Nash Arthurs & Taylor Underhill Win Matt McCarty Mesa City Junior Championship

The 2025 Matt McCarty Mesa City Junior Championship brought Arizona’s best young talent to the East Valley June 25–26, with play contested at both Dobson Ranch Golf Course and Viewpoint Golf Resort. The prestigious two-day event welcomed more than 200 junior golfers from across the state, ranging in age from 10 to 18.

This year marked a special milestone as Matt McCarty, Scottsdale native and PGA TOUR winner, stepped in as the tournament’s title sponsor—a full-circle moment for one of the JGAA’s most accomplished alumni.

“Matt is a shining example of what the JGAA is all about,” said Scott McNevin, Executive Director of the JGAA. “He’s not only succeeding on the global stage but is also making an impact at home. His support inspires our junior players and helps elevate the future of golf in Arizona.”

McCarty’s sponsor team—including Del Campo, Crest Insurance, Adidas, and PING—provided tournament gifts for players, further enhancing the experience for everyone in the field.

In the Boys Championship Division, contested at Dobson Ranch, the standings stacked up nicely after round one with 11 players shooting in the 60s. A dramatic final round ensued with Nash Arthurs of Peoria, Mateo Berastegui of Phoenix, Jackson Pieratt of Phoenix and four others all within striking distance of the top spot. Arthurs trailed by two strokes as he teed off but quickly crawled his way back after an eagle on the par-5 ninth to card a front-nine 33 (-4). With competitors like Mateo Berastegui, Jackson Pieratt, and Jackson Malatesta also going low—including 66s from Berastegui and Malatesta—Arthurs kept his cool and eagled again at the 13th to take the lead for good. He finished at 11-under-par, one shot clear of Berastegui (-10), claiming his first win since 2021. Malatesta rounded out the top three at 9-under.

In the Girls Championship Division played at Viewpoint Golf Resort, Taylor Underhill of Gilbert took charge early and held on throughout the event. After an even par 71 on day one, Underhill went into defense mode to make sure nobody would catch her. She kept her consistent play intact on the front-nine with an even par 35, but things began to quickly slip. The Gilbert native bogeyed three of her final five holes but held on to win by a single stroke at 3-over-par, securing her second win of the 2025 season. Cosenza finished solo second at +4, and Alexis Goyen of Mesa claimed third at +5.

At Dobson Ranch, Mark Stypa of Tucson wins the Boys 15-18 Division by five strokes at 8-under par. Caiden Rhine of Florence won the Boys 13-14 Division at Viewpoint Golf Resort in a playoff against Lincoln Williams of Mesa. At Viewpoint’s Executive Course (9 holes), Jackson Frey out of Peoria blew the competition out of the water, winning by eight shots at 2-under par. Lastly, Parker Tang out of Buckeye won the Boys 10 and Under Division in a playoff against Beckham Keelan at Viewpoint’s Executive Course (9 holes).

In the Girls 15-18 Division, Samantha Evangelista out of Queen Creek beat the field by two strokes out at Viewpoint Golf Resort with a 6-over-par scorecard for the tournament (73-75–148). Malone Wall, based in Scottsdale, finished with a one-shot advantage in the Girls 13-14 division over Abby Kelly of Mesa after an even par performance (69-73–142). She has now won two-straight Mesa City Junior Championships. Out at Viewpoint’s Executive Course (9 holes), Fable Williams of Sun City shot 5-over par to secure her victory at Viewpoint Golf Resort in the Girls 11-12 Division (71). Peoria local Aviana Vilar got the victory at the same course with a 7-over 73 to clinch by three strokes.

As a former JGAA star, McCarty’s support goes far beyond name recognition—it’s a meaningful investment in Arizona’s next generation of golfers.

“Once a participant, always a part of the mission.”

Thank you to Matt, his sponsors, the Dobson and Viewpoint staff, JGAA volunteers, and—most importantly—all the players who continue to make this event one of the premier tournaments in the state.

FULL RESULTS | TOURNEY PHOTOS