The 46th annual Girls Junior America’s Cup, hosted by the Junior Golf Association of Arizona, is well underway with Southern California wasting no time in the opening round. Represented by Isabella Wu, Rina Kawasaki, Angelina Tao and Hailey Kim, the squad hit the ground running with an impressive 15-under-par 201 team score. Southern California has a seven-stroke lead over Hawaii at Westin Kierland Golf Club in sunny Scottsdale, Arizona.
Leading the charge for SoCal was Hailey Kim, whose 7-under 65 puts her in a tie for the individual lead alongside Madison Perez of Southern Nevada. “My putting was really good and overall just solid play,” Kim said.
Rina Kawasaki followed closely with a 6-under round of her own, while Isabella Wu rounded out the counting scores with a 2-under 70 to crack the individual top 10. “My putting was average, but I feel like I hit them really close,” Kawasaki said. “I didn’t have much room to make mistakes.”
Team Hawaii sits solo second at 8-under-par, led by Mariko Yonemura and Jacey Cage, who both posted matching 3-under 69s—good for a share of third place. Brook Asao delivered the third counting score with an even-par 72 (T20).
Host Team Arizona, the defending champions, opened with a solid showing, currently tied for fourth at 5-under-par 211. Arizona was led by Julia Herzberg’s 4-under 68, with Kaitlyn Helm chipping in a 1-under 71, and Kaitlyn Moreland adding an even-par round. Aubrey Hilgers went 2-over-par 74 to wrap up at T30.
This year marks a major milestone for the event—it’s the first time the Girls Junior America’s Cup has ever been held in Scottsdale, and the first time it’s returned to Arizona since 2006, when Oro Valley Country Club hosted in Tucson. Fittingly, Arizona made history just last year by capturing its first-ever team title.
Modeled after the collegiate golf format, the Girls Junior America’s Cup features 18 teams of four girls, each representing a U.S. state, Canadian province, or Mexican region. Over the course of three rounds (54 holes), each team counts its best three scores per day, with the lowest cumulative total determining the champions.
But the GJAC is more than just a premier golf competition. Rooted in tradition, sportsmanship, and camaraderie, the event includes opening ceremonies, banquets, team socials, and gift exchanges—all celebrating the tournament’s founding values of excellence, friendship, and personal growth.
“It’s really nice being able to come out here and meet a lot of new people plus be on a team with all my friends,” said Kawasaki of Team Southern California.
“It’s such an honor to be a part of this team and represent Arizona,” said Herzberg of Team Arizona.
With alumni like Lorena Ochoa, Lizette Salas, Pat Hurst, Amy Fruhwirth, and Brandie Burton, the Girls Junior America’s Cup continues to be a powerful launching pad for the next generation of stars in women’s golf.
