Valley’s best hit course for UIL state golf tournaments

IVAN PALACIOS | STAFF WRITER

The 2025 UIL golf season came to an end Tuesday, with the best of the best in Texas competing in their respective classes state golf tournament at different courses across the state.

Among those athletes were a pair of RGV teams and two individuals taking the course, with McAllen Memorial and Sharyland High advancing to the Class 5A tournament, while IDEA Edinburg’s Mauricio Solar and IDEA Brownsville Frontier’s David Guerra qualifying as individuals in Class 3A.

Inclement weather cut this year’s state tournament short, with athletes limited to just one round of play. Here’s a look at how each of the RGV’s teams and athletes fared in their respective fields.

McAllen Memorial

Members of the 2025 McAllen Memorial golf team. (Photo Courtesy of RGVGCA Website)

The Mustangs were one stroke short of a Region IV-5A championship, finishing second in the tournament behind Smithson Valley. They got a bit of revenge at the state tournament at the Legacy Hills Golf Course in Georgetown, finishing nine places higher than the Rangers. McAllen Memorial took home fourth during the shortened tournament, just 10 strokes behind bronze medalist Dallas Highland Park.

Kai Tamez led the way for the Mustangs, finishing 4-over par for 17th place individually. Sophomore Thomas Ochoa and Diego Armour tied for 23rd individually, both finishing 5-over. Sophomore Liam McGurk rounded out the Mustangs top 4, finishing 6-over for 30th, while senior Evan McGurk finished 8-over for 46th.

McAllen Memorial finishes it’s year as runner-ups in District 31-5A and Region IV-5A, while also securing their third straight state tournament appearance. Their fourth place team finish marked the highest among any RGV team this year.

Sharyland High

Members of the 2025 Sharyland High golf team. (Photo Courtesy of RGVGCA Website)

Sharyland High put an end to McAllen Memorial’s reign atop District 31-5A this season, becoming the first team since 2019 other than the Mustangs to win the district title. They carried that momentum into regionals and turned it into another state tournament berth.

The Rattlers, who finished third during the Region IV-5A championships, finished four strokes behind their District 31-5A rival at state, coming in sixth in the team standings. They finished 24-over par as a team.

Still, Sharyland High had the best individual performance between the two teams, with Vik Akins finishing tied for 7th in the individual standings. The senior finished his day just 2-over par. Junior Pablo Trevino was the Rattlers’ next best finisher, finishing tied with McAllen Memorial’s Armour and Ochoa for 23rd. They all finished 5-over.

Senior Octavio Cantu and sophomore Fernando Garcia rounded out the Rattlers’ top four golfers, finishing 6-over and 11-over, respectively. Sharyland High’s fifth competitor was junior Lorenzo Garza, who came in 67th.

Mauricio Solar, IDEA Edinburg

IDEA Edinburg’s Mauricio Solar. (Photo Courtesy IDEA Edinburg’s Facebook)

Solar just missed out on spot in the top 10 at state this year, finishing 7-over par to take home 11th individually at the Jimmy Clay Golf Course in Austin.

Unlike Class 5A and 6A, the Class 3A tournament was able to go the full two days of competition this year, with athletes playing Round 1 on Monday and Round 2 on Tuesday.

Solar’s best day came during Day 1 of play, recording a score of 74 to finish 2-over. He sat in eighth place after one day of competition. Day 2 proved to be a bigger challenge for the Eagles’ junior, finishing with a score of 77 for 5-over par.

The junior golfer finished with a combined score of 151 during the two-day event. Solar finished the regular season as the No. 6 best golfer in the RGV in terms of average scores, making him a heavy favorite to return to state next year.

David Guerra, IDEA Brownsville Frontier

IDEA Brownsville Frontier’s David Guerra. (Photo Courtesy IDEA Brownsville Frontier’s Facebook)

Guerra was the second RGV individual to qualify for the UIL state golf tournament, joining IDEA Edinburg’s Solar at the Class 3A competition in Austin.

The junior golfer opened the tournament on a strong note, sitting in 24th out of 72 golfers after Day 1 of competition. Guerra posted a score of 78 during the first 18 holes to finish 6-over.

Day 2 was an uphill battle for Guerra, struggling to find his footing and finishing 16-over par with a score 88. His rough day on the green dropped him to No. 40 in the individual standings, finishing with a combined score of 166 for 22-over par.

Guerra is set to return next year, looking primed to make another run at state as a senior.

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