Savannah Barber Leads After Two Rounds of The Volunteers of America Girls Championship

Steven Clements • June 22, 2021

THE COLONY, TEXAS – Savannah Barber of Fort Worth, Texas, has taken a one stroke lead at the Volunteers of America Classic Girls Championship held at Golf Clubs at The Tribute (round one and two on Tribute Golf Links | round three on Old American Golf Club). Barber shot a second round score of 37-32-69 bringing her to a two day total of 141 and 3-under par.


“I got off to a slow start and made some bogeys, but I remained chill and I started rolling the putter good,” said Barber.


Barber is a member of the Northern Texas PGA Junior Tour and plays frequently on the All American Tour. She qualified for the Championship by winning the Spring Finale last month. Earlier this year Barber also won the USGA Women’s Amateur Four Ball Championship with partner Alexa Saldana at Maridoe Golf Club in Carrollton, Texas. 


She will be joined in the final pairing tomorrow by Farah O’Keefe of Austin, Texas and Michelle Zhang of Plano, Texas. O’Keefe held the lead briefly in round one before shooting an even par 72, followed by a second round 2-under par 70. She is currently in second place. Zhang was tied for the lead after round one at 1-under par and fired a second round 72 to remain at 1-under par through two rounds. She is now in a tie for third place.


O’Keefe qualified for the Championship through the Legends Junior Tour’s Bluebonnet Championship on May 1-2. 


Zhang qualified for the Championship by winning the All American Tour Girls Series #2 at Brookhaven Country Club.


30 players survived the 36-hole cut and will advance to the final round tomorrow, June 23, 2021 to be played on Old American Golf Club. The cut was made at 15-over par. The remaining players will compete to earn two spots into next week’s LPGA Tour Volunteers of America Classic. In addition, the winner will walk away in a custom pair of Lucchese Boots and with a crystal trophy in hand. The third, fourth and fifth place players will earn an exemption into the Monday Qualifier for the Volunteers of America Classic.


The 54-hole stroke play championship featured a field of 63 of the top female junior golfers in the State of Texas. In addition to two LPGA Tour exemptions, the 2021 Volunteers of America Classic Girls Championship offers World Amateur Golf Rankings, Global Junior Golf Rankings and maximum American Junior Golf Association performance based entry stars.

 

Tribute Golf Links: 6,297 yards, par 72
Old American Golf Club: 6,364 yards, par 71


View the current leaderboard HERE

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Northern Texas PGA Announces Extension, Enhanced Partnership with Veritex Community Bank

By Molly Rawlins • September 26, 2023
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Maelynn Kim Captured The Ascendant LPGA Benefiting Volunteers of America Girls Championship to Earn LPGA Tour Exemption

By Steven Clements • July 7, 2023
THE COLONY, TX – Maelynn Kim of Katy, TX Captured the 2023 The Ascendant LPGA Benefiting Volunteers of America Girls Championship. Kim will tee it up on the LPGA Tour on October 5-8, 2023 in The Ascendant LPGA Benefiting Volunteers of America at Old American Golf Club. Kim fired a 1-over-par, 72 final round, the second lowest score of the day on Old American Golf Club, to secure her victory by one stroke. She finished the championship at 6-under-par after rounds of 67-70-72–209. The final round course set-up was nearly the exact same as the final round of the 2022 LPGA Tour’s Sunday set-up. After finishing in 4th place last year Kim had her eyes set on returning to Northern Texas for a victory. “Last year I had a good chance at it then I just got nervous,” said Kim. “I knew I had a good chance of winning this week and that was my goal anyway to come out and win so it feels really good to be able to accomplish that.” Kim will attend the University of Houston in the fall and play on the Women’s Golf Team, where she will be teammates with the inaugural champion of this event Brooke Morales. Morales won in 2020. “I might reach out to Michelle (2023 champion) and probably to Brooke as well just to kind of see what it was like and if they can give me advice,” said Kim about preparing for her LPGA debut. The Ascendant LPGA Benefiting Volunteers of America Girls Championship is supported by Jerry J. Ransom. Old American Golf Club Par 35-36–71 Yardage: 6,297 yards View the final results HERE

