Congratulations to my student, Cedar Park high school golfer Charles Kim for winning the Bluebonnet Classic, a Legends Junior Tour event with scores of 74, 68 – 142.  Also a congrats goes out to student Thomas Critch for finishing 3rd in the 14 and under age group with scores of 78,74 – 152

Now in its 12th year, the Bluebonnet Championship was started by Brownwood businessman Bart Johnson in 2001. The tournament has an impressive list of past champions including Patrick Reed, Brett Spencer, Cody Gribble, Corey Whitsett and Stratton Nolen. After not being held in 2006, the Legends Junior Tour took over control of the tournament in 2007 and it has consistently produced one of the largest, and strongest, fields of the year.

May 19th 2013–

BROWNWOOD, Texas (May 19, 2013) – Charles Kim’s 4-under-par 68 was enough to get him in a four-way playoff, where he won on the first hole at the Bluebonnet Championship. Maddie Luitwieler of Katy, Texas, captured her first Legends Junior Tour victory after posting a 2-under-par 70. She came from 5 strokes back to win the Girls 12-18 division. Noah Goodwin of Corinth, Texas, made a par on the first playoff hole to outlast Whit Parker of Conway, Ark., in the Boys 14 & Under division.

Conducted by the Legends Junior Tour, the Bluebonnet Championship featured a strong field of 130 players from Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Minnesota, Florida and Mexico. The par-72 Brownwood Country Club played 6,227 for all boys and 5,748 for the Girls 12-18 division.

Kim, whose 4-under-68 included 6 birdies, captured his first Legends Junior Tour victory. He made two straight bogeys on No’s. 14 and 15 before making three straight birdies on 15, 16, and 17. He had a 12 foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole but lipped out before making his comeback putt for par. Cole Buck of Pampa, Frankie Capan of St. Paul, Minn., and Scott Williams of Cedar Park all made bogey on the first playoff hole and finished tied for second. Kyle Hogan, Cory Brown, Braden Bailey, Walker Lee, and Austin Christiansen all finished tied for fifth at 1-under-par 143.

Luitwieler, who also qualified to play in the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships, carded her only bogey of the day on No. 3. She had two birdies in her final three holes to win by one stroke over Mia Ayer, her fellow competitor. Ayer’s 1-under-par 71 was the second best score of the day behind Luitwieler’s 70. Maddie McCrary of Wylie finished in third, two shots back of Luitwieler.

Goodwin, who also clinched his first Legends Junior Tour victory, led wire to wire, but had to play a one-hole, sudden death playoff against Parker. Parker carded the best round of the tournament in the Boys 14 & Under division with a 73, but couldn’t carry that over to the playoff, making a bogey on No. 1. Goodwin had three straight bogeys on No’s. 12, 13, and 14, but made birdie on No. 16, followed by two pars to get into the playoff with Parker. Thomas Critch finished in third place after a final round 2-over-par 74.

The Bluebonnet Championship attracted some of the best junior golfers in the region all vying for a qualifying spot to the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships. Luitwieler, along with Hailee Cooper, and Grace Ni all qualified for the Championship that will be held at Torrey Pines in San Diego July 15-19, 2013. Kim, Capan and Jake Wittschiebe qualified in their respectitve divisions for the Boys.

Link to scoring:  http://www.ghintpp.com/legendsjrtour/TPPOnlineScoring/resultsStroke.aspx?id=123&fid=302

For more information on the Bluebonnet Championship or the Legends Junior Tour, please visit www.TLJT.org.