Phoenix Junior Open

The Phoenix Junior Open, hosted by the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour at Orange Tree Golf Club, delivered a weekend of gritty shot-making, momentum swings, and pressure moments that tested every player who teed it up in the desert. In the Boys 16–18 division, Luke Haarer emerged as the steadier force in a field full of surges and setbacks, navigating two demanding rounds with veteran poise. His closing 71—one of the cleanest cards of the tournament—locked up an even-par finish and a statement victory as challengers like Kyler Besick and Owen Borggard mounted late charges that ultimately fell short. Haarer’s combination of discipline off the tee and confident putting separated him when the leaderboard tightened Sunday afternoon. Drama hit its peak in the Boys 14–15 division where the title required bonus golf. Parker Hutchison and Chase Kakel battled through two rounds of heavy turbulence, both finishing at +17 before heading into a sudden-death playoff. In the defining moment of the weekend, Kakel delivered the clutch swing when it mattered most, sealing the championship on the first extra hole after a composed Sunday 77 that shifted the momentum in his favor. Hutchison’s steady ball-striking kept him in contention all weekend, but Kakel’s playoff nerve ultimately wrote the headline. In the Boys 12–13 division, Dietrich Frost turned in one of the grittiest performances of the tournament. After a tough opening 102, Frost stormed back with a resilient 93, the best round of the division on Sunday, and his +51 total was enough to fend off Brody Giacoletti, who stayed within reach but couldn’t close the gap as Frost sharpened his game under pressure. On the girls’ side, the 14–18 field delivered a showcase of polished swings and competitive fire, but the story belonged to Lauren Murnan of Omaha. Her opening-round 73 set the tone early, and despite the breezy Sunday conditions producing an 81, she controlled the pace and never relinquished the top spot. Catherine Seder, Hayden Nguyen, and Gabriella Sanchez all surged at moments, but Murnan’s ability to minimize damage when the course demanded it defined her four-stroke victory. The younger girls followed with their own standout moment as Anabel Haas captured the Girls U13 title with a wire-to-wire performance. Her 86–89 showing at +31 underscored consistency and confidence beyond her years as she outpaced the field and stamped her place atop the leaderboard. From playoffs to comeback rounds to wire-to-wire wins, the Phoenix Junior Open once again highlighted the depth of talent rising through the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour. Orange Tree Golf Club demanded precision, patience, and toughness—and the competitors delivered a weekend worthy of the spotlight.