After shooting a first-round 3-under-par 69, Preston Summerhays of Scottsdale fired a final-round 7-under-par 65, the low round of the tournament, to win the Thunderbird Invitational by two strokes at 10-under 134.

Mr. Summerhays scorched the back nine each day at Papago Golf Course with a pair of 5-under-par 31s that between them included eight birdies and one eagle. The tournament ran from Saturday, Feb. 29 to Sunday, March 1.

The reigning US Junior Amateur champion adds this win to another earlier this season in January at the PING Jr Masters Series’ Warren Schutte Invitational, according to a press release.
Mahanth Chirravuri of Chandler and Cameron Kaiser of Scottsdale finished tied for second at 8-under 136. Mr. Chirravuri made eight birdies and an eagle en route to rounds of 69 and 67 and his best performance in the PING Jr Masters Series so far this season.

Mr. Kaiser held a share of the first-round lead with a 4-under 68 that he duplicated in the second round. Likewise, it marked his best finish in the PING Jr Masters Series.

In the girls division, Kendall Todd of Goodyear jumped out to a two-stroke lead after round one with a 2-under70, while eventual champion, Calynne Rosholt of Cave Creek, sat tied for fourth place after a 3-over 75.

Miss Rosholt bounced back in the second round with a 4-under 68, the low round of the tournament on the girl’s side. On the front nine, she made birdie on the last four holes (five of the last six) before picking up two more en route to capture the championship at 1-under 143.

The win marked her first JGAA victory in three events entered. She finished fourth at the Warren Schutte Invitational and third at the Fisher-Bryan Invitational, both of which are PING Jr Masters Series tournaments.

Sydney Bryan of Mesa and Katie Stinchcomb of Cave Creek finished tied for second at 1-over 145. Miss Bryan, worked her way around Papago with a first round 74 before dipping below par in the second round with a 1-under 71. To date, she also posted top-5s in two other PING Jr Masters events.

Miss Stinchcomb, on the heels of a tied for fifth at the Fisher-Bryan Invitational, fired an even 72 at Papago followed by a one-over 73.

The PING Junior Masters Series tournaments are made up of five 36-hole, invitation-only, competitions where top-ranked Arizona junior golfers play locally against their peers. Due to the strength of the field, players earn more national-level points. This helps Arizona’s best enter national junior golf tournaments as well as better prepares them for college golf and securing college golf scholarships.

“Our goal is to provide a competitive place for aspiring players to play,” Alex Clark, chairman of the JGAA board, said in a prepared statement. “This tournament series will allow kids to earn national-level points and will serve as a launching pad into nationally chartered events.”