CORPUS CHRISTI – Corpus Christi native Billy Teichman fired a final-round 66 to win the James A. Ragan Memorial on his home course, Corpus Christi Country Club. Richardson’s Libby Winans won the Girls 12-18 division and Matthew Spaulding of Spring won the Boys 14 & Under division Monday afternoon.
James Ragan was a former Legends Junior Tour Player that was diagnosed with osteosarcoma when he was 13 years old. Ragan started playing on tour in 2008 and recorded three top-25 finishes in his LJT career. The Corpus Christi native was a member at Corpus Christi Country Club and was the 2009 Junior Club Champion.
The Legends Junior Tour has conducted the James A. Ragan Memorial since 2015, after it was approached by the Ragan family and asked to hold a tournament in James’ honor.
“James loved golf, even though it was his second love, he loved golf and playing in the Legends Junior Tour events,” Mecklin Ragan, James’ sister said. “The relationships that James made on the golf course he cherished and he would love us having an event here at Corpus Christi.
“James would be excited to see other young golfers making the most of their talents and time and working harder to be better golfers and members of their community.”
Teichman, a three-time club champion at Corpus Christi CC, shot a bogey-free 5-under 66 in wet, soggy conditions. Heading into the final round trailing the leaders by one stroke, Teichman played steady and consistent golf, knowing he knew the course better than anyone in the field. He took that knowledge and turned it into a four-shot victory Monday afternoon.
Winning this event at his home club means a lot to him.
“Just winning this tournament with James’ name on it is special,” Teichman said. “Obviously James was a lot older than me, but I knew him growing up. He would talk to everyone at the club and everyone knew who he was. It means a lot to me to win this event here in Corpus, especially at my home course and with the whole Ragan family and several TOKC people out here watching.”
Teichman won by four shots over Trenton Leffingwell of New Braunfels. Leffingwell carded rounds of 70-71 for a 1-under 141 tournament total. Granbury’s Jake Holbrook finished in third place after a final round 3-under 68. John Keefer of San Antonio finished in fourth place, six shots back of Teichman, and Tucker Allen finished in fifth place.
In the Girls 12-18 division, Winans captured her first LJT victory. Coming off a second place finish at the Winter Classic in January, Winans carded a final-round 72 to win by two strokes. Starting on the difficult par-4 10th, she made a bogey, but quickly gained her momentum back with a birdie on the par-5 11th. She had a three more bogeys and two more birdies, but it was the birdie on the seventh hole, her 16th of the day that gave her enough to get the win.
She won by two strokes over Kennedy Pedigo of Fort Worth. Pedigo carded a final round 1-over 72 as well, but just couldn’t make up the difference from Sunday’s first round. Zoe Slaughter finished in third place after a 2-over 73 in Monday’s final round. Sara Camarena finished in fourth, while Bentley Cotton finished in fifth place.
In the Boys 14 & Under division, Spaulding carded the low round of the division to edge out Shoichiro Kato by one shot. Spaulding’s 4-under 67 included five birdies, including three in a five-hole stretch. His back nine 34 was enough to get him his first LJT victory.
Kato finished in solo second place, one shot back. Matthew Spaulding’s twin brother, Andrew finished in third place, five shots back of his brother. Hudson Weibel and Connor Adams finished in a tie for fourth place.
The Legends Junior Tour would like to thank Corpus Christi Country Club, its members, and staff for hosting the James A. Ragan Memorial. The Tour would also like to thank the Triumph Over Kid Cancer Foundation, founded by James and Mecklin Ragan, for supporting the tournament, and supplying over 40 volunteers for the tournament.
For more information on the James A. Ragan Memorial or the Legends Junior Tour, please click here. For more information on the Triumph Over Kid Cancer Foundation, please click here.
For final results, click here.