Alice (Ziyi) Zhao of Irvine, CA wins The 2022 AZ Silverbelle
12/30/22
Sun City West - Alice Zhao of Irvine, CA won the 52nd Edition of The JoAnne Winter AZ Silverbelle Championship. Over the three days she posted 208 (70-69-69) to win the overall championship by two strokes over Gracie McGovern with Olivia Duan finishing third. Zhao held the 36-hole lead and never gave it up today, despite a strong charge up the leaderboard by McGovern.
Zhao sat one shot back of the lead following the first round. Her opening round was an indication of what was to come, going bogey free and tallying two birdies. Her precision and control of the golf ball continued into the second day, where she shoot -3 (69). Zhao made three birdies to zero bogeys on day two, pushing her bogey free streak to 36-holes. It also pushed her into solo first on the leaderboard entering the final round. Zhao wasted no time trying to convert the lead at the beginning of the day, into a win. She made three birdies on her opening nine giving herself a comfortable lead.
However, two groups ahead, Gracie McGovern of Scottsdale, AZ was making a run up the leaderboard. McGovern was one over on the day going into the 6th hole and one over for the tournament. Things quickly changed as she went birdie-birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie. She played the stretch of holes 6 through 10 in six under par. She proceeded to make a bogey then two more birdies to finish the day with a -6 (66). McGovern’s 66 was the lowest round of the tournament.
Zhao made her first, and only, bogey of the tournament on the 12th hole but quickly recovered and rattled off a stretch of pars. She arrived at the 18th hole with a one shot lead and McGovern in the clubhouse at six under for the tournament. Zhao found the fairway and put her approach shot to less than two feet, tapping in for the two stroke victory.
Zhao was the overall champion and the winner in the 14 and under division. Mia Clausen finished second in the division and Ashley Shaw finished third. Olivia Duan won the 15-16 age division, with Nikki Oh, Irene Kim and Luna Lu finishing in a three way tie for second place. Gracie McGovern won the 17-18 age division with Amber Li and Samantha Olson finishing in second and third place respectively. The 19-23 age division was won by Veronica Joels with Angelina Kim coming in second place and Charlotte Hillary finishing third. The full results can be found here. 

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​A grant program has been generously provided by The Thunderbird Foundation. Arizona Silver Belle believes that the opportunity to participate in national tournament events should be available to all players.  

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2022 Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle Championship Briarwood Country Club / Dec. 28-30

Briarwood Country Club - A special gem in NW Phoenix, Briarwood CC, a private club,  is a traditional parkland course designed by Greg Nash. The fairways are wide but a winding creek and small elevated greens will hold the players attention. Briarwood has hosted the U.S. Senior Women’s Open Qualifier, AZ Senior Women’s Championship as well as several other state tournaments. They host a First Tee of Phoenix program as well as offer their facilities to Ottawa University AZ men’s and women’s golf teams. Briarwood Country Club was selected as AWGA Host Club of the Year in both 2014 and 2016 by the players, volunteers and staff.

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