PALM VALLEY — After two full rounds and 36 holes, the 2018 South Texas Junior Golf Classic presented by Gillman Auto came down to a sudden-death playoff.
La Feria’s Andy Cortez and Alex Hernandez of Victoria finished tied at 147 after regulation on Sunday in the 15- to 18-year-old boy’s division.
Cortez teed off first on the par-4, 363-yard No. 1 hole at Harlingen Country Club. His drive went straight down the windswept fairway but did not travel as far as Hernandez’s shot, which, while not as straight, landed considerably closer to the pin.
Cortez reached the green two shots later and calmly sunk a short put to par the hole.
“That’s all I really wanted to do was to par the hole,” said Cortez afterward. “I did what I set out to do.”
Meanwhile, Hernandez’s second shot was a sweet chip from about 40 yards out that landed approximately 35 feet away from the pin. All that separated him from victory was a much-needed birdie.
Like a seasoned PGA Tour pro, Hernandez measured his shot, got into his putting stance and watched as his ball glided toward the hole and disappeared into it with an ever-so-sweet plink as it hit the bottom of the cup.
Your 2018 winner of the Ralph & Bea Griffis Memorial Trophy: Alex Hernandez.
“When I made that putt, I just blacked out,” he said. “Before the hole, I was thinking ‘let’s get a par and if we can get to a playoff on a par-5 I can make birdie there,’ but… I hadn’t made anything (like that) all day, so I was hoping that that shot was it.”
Indeed it was.
Ironically, this was Hernandez’s first-ever trip to the 38th annual event.
“I came here because my dad actually played here 26 years ago and he was telling me about it, and how I should play in it so I finally did,” said Hernandez, who recently graduated from Faith Academy in Victoria.
“I never thought I was going to win since I had never played here, but the course is in great shape and things just worked out.”
As for Cortez, his attempt to capture the 2018 title may have fallen just short, but the soon-to-be senior at La Feria High School was still happy with his second-place finish, which he dedicated to his recently deceased grandmother.
“This was all for her and I was really pretty pleased with how I finished out,” he said.
Despite starting the day with three straight bogeys, Cortez finished the front nine with a rock-solid 35 and finished the day with a 74.
Meanwhile, defending champion Santiago Garcia of Brownsville struggled on Sunday. After firing a 72 on Saturday to become the first-round leader, the 2018 Hanna graduate plodded to a second-round 81 and finished with a 153.
Luis Chavez of Palmview and Brandon Garza of Harlingen rounded out the top three as they tied for third with a 148.
In the girl’s 15- to 18-year old division, Mia Lerma of Mission shot a second-round 73 to run away with the title. Her two-day total of 154 was 13 strokes better than second-place finisher Micaela Leandro, who finished with a 167. Fahtima Avila of Brownsville closed out the top three with a 169.
Last year’s winner, Julie Lucio of Brownsville, did not participate in this year’s tournament. The 2018 Veterans Memorial graduate is set to play college golf at the University of Houston.
