THE WOODLANDS – Logan Pate won the weather-shortened 90th Texas State Junior Championship presented by Merrill Lynch at The Woodlands Country Club’s Tournament Course in a playoff.
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, a demanding 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.