A Threesome of Texas Classmates Ready For a U.S. Junior Amateur Road Trip
The concept of golf with friends is a tried-and-true principle, which has served the game well for more than two centuries. But golf with your best friends while playing for a USGA national title is certainly a twist on an old idea.
But that’s exactly what Jake Maggert, Jack Usner, and Aaron Pounds, longtime friends, competitors and classmates at The Woodlands Christian Academy north of Houston, have planned for the 2022 U.S. Junior Amateur, July 25-30, at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.
Fresh off their second state private high school title at TWCA, and with an impressive summer of amateur golf, they’re headed to Oregon to attempt to add their names to the impressive list of Junior Am winners, which includes Johnny Miller, Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth and Scottie Scheffler.
“It’s been our dream ever since we were little to play golf at a high level together,” Pounds said. “The U.S. Junior Amateur is the biggest junior tournament there is and we’re all going to be there together. I can’t wait.”
The three booked their spots for the Junior Amateur in local qualifying in the Houston area, mirroring the hundreds if not thousands of practice rounds and range sessions they have put in together at The Club at Carlton Woods, a prestigious complex in The Woodlands.
“We haven’t always been known for our junior program, but these three and their incredible work ethic has really set the bar high,” said Jason Alexander, head professional at the Carlton Woods Fazio course. “The entire club is really proud of their accomplishment together.”
Maggert, the son of PGA Tour veteran and Woodlands native Jeff Maggert, along with Usner and Pounds, agreed playing each other on a daily basis has spurred one another to greater heights.
“To be honest, the competition between our (high) schools isn’t the best, but we stay competitive by playing each other,” Maggert said.
None of the three will admit to any private scorecard counting on who is the first among equals when teeing it up, but will acknowledge some friendly trash talk takes place when they compete together.
“We wouldn’t be friends if we didn’t,” said Usner, who teamed with Pounds in the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball at the Country Club of Birmingham in May (they advanced into the match play bracket, losing in the Round of 32).
“Maybe we should start keeping track of our scores together,” added Maggert.
Maggert first met Pounds in the fourth grade in The Woodlands when they were playing at Carlton Woods. They recruited Usner to the club and their tight group in the 9th grade and have been pretty unstoppable since then.
They teamed to win their first state high school golf title at The Woodlands Christian Academy as sophomores last year, added a second title in May at Cottonwood Creek Golf Club in Waco this spring and will be back to try for a three-peat next year.
“We’re all good friends and it’s good to able to play together. It will be the best environment and all of our buddies will be there,” said Usner of the U.S. Junior Am. “We just want to beat each other super-badly, but that makes us all better and has taken our game to new levels.”
“We’ve all gotten beaten and gotten better and had a good time together.”
Maggert probably has the most big tournament experience, having watched his three-time PGA Tour winner dad for decades, but said he’s ready for his own moment in the national golf spotlight.
“The main thing I learned from him and watching players at all the tournaments I’ve been to, is how good they are at course management with their games," Maggert said. "They know how to manage their games to get out and stay out of trouble.”
Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have friends in high places when the need arises. When Maggert was playing this spring, preparing to qualify for the Junior Amateur, family friend and former U.S. Open champion and Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin stepped up to carry his bag in qualifying and handle all advice and course management duties.
None of the three have ever been to iconic Bandon Dunes, which has already hosted the U.S. Amateur, but all are excited for a guys' road trip wedged into a USGA national championship.
“The reviews of the place have been incredible,” Usner said. “I’m super excited that I’ve given myself a chance to complete in the biggest tournament in junior golf, with friends as well.”
Pounds said he plans to go up a few days early to Bandon with family to try to play a few more rounds with his dad and maybe see his friends along the way. Then they will get to the serious business of qualifying and, hopefully, advancing to match play.
While the ultimate goal would be two of the three in the championship match at the Bandon Dunes course with a third in the semifinal, the next best thing is that all three, perhaps unsurprisingly, have committed to the same college program.
Starting in the fall of 2023, the three will be playing at Texas A&M, a decision they said was not a package deal.
“Really, Aaron was the first to commit to A&M super early and then I was next and Jake (Jeff Maggert was an All-American at Texas A&M) was the last one come to come on,” Usner said. “We're going to be playing together for the next five years, so we’ll have a lot of good times together.”
Starting next week at the 2022 U.S. Junior Amateur, the Texas connection in Oregon will take the golf with friends to a whole new level.