Bellendir Holds Steady During Round Two of The Ascendant LPGA Benefiting Volunteers of America Girls Championship

By Steven Clements • July 6, 2023
THE COLONY, TX – Alicia Bellendir cards an even-par second round at The Ascendant LPGA Benefiting Volunteers of America Girls Championship. After a 34-38–72 she now leads by two strokes heading into tomorrow’s final round at Golf Clubs at The Tribute. Bellendir once again started off strong with two birdies in the opening three holes. “It was okay today, I started off pretty well, at one point I was 2-under and I kept that up for most of the round,” she said. “I ended with two bogeys because I put myself in bad positions, so I ended up shooting even. It wasn't terrible but it could have been better.” Looking ahead to tomorrow’s final round Bellendir said, “I’m just hoping that I can shoot par, since it's a harder course, not many people will shoot a super good round.” In the final grouping at 9:39 a.m. with Bellendir will be Maelynn Kim and Veronika Exposito. Kim, who is from Katy, is two strokes behind the lead at 7-under-par. She also played in the final grouping in last year’s Championship. Exposito, from The Woodlands, is in 3rd place at 6-under-par after shooting a 67 today. Her 5-under-par round was the lowest of the day. Of the field of 52 players, 31 made the 36 hole cut and will move onto the final round. After playing the first 36 holes of the Championship on the Tribute Golf Links, tomorrow’s final round will be played on Old American Golf Club. It is the host site for the LPGA Tour event and Friday’s final round course set-up will simulate the LPGA Tour event's Sunday set-up. Tomorrow the Championship will once again award an exemption into The Ascendant LPGA Benefiting Volunteers of America on October 5-8, 2023 to the champion. The Ascendant LPGA Benefiting Volunteers of America Girls Championship is supported by Jerry J. Ransom. Tribute Golf Links Par 36-36–72 Yardage: 6,297 yards View current leaderboard HERE

Bellendir Starts The Ascendant LPGA Benefiting Volunteers of America Girls Championship With a Bang

By Steven Clements • July 6, 2023
THE COLONY, TX – Alicia Bellendir of Coppell continued the Independence Day fireworks at The Ascendant LPGA Benefiting Volunteers of America Girls Championship. She fired an opening round 32-31–63, 9-under-par and sits four shots ahead of second place. Starting the championship with an opening birdie, Bellendir never looked back on her way to a career low 63. “I started off with birdie, par and then eagle and then I just was playing pretty well throughout and then I had a row of five birdies and then I had a bogey and then I ended with birdie, par so it was pretty good today.” Bellendir had a strong day on the greens “I was making a lot of putts from 12 feet and in,” she said. This is Bellendir’s third time playing in the championship. She qualified by winning the All American Tour Talley Riggins Summer Showdown by 12 strokes on May 31 - June 1, 2023 at Sherrill Park Golf Course. Coincidentally Bellendir’s previous career low round of 67 came at this event. Maelynn Kim from Katy who finished in 4th place last year is once again in contention. She carded a first round 5-under-par, 67 and sits in second place. 14 players of the 52 player field are under-par after 18 holes. Tribute Golf Links will host the first 36 holes of the Championship before a cut is made to the low 30 scores and ties. The remaining players will play the final round on Old American Golf Club, the host site for the LPGA Tour event. Wednesday’s final round course set-up will simulate the LPGA Tour event's Sunday set-up. This year’s Championship will once again award an exemption into The Ascendant LPGA Benefiting Volunteers of America on October 5-8, 2023. The Ascendant LPGA Benefiting Volunteers of America Girls Championship is supported by Jerry J. Ransom. Tribute Golf Links Par 36-36–72 Yardage: 6,297 yards View current leaderboard HERE
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