Congratulations to longtime JGAA member Jake Chanen on his second consecutive win at the Arizona Stroke Play Championship. Contested on his home course, GCU Golf Course, the sophomore Antelope fired a first-round 68 en route to a one-stroke victory at 11-under-par 273 for the 72-hole tournament.
After peeling back the years of Chanen’s JGAA accomplishments, his current success is no wonder. He joined the JGAA in 2006, starting out in the Boys 10 and Under Division, and he won the San Diego Junior Amateur Championship at age 10. Speaking of consecutive wins, Chanen twice won the local Arizona qualifier for the U.S. Junior Amateur in ’14 an ’15, advancing all the way to the final 16 in 2015.
Chanen competed in all five JGAA divisions with nearly 60 events and 19 wins under his belt before moving on to college golf as the No. 1-ranked golfer in Arizona at the time of signing with GCU.
“Being a part of the JGAA has meant a lot to me, and even though I’m not as involved as I once was, it has given me lifelong friendships and shaped me into the person I am today,” said Chanen. “The manners and poise I possess on the golf course are all thanks to the JGAA. I learned a lot about the game through the organization, and it’s been extremely impactful on me. I began playing in the JGAA when I was eight, and I still maintain most of the friendships I built since then. It was always great going to tournaments every weekend knowing I was going to see and possibly play with my best friends. At the end of the day that’s what this game is all about. Passion, friendship and honesty. And the JGAA has taught me nothing less than that.”
