HARLINGEN – Lee Wiley loves watching golf just as he loves playing it. Years ago, the San Benito native wanted to created something that helped the game grow for young players.

“The idea was to have a tournament here that really good players wouldn't have travel three hundred miles to play in. We can have a tournament here like that too,” said Wiley.

The South Texas Junior Classic was born. Since 1982, the tournament has grown into the one of the biggest in South Texas. Along the way, Wiley has had a front row seat.

“If you like competition there's nothing like golf,” said Wiley. “I told my wife for years, 4th and 1 is comparable to one four-foot putt. Here you'll have pressure everywhere from the first hole to the 18th hole.”

That’s exactly what happened in this year’s boys tournament. Brownsville Hanna’s Santiago Garcia beat out Lyford’s Jacob Serna with a clutch birdie on the 18. Of course Wiley was there to catch the dramatic finish.

“It feels good to perform that way in front of him and get good advice from him, “said Garcia.  “Just really good to win this tournament for him and for myself and for the Valley.”

“You look forward to this tournament every year as a kid,” said Serna. “You know being here as long as I have you know it just gets better and better."

There’s a long list of junior classic alumni that have gone on to play in college and even the pro’s. Harlingen native Roman Robledo won the tournament three years in a row before going on to compete at the University of Houston. He’s now on the PGA Web.com Tour and just last month, competed in the U.S. Open.