All roads lead to San Diego. The JGAA held its final qualifying tournament for the 2026 Uswing Mojing Junior World Championships, with 18 junior golfers earning their spot through standout performances at the Antigua Milt Coggins Junior World Qualifier #2, contested June 2–3 at Papago and Encanto Golf Course.
Scheduled for July 7–9, the Junior World Championships bring together the game’s brightest young stars from more than 50 countries. For the newly qualified JGAA athletes, it’s a chance to compete on a global stage and represent Arizona at the highest level of junior golf.
Papago Golf Course hosted the Boys Championship division, with Frederick Ignatios of Phoenix claiming the top spot after rounds of 66-70, finishing at 8-under par and pulling away from the field by four strokes. He carded only four bogeys across 36 holes, highlighted by a 6-under par opening round that set the tone from the jump.
Joining him in San Diego are Sam Meltzer of Paradise Valley, who finished 4-under par, and Nash Yogurtian of Gilbert, whose 2-under total secured the final qualifying spot.
Papago also hosted the Boys 15-18 division, with Cash Gunnell of Gilbert climbing to the top of the leaderboard at 2-under par.
The Girls Championship division played out at Encanto Golf Club, with two qualifiers headed to San Diego. Mischa Wang of Scottsdale claimed the top spot at 2-over par, winning by three strokes. Taylor Underhill of Gilbert secured the final qualifying position at 5-over par.
In the Girls 15-18 division, also contested at Encanto, Jacqueline Michael of Phoenix prevailed in a playoff against Tucson’s Samantha Saxon to claim her first victory of the season.
Encanto 18 hosted the Boys and Girls 13-14 divisions. Gabriel Mathur of Scottsdale claimed the Boys 13-14 title at 1-under par (71-68), with Jackson Caldwell of Tucson and Chance Ashcraft of Scottsdale earning the remaining two qualifying spots. On the girls’ side, Yena Kim of Mesa dominated from the opening tee shot, winning by seven strokes at 3-over par. Having already qualified, her finish opened spots for Leilani Herzberg of Gilbert and Fable Williams of Surprise to join the San Diego-bound roster.
In the Boys 11-12 division, Maddux Zlotoff of Scottsdale shot 2-under par (59-59) at Encanto’s nine-hole course, played twice, to win by two strokes. Thomas Flancbaum of Surprise finished second at even par. With both players already qualified, the following three earned spots: Jackson Crone of Scottsdale, Ira Pate of Gilbert, and Kingston Oates of Gilbert.
Keyanna Hattemar of Cave Creek took the top spot in the Girls 11-12 division, posting a 5-over par scorecard (61-64). Alina Wang of Phoenix finished solo second at 10-over par (67-63). Both players advance to San Diego.
Jack Patel of Phoenix earned first place in the Boys 8-10 division at 6-over par (65-61). Having already qualified, his win opened invitations for Emery Bingham of Glendale and Luke Roberts of Peoria.
In the Girls 10 & Under division, Julee Diaz of Phoenix claimed her fifth victory of the season at 13-over par, improving on her runner-up finish from a year ago. Having already qualified, her win opened the final spots for Karinae Peterson and Jennah Um to round out the San Diego roster.
Next stop — San Diego. The Uswing Mojing Junior World Championship now features approximately 40 JGAA golfers who will travel to compete against the world’s best junior players.
The 2026 Uswing Mojing Junior World Championships tee off July 7–9 in San Diego. Founded in 1952 with just 50 young players gathering at Mission Valley Country Club, the event has grown into the largest international junior golf tournament in the world, today welcoming 1,200 participants from 56 countries and 42 states.
The mission of the Junior World Golf Championships is to unite young golfers worldwide, offering a premier competitive experience while fostering cultural understanding and global camaraderie. Hosted at Torrey Pines and various other esteemed clubs across the San Diego area, the championship continues to embody the spirit of sportsmanship that its founders envisioned. Click here to learn more about the Uswing Mojing Junior World Championships.
