The annual Tucson City Junior Championship, sponsored by the Tucson Conquistadores, teed off May 28-29 at the Randolph Golf Complex. The field featured over 170 junior golfers from all across Arizona in one of the biggest junior golf tournaments in Tucson.
In the Boys Championship division, played at Randolph North Golf Course., Tucson resident Chase Cesarek started out the tournament as the only player to shoot in the 60s with a 4-under 68. Trailing behind him by three strokes or less heading into the final round were James Rodgers of Scottsdale, Frederick Egnatios of Scottsdale, Finley Gastrau of Wisconsin and Evan Tyree of Scottsdale. Evan Tyree put together a dominate display of golf, beginning his final round with three-straight birdies on the first three holes and six total on the front nine for a 6-under 30. The back nine fared just as well for the 14-year-old by tacking on three more birdies to record one of his lowest rounds of the 2024 season at 8-under par. Tyree concluded the event at 9-under to scrape past the hometown kid and claim the title. The win is his first of the 2024 season. Cesarek finished in solo-second at 7-under par while James Rodgers clinched solo-third place honors at 6-under par.
In the Girls Championship division, contested at Dell Urich Golf Course, it was all Cynthia Lang leading the charge from the get-go. Lang of Chandler fired off a 3-under 67 in the opening round to set the tone amongst the rest of the field. With a six-stroke lead going into the final round, the Chandler resident didn’t hold back and continued to maintain separation from the rest of the field. Lang stayed composed and collected throughout the round with a 1-over 71 to take the Girls Championship division by a commanding six strokes. Kate Hauptman of Phoenix finished solo-second at 4-over par and Charlene Lamb received the final spot on the podium in solo-third at 7-over par.
Tucson local Jack Knedia ran away with the impressive victory in the Boys 15-18 division, shooting 3-under-par at Randolph North for a five-stroke win. At Dell Urich, Another Tucson golfer, AJ Ramos, won the Boys 13-14 division by a huge margin at 3-under par, taking the division by a whopping seven strokes. In the 11-12 division, Nolan Wilson of Litchfield Park won after a 3-under par 32 in the first round to finish at 1-under par and claim the division by a staggering seven strokes. Maddux Zlotoff of Scottsdale goes back-to-back in the Boys 10 and Under division at 5-under par.
In the Girls 15-18 division competition at Dell Urich, Zufan Girard of Oro Valley shot rounds of 78-75 for the win at +13, ahead by three strokes. Samantha Evangelista of Queen Creek continues her hot streak this year and took the Girls 13-14 division at +16, 77-79 for her second win of the season. Kimsey Terrell of Phoenix won the Girls 11-12 division after firing off 41-39 for a +10 performance. Amy Xuan of Chandler won the Girls 10 and Under division by 12 strokes after shooting 1-under par, 33-35.
The Michael J. Harris Core Values award is dedicated to the memory of Michael J. Harris. A longtime member of the Tucson Conquistadores, a Civic leader and philanthropist who was dedicated to the community, young people and embodied the aspiration that golf, like life, be enjoyed with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship. This year’s recipient was none other than Chase Pickering, who attends Sabino High School in Tucson. Chase just finished his junior year in high school and is an active participant and volunteer with the First Tee of Tucson.
