the pace in the Boys 14 & Under Division at 2-under par.
In Contention: In the Boys 15-18 Division, 35 players are within five shots of the lead. Spencer Carter, Cooper Nichols, Declan Dent, and Ryan Lee round out the top five, all sitting one shot back at 1-under.
In the Girls Division, Waco native Paityn Carter and Lantana’s Alivia Bravo are in a tie for third at 4-over, and Jacqueline Zhuang, who recorded her first ever hole-in-one on the par-3 15th, rounds out the top 5 at 5-over.
In the Boys 14 & Under Division, Celina’s Wyatt Brindza sits in second at 1-under, and Gunter’s Austin Anderson, already a winner this year, finds himself in third after a round of 71, 1-over-par. Brindza and Anderson both played alongside the division leader, Bryar Murphy, in the day’s first pairing in the division.
Golf Course: Cedar Crest Golf Course is hosting the North Texas Classic for the first time in the tournament’s ten-year history with the Legends Junior Tour. As an A.W. Tillinghast designed course, Cedar Crest is home of the 1927 PGA Championship and Golf Channel televised event, the Southwest Airlines Showcase. Tillinghast is also the creator behind Texas courses such Colonial Country Club, Lakewood Country Club, and Brook Hollow Golf Club. The course also hosted the Dallas Open in 1936 and the USGA Public Links Championship in 1954. Located in Southern Dallas, the par 70 golf course offers a challenge to the field, stretching out to 6,600 yards in the Boys Division, 6,100 yards in the Boys 14 & Under Division and 5,600 yards in the Girls Division. Cedar Crest Golf Course is also home to the I AM a Golfer Foundation.
I AM a Golfer Foundation is committed to being a catalyst for community renewal and transformation in southern Dallas by delivering impactful programming, preserving the historic Cedar Crest Golf Course, and promoting inclusive access to the game of golf for youth and families. Through their junior golf program, they have introduced over 2,000 local kids to the sport, offering meaningful instruction and life-shaping experiences. The paid internship program has provided high school and college young adults with hands-on, career-building opportunities, while their scholarship initiative has awarded over $400,000 in college support to 46 deserving students. For more on their work and how you can get involved, visit www.iamagolfer.com.
Tournament Format: The North Texas Classic is a 36-hole stroke play event for players 12-18 years old. All players in the field are required to have an active membership with the Texas Junior Golf Alliance. The North Texas Classic kicks off the Fall Swing of the Legends Junior Tour schedule.
Weather: Morning temperatures started off in the mid 60’s with a light breeze. Temperatures throughout the day peaked in the mid 70’s as breezy conditions and cloudy skies were the theme of the day.
Player of the Year Points: 1000 points in the 2025 Player of the Year Point Race are up for grabs this weekend at the North Texas Classic. Points are awarded at each tournament to the top half of each age division.
Texas Junior Golf Alliance: The Alliance is a joint venture between the Texas Golf Association, North Texas PGA, and South Texas PGA. The goal of the Alliance was to allow junior golfers a clear path to the best tournaments in Texas. Each of the tier-two organizations (STPGA, NTPGA) 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.
What’s Next: The Final Round is scheduled to begin at 7:30 am tomorrow morning off the 1st tee. To see the pairings for the Final Round, click here.
For more information on the North Texas Classic, click here. To see all the scores from Cedar Crest Golf Course, click here.