The American Junior Golf Association named 10 top junior girls to the 2023 PING Junior Solheim Cup United States team on Thursday, July 27. The TCU Horned Frog verbal commit Gracie McGovern of Scottsdale received an invitation to represent Team USA in the prestigious international junior golf event. McGovern qualified due to her high positioning in the Rolex AJGA rankings (9).
The accolades list continues to grow for Arizona State University senior Ashley Menne who has solidified her place in Arizona amateur golf history. She joins elite company with Arizona golf legends Heather Farr, Tui Selvaratnam, and Julie Stranger as the only women to earn three or more Arizona Women’s Amateur Championships. Menne started the tournament trailing by four strokes to current JGAA member and future Razorback Abbey Schutte of Litchfield Park, daughter of Warren Schutte.
Team Hawaii recorded its fifth team victory in Junior Americas Cup history at the 2023 Girls Junior Americas Cup, held July 24-27 at Nk’Mip Canyon Desert Golf Course in Oliver, British Columbia, Canada. They held onto a two-stroke lead earned in the first round for the win at 11-over par, 11 strokes ahead of runner-up Team Southern California. Team Arizona shot rounds of 13-over 229, 10-over 226 and 13-over 229 to finish the tournament in fourth place at 36-over-par 684.
The Maricopa Junior Championship took place July 23 at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club. Jake Goyen of Mesa managed to stay cool, calm, and collected in the intense heat. Goyen started the event at even par through the front nine. The tough and dry conditions led to a lot of difficult scoring opportunities, but that didn’t stop Goyen from capitalizing on birdie looks. Goyen finished with four birdies on the day to card a one-under 71 (36-35).
The Phoenix City Junior Championship took place July 20-21 at Legacy Golf Resort and Aguila Golf Course. Brennan Korn of Scottsdale kicked off the Boys Championship division at Aguila 18 three shots off the lead after finishing round one at 2-under 70. Andrew Bernthal of Phoenix was the man to beat after day one with a low round of five-under 67, including four-straight birdies on the final five holes. However, Korn caught fire in the final round and one-upped Bernthal’s 67 with a 66 of his own.
The PING Invitational took place July 17-18 at Grand Canyon University Golf Course. Dallin Delgado stole the show in the Boys Championship division by going low in red figures as he topped his impressive performance with a final round 8-under-par 63. Delgado of Mesa was off to the races in the opening round as he posted a 3-under 63 to begin the tournament with a one-stroke lead. Trailing right behind him in leaderboard was Brennan Korn of Scottsdale after round one. Dallin opened the gap in the final round due to his 6-under 30 on the back nine to extend his lead by seven strokes. The margin was too wide for the remaining players in the field as Delgado cruised into victory to secure his first victory of the 2023 JGAA season. Austin Plunkett of Paradise Valley took solo second at 4-under par (71-67). Gael Quesada of Phoenix finished third for the event after a 3-under par showing (71-68).
Tucson JGAA member Carlos Astiazaran won in the Boys 15-18 division at the 2023 IMG Academy Junior World Championship, held July 11-13 on San Diego’s Torrey Pines South Course.
Flagstaff’s Kendall McCain fired 8-under par at Kierland Golf Club to win the Boys Championship division at the Sam Schanafelt Summer Classic.