Golf Editor

After a second-place finish last year, team Arizona, representing the Junior Golf Association of Arizona (JGAA), won the 50th Hogan Cup, contested August 11-12 at Riverside Golf & Country Club in Portland, Ore. The win marks Arizona’s second victory in the tournament’s 50-year history with the first coming 32 years ago in 1986.

Contested August 18-19, Nicholas Kling of Paradise Valley fired a pair of 2-under-par 69s (138) on TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course to win the Boys Championship division by two strokes over Alexander Yu of Gilbert, who finished at 2-under-par 140 (72-68) for the tournament.

Jarrod Johnson of Tucson and Alyzzah Vakasiuola of San Tan Valley took home top honors at the IHOP Classic, contested August 11-12 at Grand Canyon University Golf Club.

Benton advanced through the stroke-play portion of the championship with a 3-under-par 68 followed by an even-par 71 to finish T15. Along the way she blitzed the back nine with five birdies over two rounds. Solid play on the way in appeared to be the theme for Benton.

The best junior golfers from the Western United States and Canada will converge on Riverside Golf & Country Club to compete in the 50th Eddie Hogan Cup Team Matches, taking place August 11-12. Teams representing Oregon, Southern California, Washington, Idaho, Hawaii, Utah, San Diego, Arizona, Northern California, Nevada and British Columbia are in the field.

Mesa’s Damon Vilkauskas topped the field at the Arizona Junior Match Play Championship held at Mirable Golf Club August 2-3. Vilkauskas’ margin of victory grew tighter as the event went on with a 3 & 2 victory in the first match followed by 2 & 1 in the second and 1 Up in the third before winning 3 & 1 over Pierce Braun of Phoenix in the championship match.

Gilbert’s Kohl Kubler fired two subpar rounds (71-67) at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club to place first in the Boys Championship Division at 6-under-par 138 at the Maricopa Junior Championship, July 25-26. He finished five strokes clear of Scottsdale’s Jake Benanti (69-74—143) who ended up in second place at 1-under par. Jack Nethers of Paradise Valley came in third place at 5-over-par 149 (68-81).

Team Mexico won the 40th annual Girls Junior America’s Cup held July 23-27 at Hiwan Golf Club in Evergreen, Colorado by 11 strokes over runner-up and last year’s defending champion, Southern California (+23).

Team Colorado won the 46th Annual Junior America’s Cup being held at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort Golf Course, hosted by the Montana State Golf Association. Team Arizona finished in 4th place (626 team total), only 4 strokes behind team champion Colorado (622).

Team Arizona – made up of Ashley Menne of Surprise, Kelly Su of Scottsdale, Madeleine Laux of Goodyear and Toni St. John of Gilbert – climbed four spots to 6th place after second-round action at the 2018 Girls Junior America’s Cup held at Hiwan Golf Club in Evergreen, Colorado – shooting a collective 11-over (221). They are currently 14 shots off the lead.