Asia Young, 2024 Joanne Winter Silver Belle Champion

ASIA YOUNG CAPTURES THE 54TH ANNUAL JOANNE WINTER ARIZONA SILVER BELLE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE

12.30.2024

Briarwood Country Club, Sun City West – Scores are in, awards are out for the 2024 Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle Championship. Day three brought another impeccable day of golf and conditions, making for a dreamy 54-hole tournament. The middle of the pack teed off from holes one and ten at promptly 9am. The final three groups teed off at 10:48, 11:57, and 11:06 respectively.
 
In the overall division, Asia Young from Bend, Oregon, was crowned champion. Young led the way from start to finish, finishing with a three-day total of 208 (69|69|70). Young demonstrated incredible consistency throughout the three days out at Briarwood Country Club. After sharing the lead on day one, she claimed the standalone lead after day two, and secured the title on day three with poise. In each round she finished with just one bogey. First two rounds were 35 out, 34 in, with the final round deviating slightly 34 out, 36 in. Young began the final round four strokes up and finished at five, maintaining a comfortable lead. In a post-tournament interview Young said, “This week was really special. Something I did well this week which I am really proud of was I made good decisions and kept the cards pretty clean with limited bogeys. That is something I have been working on that when I am out of position, I just get it back in play and at make par or bogey at worst. There were definitely a lot of coaches this week and people watching which was amazing but something I did to really stay in the moment and make sure I didn’t get nervous or ahead of myself was to try to do my very best with every shot and just be patient and let it happen.”
 
In the 14 and under division, the youngest on the course made arguably the loudest noise. Kelly Zhang, class of 2030 of Hillsborough, CA, finished the 54-holes with a three-day total of 214 (73|69|72) to win the division and finish T3 overall in the field of 90 golfers. Zhang racked up the greatest number of birdies, with a three-day total of 15, five more than Mia Clausen of Carlsbad, CA, with 10. Gabriella Gu finished in second place for the 14&U division, two strokes behind Zhang with a three-day total of 216 (70|75|71), to finish even par. On day one, hole two, Gu holed-out for an eagle. If that wasn’t enough to celebrate, Gu aced hole 3 on day three, for her first ever hole-in-one.
 
The stiffest competition came from our 15-16 age division. Five golfers finished under par and ranked as follows: Asia Young (Bend, OR|-8), Rina Kawasaki (Palos Verdes Estates, CA|-3), Ha Young Chang (Surrey, BC|-2), Jessica Jang (La Canada, CA|-1), and Nicole Tang (Bellevue, WA|-1). Rina Kawasaki, shot the lowest round of the tournament at 68, a clean bogey-free card, 33 out, 35 in.  
 
Luna Lu and Raquel Walker tied with 216 strokes, even par for the tournament. In a scorecard playoff, Luna Lu secured the division, finishing with 71 on day three with five birdies on the day.  
 
Angela Arora, junior at University of Arizona won the 19-23 division at +4. Melanie Walker, junior at University of Missouri was runner-up at +9.
 
Click here for the full leaderboard. All photos will be posted on social in the coming days.
 
The 54th Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle Championship concluded with an exceptional talent and display of sportsmanship, a phenomenal way to conclude 2024. The Arizona Silver Belle exists because of three key elements: the Visionary — Joanne Winter — who breathed life into it, the Volunteers who have nurtured its development and the Players of great skill and character who have given it an outstanding reputation. 
 
On behalf of the Silver Belle management and board, we wish all participants future success and a Happy New Year. We look forward to welcoming new and returning players for the 55th Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle Championship in 2025. Mark your calendars for another unforgettable competition!
 
History of Silver Belle & Joanne Winter
 
In the late 1960s and early ‘70s, LPGA professional Joanne Winter dreamed of providing an event in Arizona where junior girls and college girls could play together. At that time there were few golf tournaments for girls, especially in this region of the country. But Joanne possessed the drive and determination to turn her dream tournament into a reality. A successful multi-sport athlete who has since been inducted into both the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame and National Women’s Baseball Hall of Fame, she started gathering resources. She received seed money from one of her students. The Arizona Women’s Golf Association provided tournament guidance. Her old friends the Wrigleys, who had created the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League for which she had once played, also owned the Biltmore, and waived green fees there. Gradually Joanne’s vision came to fruition, and in 1971 the Arizona Silver Belle Championship was born.

Anya Mathur, 2025, Scottsdale, AZ

ASIA YOUNG PULLS AWAY, TAKES COMMANDING FOUR STROKE LEAD

12.29.2024
​
Briarwood Country Club, Sun City West – All golfers returned to Briarwood Country Club for round two for the 2024 Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle Championship. A moment to recognize our sponsors of the event – the Alberta B Farrington Foundation and the Thunderbirds – thank you for your contributions and making this event possible. Another beautiful day of sunshine, the course remains in phenomenal condition. Pins were placed with significantly greater difficulty than day one, yet the talented field of golfers rose to the challenge. Division 1 coaches, representing universities including University of Arizona, Arizona State, UNLV, Washington, Texas, Indiana, BYU, among others attentively scouted future talent.
 
Asia Young (Bend, OR) finished the day with another round of 69, for a two-day total of six under par, and running away with the lead. Four strokes back is Kelly Zhang, class of 2030, of Hillsborough, CA, also finishing with a 69 on the day. Post-round Zhang commented, “Approach shots went well today. I was able to stick it close and putt some of them in.” She is excited to return tomorrow to play and meet new people. One stroke behind Zhang is Anya Mathur, current senior and Yale commit, hailing from Scottsdale, who shot even par on the day.
 
