JGAA Honors Top Junior Golfers at 2025 Awards Banquet Presented by Troon

The JGAA announced the 2025 Player of the Year Awards and Sportsmanship Awards across five age divisions at the awards banquet presented by Troon at Papago Golf Course, December 2. Thanks to Troon’s support, the special night included a guest speaker – Longtime Golf Announcer and former PGA TOUR veteran Gary McCord with major champion and eight-time PGA TOUR champion Bob Tway as the moderator.

 

“Congratulations to everyone who earned a spot on the list,” said Scott McNevin, Executive Director of the JGAA. “This season gave us so many moments to be proud of. We celebrate our award winners and every junior golfer who helped make 2025 truly unforgettable.”

A member of this year’s Hogan Cup representing Team Arizona, Evan Tyree of Scottsdale won 2025 Boys Championship division Player of the Year, with a thrilling playoff victory at the USGA Boys Junior Amateur Qualifier, three runner ups and nine top 10s in 13 events entered. In all, he fired 9 of 25 rounds in the 60s for a 70.68 scoring average. His impressive streak of six-straight top 10s catapulted him to the No. 1 spot in the season-long Player of the Year race. The Brophy junior started the year as a slow burner but picked up the pace and flourished during crunch time when the stage shined the brightest – competing in the 77th U.S. Junior Amateur Championship. The Scottsdale native teed it up in his first Arizona Amateur Championship at Seville Golf and Country Club and advanced to match play after earning the 20 seed.

Beau Ellington of Paradise Valley makes history as one of the youngest junior golfers in JGAA program to ever win Player of the Year honors at just 14 years old in the Girls Championship division. She had a season to remember with remarkable performance after another. Ellington won two tournaments and finished inside the top 10 at every one but the Bryce Molder Invitational (T12). She separated from the pack with an eye-catching seven runner ups to cap off the season with Player of the Year honors. Her top victories include the State Junior Golf Championship, Sam Schanafelt Summer Classic and her first AZ Golf Title at the 2025 Arizona Women’s Four-Ball Championship back in April.

The Paradise Valley golfer made waves on the national circuit accruing two runner up finishes and a top 10 showing at the 1st Clubs For Kids Foundation Junior All-Star Invitational. Her stats speak for themselves on how consistent she stayed throughout the year: a 71.82 scoring average in 22 rounds recorded.

Player of the Year
Boys Champ	Evan Tyree	Scottsdale, AZ
Girls Champ	Beau Ellington	Paradise Valley, AZ
Boys 15-18	Parker Phillips	Peoria, AZ
Girls 15-18	Samantha Evangelista	Queen Creek, AZ
Boys 13-14	Nolan Wilson	Litchfield Park, AZ
Girls 13-14	Abby Kelly	Mesa, AZ
Boys 11-12	Zhenting Liu	Chandler, AZ
Girls 11-12	Amy Xuan	Chandler, AZ
Boys 10 & U	Emery Bingham	Glendale, AZ
Girls 10 & U	Emmaline Dang	Mesa, AZ

 

Sportsmanship of the Year
Boys Champ	Connor Bringhurst	Scottsdale, AZ
Girls Champ	Charlene Lamb	Scottsdale, AZ
Boys 15-18	Mark Stypa	Tucson, AZ
Girls 15-18	Kiah Franklin	Oro Valley, AZ
Boys 13-14	Bradyn Peterson	Phoenix, AZ
Girls 13-14	Liv Greenwood	Tucson, AZ
Boys 11-12	Kingston Oates	Gilbert, AZ
Girls 11-12	Cecelia Sumner	Scottsdale, AZ
Boys 10&U	Parker Tang	Buckeye, AZ
Girls 10&U	Julee Diaz	Phoenix, AZ

 

Most Improved
Boys	Carter Griffith	2024 – 86.1	2025 – 74.25	Goodyear, AZ
Girls	Tori Colborne	2024 – 83.24	2025 – 76.36	Goodyear, AZ

 

Volunteer
Jerry Behm	Rules Official

 

Hole in One
Name	Tournament	Golf Course	Hole	Yards	Club	Date
Ellie D’Aquila	New Year Classic	Tres Rios Golf Course	15	85	9 Iron	1/11/25
Tate Tigges	Phoenix Metro Jr Championship	The Clubs at Arrowhead	8	176	8 Iron	2/23/25
Hudson Roberts	Phoenix Metro Jr Championship	The Clubs at Arrowhead	4	131	PW	2/23/25
Husdon Roberts	Desert Mashie Championship	Encanto 18 Golf Course	7	128	52 Wedge	3/23/25
Pierson Huyck	Thunderbird Invitational	Papago Golf Club	11	155	9 Iron	2/9/25
Kieran Walsh	Antigua Milt Coggins Jr World Qualifier	Papago Golf Club	11	143	8 Iron	6/3/25
Caroline Hoang	Antigua Milt Coggins Jr World Qualifier	Encanto 18 Golf Course	3	170	6 Iron	6/4/25
Izzy Piazza	Arizona State Junior Championship	Paradise Valley Country Club	16	145	8 Iron	6/18/25
Michael Rabbit	Matt McCarty Mesa City Jr Championship	Dobson Ranch Golf Course	12	185	6 Iron	6/26/25
Hagen Lancaster	PING Invitational	GCU Golf Course	11	167	6 Iron	7/29/25
Myla Bingham	PING Invitational	GCU Golf Course	2	160	7 Iron	7/30/25
Wade Van Kirk	Scottsdale City Jr Championship	TPC Scottsdale – Champion	3	138	PW	8/16/25
Jackson Malatesta	Scottsdale City Jr Championship	TPC Scottsdale – Stadium	7	196	4 Iron	8/17/25

JGAA 2026 membership is now open and tournament registration for January and February events will open on Wednesday, December 10^th. JGAA membership also includes enrollment into Youth on Course, a money-saving program that allows JGAA members to play more than 30 local golf courses (2,137 worldwide) for as little as $5.  

To register or learn more, visit www.jgaa.org, or contact Scott McNevin (smcnevin@jgaa.org), 602-944-6168.