The JGAA wraps its summer circuit with the DLB Custom Homes Scottsdale City Junior Championship, contested Aug. 15-16 at TPC Scottsdale, home of the WM Phoenix Open, and Gainey Ranch Golf Club.
In the Boys Championship division, Surprise’s Ryan Rasmussen goes wire-to-wire, matching rounds of 5-under-par 66 to finish at 10-under 132 and claim a two-stroke victory over Scottsdale’s Beck Sage and Gilbert’s Maverick Midthun, who tie for runner-up at 8-under.
Rasmussen closes out the championship in style, firing a bogey-free front nine with five birdies to pull away from the field. The victory caps an impressive summer for Rasmussen and marks his first JGAA win since February’s Phoenix Metro City Junior Championship.
In the Girls Championship division, Peoria’s Natalia Fox also goes wire-to-wire, holding off a tightly packed leaderboard to claim the title. Fox opens with a 5-under 66, a bogey-free round that gives her an early advantage. Kaitlyn Moreland of Scottsdale and Lauren Richardson of Gilbert both follow with rounds in the 60s, setting up a competitive final round. Fox faces pressure early Sunday, shooting 2-over on the front nine as Moreland and Richardson close the gap. She steadies herself down the stretch, making clutch par saves along TPC Scottsdale’s famed “Stadium Stretch” before adding a birdie on the 16th hole to regain control. Fox finishes with a 1-over 71 for a 5-under 137 total, one stroke ahead of Moreland, who finishes at 4-under 138 (68-70). Richardson places third at 3-under 139 (69-70).
In the Boys 15-18 division, Gilbert’s Caleb Schmersahl cards rounds of 1-under 70 and 2-over 73 to finish at 1-over 143 and earn a two-stroke victory. In the Girls 15-18 division, Hermosillo’s Fatima Wahnnatah Hurtado earns her first JGAA victory, finishing at 2-over 144 (70-74) to win by two strokes.
At Gainey Ranch, Scottsdale’s Chance Ashcraft continues his strong summer with his third victory of the season in the Boys 13-14 division. Ashcraft finishes at 6-under 138 (70-68) to win by two strokes. Mesa’s Yena Kim captures the Girls 13-14 title, finishing at 1-over 145 (69-76) for a seven-stroke victory.
In the Boys 11-12 division, Scottsdale’s Nolan Parpart edges Chandler’s Ryan Chin by one stroke after posting back-to-back under-par rounds at Gainey Ranch Golf Club’s Lakes Course. Parpart finishes at 5-under 67 (33-34) to claim the title. In the Girls 11-12 division, Cave Creek’s Keyanna Hattemar defeats Gilbert’s Iliana Herzberg in a playoff to earn her fourth victory of the season.
In the youngest divisions, Glendale’s Emery Bingham continues his dominant season in the Boys 8-10 division, earning his sixth victory of the year with a three-stroke win at 4-under 68 (34-34). On the girls’ side, Tucson’s Paloma Barrios posts two of the lowest rounds of her JGAA career, finishing at 3-under 69 (34-35) to claim her second victory of the season.