The competition remains tight with six people at T4, with 144 strokes (even par) after 36 holes of play. Among those Emerie Schartz (University of Arkansas commit), Nicole Tang, Ha Young Chang, Raquel Walker (Virginia Tech commit), Angela Arora (University of Arizona), and Amy Lee (University of Texas at Austin commit).
 
There were three eagles on the day: Cynthia Lang (hole 1, par 4), Emerie Schartz (hole 8, par 5), and Molly Spector (hole 8, par 5). The lowest round across the board has been 69. The final day of competition will take place tomorrow, Monday, December 30, 2024. Round 3 tee times scheduled for 9am following a traditional reverse horseshoe, double tee format. The middle of the pack will tee off first, from both hole 1 and hole 10, fighting their way to the top, with lowest scores teeing off last from hole 1. The final three groups will have standard bearers.
 
Click here for the full leaderboard and follow @azsilverbelle on social for updates!

Nicole Tang, 2027, Bellevue, WA

FOUR TIED AFTER ROUND ONE OF 2024 JOANNE WINTER ARIZONA SILVER BELLE

​12.28.2024

Briarwood Country Club, Sun City West – Round one of play at the 2024 Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle Championship, hosted by Briarwood Country Club, is officially in the books. Early morning clouds gave way to pristine conditions by mid-morning, with temperatures peaking at a pleasant 68 degrees and little to no wind. Ninety talented players from across the United States and Canada teed it up in pursuit of the 54th Annual Silver Belle Championship title.
 
Four players – Asia Young (Bend, OR), Luna Lu (Burnaby, BC), Nicole Tang (Bellevue, WA), and Kacey Ly (Temple City, CA) – share the lead at three under par, each shooting 69. Lu’s stellar day included six birdies, while Ly tallied five, Young and Tang with four. Reflecting on her round, Lu commented, “I made a lot of long putts for birdie and hopefully I’ll keep doing that.” Young described the greens as “fast and firm,” and added, “I know if I start on line, it has a good chance of going in.”
 
The competition remains tight with fourteen players under par after the first 18 holes – four at 69, five at 70, and five at 71. Among those is Gabriella Gu from Irvine, CA who made the most of her opportunity after coming off the waitlist. “I was on the waitlist and had the amazing opportunity to play today. Today was a really fun round. I really like this course and I got my first hole-out eagle on the second hole from 125 and that was a really great experience.”
 
When asked what they are looking forward to in the rounds ahead, all leaders responded with similar optimism. Tang summarized beautifully: “Stick to the gameplan and stabilize everything.”
 
There is still plenty of golf left to play. Competition will resume tomorrow with Round 2 tee times scheduled for 9 am. Click here for the full leaderboard and follow @azsilverbelle on social for updates!

Nikki Oh, 2023 Arizona Silver Belle Champion

2023 Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle Championship
​12/30/23
Written By: Mika Miyata
​
The 53rd edition of the Joanne Winter AZ Silver Belle Championship concluded with an exhilarating final round at Briarwood Country Club, showcasing remarkable performances across all divisions.

In the overall division, Nikki Oh from Torrance, California, emerged as the champion, overcoming a three-stroke deficit to secure victory by two strokes. Oh delivered an exceptional bogey-free round of 65 (-7) on the final day, setting a new course record at Briarwood Country Club. Her stellar performance included an impressive three consecutive birdies on holes 7, 8, and 9. Despite the stretch of birdies, Amy Lee from Langley, British Columbia, initially led at the turn at -10 with a two stroke lead but ultimately tied at -9 with Nikki through hole 15 as Nikki proceeds to birdie the hole while Amy bogeyed it. However, it was Nikk's birdie and Amy's bogey on 17 that secured Nikki Oh's victory. Overall, her three-round scores of 73, 68, 65 showcased consistent excellence and highlighted her skill on the golf course.

Gabby Kano, representing Fullerton, California and playing college golf at the University of Nevada Reno, won the 19-23 Age Division, despite being one shot back going into the final round. Kano's steady play, shooting even in the final round with a score of 72, and a total of +2 over three rounds (71, 75, 72), earned her the division title. Leighton Shosted, from Mesa, Arizona and playing golf at Grand Canyon University, secured the second spot in the division at +3 total.

The 17-18 Age Division saw Lydia Portlock from San Antonio, Texas, emerge as the champion with a remarkable total of -7 (68, 73, 68). The University of Texas commit showcased her skill with six birdies in the final round, including three in a row on holes 13, 14, and 15. Alona Avery from Riverside, California and a University of California Irvine commit, made a significant impact in the division by shooting a spectacular 65 (-7) in the final round, also setting a new course record. Avery finished second in her division shooting -6 overall (76, 69, 65). Lydia and Alona also finished third and fourth in the overall championship, respectively.

In the 14 and Under Division, Lily Peng from San Ramon, California, clinched the title with a total score of -4 over three rounds (71, 70, 71). Notably, Peng was tied for 5th place in the overall division alongside Temple City, California's Kacey Ly from the 15-16 Age Division who shot 70, 70, 72-and made a birdie on her last hole.

Overall, the 53rd Joanne Winter AZ Silver Belle Championship concluded with an impressive display of talent, setting the stage for future successes for these exceptional golfers.

THE FULL RESULTS CAN BE FOUND HERE
PHOTOS FROM THE TOURNAMENT CAN BE FOUND HERE

PLAYER GRANTS AVAILABLE
​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.  

application info

​

2024 Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle Championship Briarwood Country Club / Dec. 28-30

CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL
PRACTICE ROUND TEE TIME AVAILABILITY

​

2024 Tournament Portal

​Tournament details are available on our Tournament General Info page, Schedule of Events page and the Results & Pairings page.

50th Anniversary Video

---

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.

join us on facebook

follow us on twitter