News/Updates

Silver Belle Crowns Youngest
Champion in 50 Year History

The Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle Championship was won by fourteen-year old Yana Wilson of Henderson, Nev., at the Briarwood Country Club in Sun City West. Her three-round total of two-under-par 214 outpaced second-round leader Alexa Melton of USC by one stroke. Wilson became the event’s youngest champion in its Golden Jubilee.

Seventeen-year-old 2019 Champion Katherine Schuster and Pepperdine freshman Kaleiya Romero finished tied for third at even-par 216. The final round was thrilling from start to finish as Wilson, Melton, and Romero exchanged the lead several times over the first twelve holes. Wilson pulled ahead on the par-5 13th with a birdie, while Romero bogeyed and Melton suffered a triple-bogey. Wilson dropped a stroke on the par-4 14th while Romero parred to tie her,
but a birdie at the par-5 17th gave the lead back to Wilson, and she never looked back.

All competitors played Briarwood Country Club’s par 72 layout at 6,268 yards. In addition to the overall champion, winners were crowned in five divisions: Kylee Choi of Murrieta, Calif., in the 14-and-under age division shooting a three-round total of 221; Leigh Chien of Irvine, Calif., in the 15-16 age division (220); Kaleiya Romero of San Jose, Calif., in the 17-18 age division (216); and Alexa Melton of Covina, Calif., in the 19-23 age division (215).

“The Silver Belle has grown into one of the premier amateur events for young women from across the United States
and around the world,” said Silver Belle President Barbara Byrnes of the event’s illustrious history. “The results from the championship earn many players points toward their World Amateur Golf Ranking. Yana Wilson joins an impressive list of past champions, including (former LPGA President) Cathy Gaughan Mant (1971), (USGA, PGA of America Board member and ASU grad) Mary Bea Porter-King (1973), Jenny Lidback (1981), (ASU grad) Danielle
Ammaccapane (1984), (ASU grad) Emilee Klein (1991), (former LPGA POY) Yani Tseng (2005), and Angel Yin (2011).”