Ashley Menne shoots 6-under par and Ben Lorenz shoots 8-under par.
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- lef to right: Ben Lorenz, Nathaniel Anderson, Nick Hedman
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- left to right: Ashley Menne, Izzy Cantwell, Jenny Bae
The 37th annual Desert Mashie Spring Championship teed off at Encanto Golf Course March 4-5. Hosted by the Junior Golf Association of Arizona (JGAA), the field featured 189 junior golfers – boys and girls – ages 8-18 competing in five age groups.
In the Boys Championship Division, Ben Lorenz of Peoria topped Nathaniel Anderson of Paradise Valley by four strokes, posting an 8-under-par 132. Noah Nuez of Laveen won the Boys 15-18 Division at 1-under par (70-69—139). Johnnie Clark of Mesa won the Boys 13-14 Division at 3-over par (71-72—143). Bryan Beyer of Mesa took top honors in the Boys 11-12 Division at 3-over par (60-63—123), and Ryan Sefrioui from Scottsdale won the Boys 10 and Under Division at 5-over par (31-34—65).
In the Girls Championship Division, Ashley Menne of Surprise blew away the field as the only girl under par, solidifying the win by seven strokes to post 6-under par (67-71—138). Isabella Cantwell of Scottsdale placed second at 1-over par (72-73–145). Brooke Beyer, Mesa, won in the Girls 15-18 Division at 4-over par (74-74—148). Mattison Frick, Peoria, won the Girls 13-14 Division at 16-over par (82-78—160). Aaryanna Morris of Avondale won the Girls 11-12 Division at 6-over par (67-59—126), and Alexis Lamadrid won in the Girls 10 and Under Division at 13-over par (39-34—73).
“The Desert Mashie is an exciting event for all ages,” said Scott McNevin, Executive Director of the JGAA. “It’s an honor for us to carry on the tradition of this tournament started by a group of people with a common passion for golf and the desire to see more kids grow up with the game.”
The Desert Mashie Golf Club – formed by a group of Phoenix-area golf enthusiasts in 1946 – first held the Desert Mashie Spring Championship in 1981 at Encanto Golf Course, and it became a JGAA-sanctioned event in 1992. The founding fathers of the club were Dr. Thomas A. Crump, Aubrey C. Aldridge, Earl Le Near, Earnest S. Bartlett, Dr. Lowell C. Wormley, Curtis “Dock” Earl, William Robbie” Robinson, Ray Mercado and Densil Perdue. Today the Desert Mashie is the oldest public golf club in Arizona.
