July 1, 2026 •Southern Texas PGA
SPRING, TX (October 27, 2025) – The Southern Texas PGA is proud to announce our 2025 STPGA Junior Golfers of the Year, Jules Mahan and Daniel Rice. This distinguished honor recognizes these junior golfers' exceptional accomplishments on the course, leadership in their communities, and their unwavering commitment to representing the values and spirit of the Southern Texas PGA.
Jules Mahan, a standout competitor within our STPGA Junior Golf programs, has built an impressive junior golf resume that reflects her drive, consistency, and sportsmanship. She is a two-time Texas Junior Cup team member (2018, 2020), helping lead Southern Texas to victory in both years. Her success also includes two STPGA Prestige Tour wins, two STPGA Little Linksters Summer Championship wins, and a title at the 2025 STPGA Parent-Child Championship.
Mahan, who is committed to playing Division I golf at Murray State University, embodies the true meaning of a student-athlete. A member of the National Honor Society, she balances a demanding tournament schedule with academic excellence, earning the NEISD Writing Award, multiple A/B Honor Roll honors, and strong results in a rigorous AP course load.
Beyond her achievements on the course and in the classroom, Mahan is deeply dedicated to service. She volunteers over 200 hours each year with First Tee Greater San Antonio, mentoring younger golfers as an Ace Level participant, and has helped raise $35,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Children’s Medical Center through Kids Play Fore Kids.
Her journey has not been without challenges. Diagnosed with scoliosis at a young age, Mahan overcame pain and fear with determination and perseverance—qualities that now define her both on and off the golf course.
“Some of my favorite memories are playing until the sun set with my dad and brother,” she shared. “Golf means family to me—it’s where I find peace, joy, and gratitude.”
From her earliest days competing in STPGA events after moving to San Antonio, to representing Southern Texas on victorious team stages, Mahan has grown into a shining example of what it means to lead with integrity, compassion, and heart.
Since picking up a club at age nine, Daniel Rice has become one of the Section’s most decorated junior players. A two-time STPGA Prestige Tour Champion and three-time runner-up during the 2024–2025 season, Rice’s consistency and competitive spirit have made him a fixture at the top of leaderboards. He is set to compete in the first-ever STPGA Prestige Tour Bayou Cup this December, marking an impressive achievement. Rice is also a two-time high school state qualifier, Magnolia High School MVP, and First Team All-Region and All-District selection.
Rice has committed to continue his academic and athletic career at Houston Christian University, competing in Division I college golf. Demonstrating excellence both academically and athletically, he has earned Lifetime A/B Honor Roll status, completed six AP courses, and received three Academic All-District honors, maintaining a 3.6 unweighted GPA (4.6 weighted) and placing in the top 16% of his class.
Rice also volunteers each spring with his high school coach to mentor junior high golfers—teaching fundamentals, course management, and sportsmanship while encouraging young players to compete in STPGA tournaments.
Rice’s journey in golf has also been one of resilience. Overcoming personal hardship with strength and maturity, Rice has found in golf a lifelong source of discipline, friendship, and purpose — qualities that define him as one of Southern Texas’s most inspiring young golfers.
That mindset was on full display during one of Rice’s most memorable moments: shooting a career-low 64 (-8) at Houston National to win his first STPGA Prestige Tour event—a round shared with friends who also achieved personal bests. “That day reminded me why I love the game,” he said. “It’s about competition, friendship, and constantly striving to improve.”
For Rice, golf has been a teacher of life’s most meaningful lessons—discipline, patience, sportsmanship, and respect. Whether he’s competing, mentoring others, or volunteering in his community, he carries those lessons with him. His commitment to excellence, perseverance through hardship, and unwavering love for the game make him a shining example of what it means to be the STPGA Junior Golfer of the Year.
These exceptional Junior Golfers of the Year will be formally recognized alongside the other Section Award recipients at the STPGA’s 58th Annual Awards Banquet on Monday, February 9, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. Chapter Award recipients will be honored at their respective Chapter Meetings later this fall.
