The 50th edition of the Thunderbird Collegiate teed off at Papago Golf Club last weekend, with Arizona State University junior Preston Summerhays earning his second-straight individual title, while the Sun Devils successfully defended home turf to win the team title.
Future Marquette golfer Vincent Cervantes put together two strong performances over the weekend as he wound up the only player in the Boys Championship division to finish in red figures. 2023 Player of the Year Vakasiuola won the Girls Championship division by three strokes at 2-over par (75-71-146). This season, she has notched three top-5s and five top-10s.
The 30th annual Tucson Conquistadores Spring Classic took full swing April 6-7 under beautiful sunshine at Silverbell and El Rio Golf Courses, where Gilbert resident Austin Bullard recorded a final round to remember to win the Boys Championship division. Angela Zhikun Chen earns first victory of season in Girls Championship division.
2023 JGAA Boys 13-14 Player of the Year Zachary Schaefer of Tucson and Parker Tang of Buckeye competed at Augusta National this past Sunday for the 10th annual Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals. The Catalina Foothills High School freshman, Schaefer, made the most of his final Drive, Chip and Putt appearance by earning runner up honors in the Boys 14-15 division and won the putting category. His longest drive was 262 yards and hit his final chip within 2’4’’ for a total score of 25, one back of the victor Connor Holden of Oregon. Parker Tang of Buckeye clinched first place in the Boys 7-9 division and even hit a hole-in-one in the putting category.
We’re thrilled to announce that our esteemed JGAA alumna is gearing up for her third consecutive appearance at the prestigious Augusta National Women’s Amateur. Hailing from our junior ranks, she’s made a noteworthy mark on the golfing world since her early days. Menne is currently one of the top ranked collegiate golfers in NCAA Women’s Golf and looks to improve upon her 29th place finish in 2022.
The LPGA Tour returns to the desert for the inaugural Ford Championship presented by KCC. The field will showcase the brightest stars in ladies’ professional golf. In fact, a couple players are representing the JGAA as former Arizona junior golfers Sarah Schmelzel and Lindsey Weaver-Wright will tee it up at Seville Country Club in Gilbert.
The 43rd annual Desert Mashie Spring Championship teed off March 23-24, with a field of 310 players at Encanto 18 and 9 hole Golf Courses, Sun City Country Club and Sun City South Golf Course. This event is a Local Qualifier for the Notah Begay Junior Championship. The juniors that advance from this Local Qualifier, will go the Regional AZ Qualifier at Whirlwind Golf Club in early September.
Come join us at MotionLab and learn how your fitness and health plan can take you to the next level. Elite golfers focus on fitness and you will learn what steps to take to get on the path to success. This JGAA Education Series will be led by Carson Kemp, trainer to many PGA Tour and LPGA Tour players including the 2024 WM Phoenix Open Champion Nick Taylor.
JGAA Alum Jack Snyder receives his U.S. Air Force Pilot Wings. Currently, 2nd Lt. Jack Snyder is stationed at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma. Jack also recently completed his first phase of Undergraduate Pilot Training where he earned his pilot wings this past February flying a Texan single engine turboprop Aircraft at Vance Air Force Base, Jack is entering his second phase of pilot training while flying a T-1 Jayhawk twin-engine jet for advanced pilot training, which he hopes to complete this June.
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