Logan Pate following Texas State Junior title
(TXGA Photo)

Richmond’s Pate was tied with Pierceson and Parker Coody of Plano at the conclusion of play on Friday, sending the three players into a sudden-death playoff on the 18th hole. No. 18 is a 442-yard par four with water in front of and to the right of the green.

Pate was first to play and found the left rough with his tee shot. Pierceson Coody’s drive caught a tree and ended up short in the left rough, while Parker Coody drove it into the right rough in front of the water hazard. Both Coody brothers punched out to the fairway with their second shot, while Pate was able to escape the trees and find the green. Pate was left with a little over 60 feet for birdie and lagged up to a couple of feet short. After Parker hit his third shot in the water, Pierceson hit the green just beyond the hole for his third shot. Pierceson missed his par putt, while Pate sank his to seal his victory.

The championship was shortened to 36 holes after rain and lightning suspended play in both the first and second rounds. There were two delays on Wednesday and one delay on Thursday. All three players finished their second rounds early on Friday and had to wait out the second wave to begin their playoff.

Despite all the rain delays, Pate was able to stay focused on the golf course. “I just kept to my routine and the birdie on No. 7 helped keep me close,” said Pate, “Relaxing with friends helped keep me patient during the delays.”

In both rounds, Pate was able to make nine birdies including the par-5 first and the par-4 seventh holes both rounds. Pate birdied three of his final four holes in the first round to shoot 4-under 68.

Parker was tied with Pate after the first round, making seven birdies en route to his 4-under 68. Parker shot even-par in the second round, making a birdie on his final hole, the par-4 ninth, to 4-under overall. He was the runner-up at the Byron Nelson Junior Championship last month, losing in a playoff.

Pierceson fired back-to-back rounds of 70 to get to 4-under overall. Pierceson, who is the reigning Boys 15- 18 Division Player of the Year, was the runner-up in the 2015 Byron Nelson Junior Championship, losing in a playoff. Pierceson made four birdies and 13 pars in his first 17 holes on Friday, before a double-bogey on the par-4 ninth pushed him back to 4-under.

Houston’s William Moll, who was tied with Parker and Pate after the first round, finished fourth in the championship at 3-under 141. Dallas’ Turner Hosch, who won the Spring Preview earlier this year, finished tied for fifth with Jun Min Lee of Mission and first round leader Peyton Coursey of Mansfield.

Austin’s Michael Rome and Fort Worth’s Zachery Cole finished tied for eighth while Austin’s Nicholas Costello, Conroe’s Chad Sewell, Dallas’ Andy Lopez and Austin’s Trey Bosco finished tied for 10th at 1-over 145.

The Woodlands Country Club hosted the championship after it spent six years at Horseshoe Bay Resort. The Tournament Course at The Woodlands CC is home to several prestigious tournaments including the Insperity Invitational, a Champions Tour event. Robert von Hagge, a renowned golf course designer, created the Tournament Course.

The top five finishers of the championship earned exemptions into the George Hannon Junior Invitational, while the top finishers gained entry into the Texas Cup Invitational and the 2017 Byron Nelson Junior Championship. Player of the year points were doubled for this major championship and numerous AJGA Stars were given to the top finishers.

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