Kaj Johnston And Alexis Vakasiuola Win Thunderbird Junior Classic

Even 105 degrees doesn’t stop JGAA golfers from having fun. With 258 junior golfers age 8-18, the 2025 Thunderbird Junior Classic was in full swing, June 12-13, at Camelback’s Padre Course and Arizona Biltmore Golf Club-Estates Course.

In the Boys Championship division at Camelback-Padre, Kaj Johnston of Scottsdale delivered a jaw-dropping final round, carding a course-record 62 (-10) to steal the win. Trailing by five shots entering the day, Johnston stormed back with a bogey-free performance highlighted by four straight birdies on the front nine and a red-hot putter from inside 10 feet. The Scottsdale native continues stacking up trophies with his third win of the 2025 season. Catcher Dahm of Scottsdale finished runner up at 10-under par, just one shot back of Johnston, while Asher Nelson of Scottsdale claimed third place at 9-under par.

On the Girls Championship side at Arizona Biltmore, Alexis Vakasiuola of San Tan Valley continued her dominant run, notching her third win of the 2025 season. The two-time Thunderbird Junior Classic champion wasted no time taking control, opening with the only sub-70 round in the Girls field. Holding a two-shot lead after round one, Vakasiuola played steady golf on day two with an even-par finish, extending her lead to close at 3-under par, winning by three strokes to bring home her third Thunderbird Junior Classic title. Cynthia Lang of Chandler claimed second place at even par, and Victoria Cosenza of Phoenix secured third at 2-over.

With both champions earning their third victories of the season, the Player of the Year race continues to heat up as summer rolls on.

On the Padre Course, Jeremy Reynolds of Prescott Valley won the Boys 15-18 division by two strokes after two rounds in red figures. Tori Colbourne of Goodyear took the Girls 15-18 division by three strokes with rounds of 77-76 (+11) at Arizona Biltmore Golf Club-Estates Course.

The Boys and Girls 13-14 divisions both played 18 holes each day at the Estates Course, with Hagan Lancaster of Anthem coming in first on the boy’s side at 7-under-par 136, which featured a first-round 65 (-6). The first-round 65 is his lowest scorecard in JGAA history. Malone Wall of Scottsdale claimed the girl’s division by three shots at 7-over par for her third win of the season.

Also contested at Arizona Biltmore Golf Club-Estates Course, 9 holes each day (back 9), Joey Morin of Gilbert won the Boys 11-12 division at 3-under par 67 (33-34). Amy Xuan of Chandler defeats Leilani Herzberg of Gilbert in a playoff to capture girls 11-12 title at 3-over par (37-36—73).

Raleigh Butler of Gilbert goes back-to-back in the Boys 10 and Under division at 9-over-par 79 (40-39), and Aviana Vilar of Peoria shot 6-over-par 76 (39-37) to win in the Girls 10 and Under division.

FULL RESULTS | TOURNEY PHOTOS