Jimmy Walker Challenge Recap

By Marc DeWall :: Photography courtesy of the American Junior Golf Association

Cordillera Ranch was proud to once again host the AJGA Jimmy Walker Challenge for the second time in November. It was a great three days that showcased what makes the Cordillera Ranch community and Club so special. Thanks to member Claudine Coleman and all of the Cordillera Ranch members who supported the event in so many ways. The event kicked-off with a Junior Am Fundraiser that was followed by three days of great competition from some of the very best junior golfers from all over the country. The juniors loved the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course and the camaraderie formed during the tournament is what makes this event so special. Here are few fun facts about the event and also a recap of the competition.

Quick Facts

• The event featured 32 players on two teams

• The event was a match play tournament

• The teams for the event were Team Baltusrol and Team Cordillera

• Three days of competition featured Four-Ball and Foursomes formats

• The field featured players from nine states

• There were 17 AJGA champions in the field

Tournament Storylines

Team Names

The significance of Team Baltusrol and Team Cordillera cannot be lost on an avid golf fan. Baltusrol Golf Club is where Walker claimed his first major victory at the PGA Championship, while The Clubs at Cordillera Ranch hosted the Jimmy Walker Challenge for the second straight year.

Jimmy Walker Gives Back

Jimmy Walker continued to prepare male junior golfers in the United States for match play tournaments through the second year of his event, the Jimmy Walker Challenge. During his AJGA days, Walker was named a 1996 Rolex Junior All-American and played in 14 events, including three appearances at the AJGA Boys Junior Championship, now the AJGA Simplify Boys Championship at Carlton Woods.

Strong Field

The event featured a top field with the highest-ranked player (Reid Davenport) No. 11 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings. Three of the top-25 boys in the Rolex AJGA Rankings played and 14 of the top-50. Seventeen players who participated have also won an AJGA event and 12 have been named Rolex Junior All-Americans.

Results

Team Cordillera retains trophy with tie

Teams matched in points after all three days of competition

On the final day of competition, which featured periods of rain, Team Cordillera won the last match of the day to even the score at 12 apiece and retain the Jimmy Walker Challenge title. In 2016, Cordillera defeated Baltusrol 16-8. The decisive match of the day was the final one between Team Cordillera’s Andrew Lewis of Carmel, Indiana and Matthew Denton of Austin, Texas, and Team Baltusrol’s Brian Stark of Kingsburg, California and Dylan Menante of Carlsbad, California. The match came down to the final hole with Team Cordillera holding a 1 up lead. Lewis stuck his approach shot to seven feet and made the putt to win the hole and close out the final day of competition with a retention win for Team Cordillera.

Complete Results:

Reid Davenport, Austin, Texas & Clay Merchent, Noblesville, Indiana (Baltusrol), def. Ricky Castillo, Yorba Linda, California & Charles Osborne, Reno, Nevada (Cordillera), 1 up

Matthew Riedel, Houston, Texas & Austin Coggin, Vestavia Hills, Alabama (Cordillera), def. Kyle Cox, Carrollton, Texas & Joseph Pagdin, Orlando, Florida (Baltusrol), 2 up

James Song, Rancho Santa Fe, California & Alexander Yang, Carlsbad, California (Baltusrol), def. Jun Min Lee, Mission, Texas & Ryan Smith, Carlsbad, California (Cordillera), 2&1

Mason Nome, Houston, Texas & Connor Creasy, Abingdon, Virginia (Cordillera), def. Darren Lin, Chino Hills, California & Edward Wu, Temple City, California (Baltusrol), 4&2

Jackson Rivera, Rancho Santa Fe, California & Jackson Van Paris, Pinehurst, North Carolina (Cordillera), def. Turner Hosch, Dallas, Texas & William Moll, Houston, Texas (Baltusrol), 1 up

Cameron Sisk, El Cajon, California & Alex Zhu, San Ramon, California (Baltusrol), def. Sampson-Yunhe Zheng, Orlando, Florida & Scott Roden, Dallas, Texas (Cordillera), 1 up

Nicholas Arcement, Thibodaux, Louisiana & Dawson Ovard, Frisco, Texas (Baltusrol), def. Aaron Du, Lake Mary, Florida & Aaron Chen, Fremont, California (Cordillera), 2&1

Andrew Lewis, Carmel, Indiana & Matthew Denton, Austin, Texas (Cordillera), def. Brian Stark, Kingsburg, California & Dylan Menante, Carlsbad, California (Bartusrol), 2 up

Marc DeWall is the Director of Golf at The Clubs of Cordillera Ranch. He can be reached at mdewall@cordilleraranch.com or 830.336.4653.

You Might Also Enjoy....

Outdoors

Camp season is officially on!

Our lineup of Summer Camps packs each week with adventure, skill building, new friendships and the kind of memories kids talk about long after school starts again. Whether your little Rancher is perfecting their golf swing, working on their serve, playing with horses, creating works of art, splashing in the pool or exploring the natural beauty of the Ranch, there’s a perfect fit for every kid’s curiosity. Our counselors bring high-quality instruction and tons of enthusiasm. And some new camps this year add to the fun! So, let’s trade in screen time for game playing and trying new experiences this summer!

Cellar Club

Great 8

In this edition, I was assigned the daunting task of coming up with five wines that everybody should have in their cellar. My mind searched through the thousands of bottles that I have ever tasted, and then the tens of thousands of wines that I have researched throughout my career.
This has left us with the following list, which became Jeff’s Great 8. These wines are extremely rare and hard to find, and especially come with a huge cost.

Cordillera Ranch Residents

Living Life Under Par: Jaylaine and Erik Van Uden

Some families arrive in Cordillera Ranch because of the views. Some come for the golf. Some, like Jaylaine and Erik Van Uden, come because the timing finally feels right.
And maybe a little bit for the golf.

Member Services

Transform Team Performance with a Luxury Ranch Retreat

At The Clubs of Cordillera Ranch, corporate retreats are thoughtfully designed experiences — available exclusively to our members and their invited guests. Set against the natural beauty of the Texas Hill Country, the Ranch offers a seamless blend of business, luxury and leisure, creating an environment where teams can connect, collaborate and recharge.
As a true one-stop destination, The Clubs of Cordillera Ranch provides everything needed for a successful retreat: private meeting spaces, luxury lodging, chef-driven catering, curated outdoor experiences and optional airport transportation for added convenience.