Charlie Palmer and Raegan Capizzi Last Ones Standing At The Arizona Junior Match Play Championship

Paradise Valley’s Charlie Palmer topped the field at the Arizona Junior Match Play Championship held at Mirabel Golf Club July 27-28. Palmer started out red hot in his opening matchups with a 5&4 victory versus Jaylen Choi of Chandler in the first round and a 4&3 win against J.J. Brigowatz of Phoenix in the second round. His margin of victory grew tighter as the event went on with a 3 & 2 victory in the semifinal match followed by wire-to-wire championship match against Adam Miller of Scottsdale. The final match was all square on the men’s side as the University of New Mexico Lobos commit Adam Miller won hole 14 and squared up the match down the stretch. The championship took 19 holes to determine the top spot. The Princeton commit Charlie Palmer drained a 40-footer on the 19th hole to win with a birdie.

The top 16 boys in the state were invited to play based on their point totals in the JGAA’s Championship Division Player of the Year race through the 2023 Phoenix City Junior Championship. Charlie Palmer lived up to his No. 1 seed, and Miller was up-to-par with his third-seed ranking as he played consistent throughout to make it to the championship round. Gael Quesada of Phoenix won the Boys Consolation bracket 5&3 against Vincent Cervantes of Chandler.

On the girl’s side, Raegan Capizzi of Scottsdale started out unstoppable with straightforward victories in her first two matches. In the opening matchup, Capizzi won 6&5 against Grace Rubelsky of Phoenix followed by a 5&4 victory against Nikki Bowen of Surprise to secure her spot in the championship round. Raegan Capizzi kept her streak alive as she opened the final match up four through 10 holes and birdied her first three holes. She was up three through three holes and held onto her lead to come out on top. Capizzi wound up winning 3&2 against future Montana State University golfer Eva Heinz of Goodyear to secure her first victory of the 2023 season.

The Top 8 girls in the state based on their point totals in the Championship Division Player of the Year selection process through the Phoenix City Junior Championship will be invited to participate in the tournament. Kate Hauptman of Phoenix won the Girls Consolation bracket up one against Mia Cesarek of Tucson.