Sam McKay and Emily Mahar, both Scottsdale residents, placed first in the Boys and Girls Championship Divisions respectively at the Scottsdale Junior Championship held on the Pine course at McCormick Ranch Golf Club August 29-30. Hosted by the Junior Golf Association of Arizona (JGAA), the field featured 150 junior golfers – boys and girls – ages 8-18 competing in five age groups.
In the Boys Championship Division, McKay (73-71) and Ali Hameed (72-72) of Gilbert finished regulation play deadlocked at even par 144. McKay would go on to edge out Hameed in a playoff. This marks McKay’s second win in 11 events played this season. His first victory came in June at The Thompson Invitational – a Junior Masters Series event considered to be a major on the JGAA tournament calendar.
Boys: Sam McKay, Ali Hameed and Aaron Ramos
Girls: Emily Mahar, Jenny Bae and Emma Reyes
In the Girls Championship Division, Emily Mahar continues to play well with her third victory this season. She has managed to place in the top 10 in all seven starts. Her two previous wins also came at Junior Masters Series events – the AM&E Classic Presented by Bryce Molder and Charlie Beljan Invitational. Mahar finished the tournament at three-under par (71-70—141), with her two-under-par, final-round 70 as the lowest round of the tournament for the girls. She finished five shots clear of second-place finisher, Jenny Bae of Chandler (72-74—146).
Jack Trent of Las Vegas won the Boys 15-18 Division at 3-under par (72-69—141). Cole Harris of Tucson won in a playoff over Dominic Wade in the Boys 13-14 Division at 5-over par (78-71—149). At Starfire Golf Club, Mahanth Chirravuri of Chandler took top honors in the Boys 11-12 Division at 6-under par (66-64—130), and Nicklas Nuez from Laveen won the Boys 10 and Under Division at 1-over par (35-34—69).
Michelle Nguyen of Phoenix won in the Girls 15-18 Division at 16-over par (78-82—160). Ashley Menne of Surprise won the Girls 13-14 Division at 4-over par (74-74—148). At Starfire Golf Club, Makenna Cabardo of Scottsdale won the Girls 11-12 Division at 4-over par (75-65—140), and Isabelle Junio of Goodyear won in the Girls 10 and Under Division at 9-over par (36-41—77).
