High school golf season in the Ranch Cities Area has reached the back nine, with golfers from Pilot Point, Tioga and Aubrey recently competing in their respective regional tournaments.
Senior Hank David and sophomore Kipton Goodin represented Pilot Point at the 2026 UIL Region II-3A Boys Golf Tournament hosted at Oak Hurst Golf Course in Bullard on April 13 and 14.
“We were extremely blessed to win all the individual medals from our district because only the Top 2 get to go to regionals, and the fact they had the chance to play together was fantastic,” said Rick Baker, Pilot Point head golf coach.
David won the silver medal in his second appearance at the regional tournament, finishing second overall with a two-day total of 147.
“After the practice round my dad and I found out that my driver was cracked, and when that happens it’s basically unusable, so that made things a little different,” he said. “I just hit with a three wood everywhere, which was weird because that’s not a club I hit with very often, so I had to step up and trust myself that I would hit the ball well.”
David’s second-place finish earned him a spot at the State Tournament for the second year in a row.
Goodin finished with a two-day total of 172, placing 44th overall.
Good shared his thoughts on his first appearance at the regional event.
“I didn’t play as well as I thought I would, but it was a fun tournament,” he said. “I didn’t prove myself how I hoped, but it felt good that I even made it there, and I’m [planning] to make it to State, hopefully by my senior year.”
Senior Zander Zafar and sophomore Emerson Moore represented Tioga at the boys and girls 2026 UIL Region II-2A Golf Tournaments hosted at Old Brickyard in Ferris on April 13-14 and April 1516.
“I was really proud of both of them,” Tioga head golf coach Ragan Smith said. “… Zander qualified for State as the second individual medal recipient, and Emerson just barely missed State by one person, but either way it was a solid showing for Tioga and a solid showing for both of those kids and speaks to their work ethic.”
Zafar, who made his fourth consecutive appearance at the regional tournament, finished fourth overall with a two-day total of 145, qualifying for the State Tournament for the third time in his career.
“I know how the [Old Brickyard] plays and knew where to hit the ball and how the greens roll and break,” he said. “When I get to State, I’m hoping I can play better, make more putts and greens, and shoot lower scores.”
Moore completed the tournament with a two-day total of 171, placing 6th overall.
She shared how proud she was of her performance after finishing outside of the Top 20 at last year’s regional tournament.
“During the summer I did PGA tournaments, trying to build my confidence and improve my hitting, and every day, I try to go to the [driving] range, so I definitely feel like those things and putting it all together on the course helped me improve a lot,” she said.
Sophomore Lady Chaparral Yuri Judge represented Aubrey at the 2026 UIL Region II-4A Girls Golf Tournament on April 15 and 16 at the Sulphur Springs Country Club.
“Competing against a tough field, Judge demonstrated determination and composure throughout both rounds,” Aubrey golf coach Mandy Darwin said in a game report. “She continues to develop her skills and gain valuable experience at a high level of competition, and with two more years ahead of her, [her] performance signals a bright future and continued growth in golf.”
Judge finished with a two-day total of 182, finishing 18th overall.
“I felt very good about my performance, but I know I could’ve done better on a couple of holes, [but] I felt good and had a lot of energy,” she said.
Judge also shared her appreciation for everyone that supported her this season.
“Thank you to my parents and my coaches for being there to improve my game, as well as everyone who wished me good luck and congratulated me on being able to make it to regionals,” she said.
David is scheduled to compete at the 3A State Golf Tournament on Monday and Tuesday at Jimmy Clay Golf Course in Austin.
Zafar is scheduled to compete at the 2A State Golf Tournament also on Monday and Tuesday at Lions Municipal Course in Austin.
Tioga golfer Zander Zafar winds up for a shot at the Region II2A Golf Tournament hosted at Old Brickyard Golf Course on April 13 and 14. Zafar finished as the second individual medal recipient, earning his third appearance at the State Tournament.
Photo Courtesy of Tioga ISD
