Parada Leads After Opening Round at Arizona Amateur Championship
The 101st Arizona Amateur Championship opened Monday at Seville Golf and Country Club in Gilbert with 144 players competing for a spot in the match play bracket.
South Mountain Community College’s Jorge Parada set the early tone with a nine under 63 to take the solo lead after the first round. The Tucson native holds a one shot advantage over Wyatt Chapman of Marquette University, who carded an eight under 64 on his home course in Gilbert.
Three players sit tied for third at seven under 65: Nathan Ash of Tempe, Joseph Nelson of Gilbert, a University of Arizona commit, and Robert Brackett of Embry-Riddle University from Kingman. A group of three players followed at six under, while Grand Canyon University’s Trey Moore and Chandler’s Jaylen Choi closed the opening round tied for ninth at five under 67.
Championship Format and Stakes
The championship format features 36 holes of stroke play to determine the top 64 players who will advance to single-elimination match play. In the event of a tie for the final qualifying position, a playoff will be held Wednesday morning at 7:00 a.m.
The stakes extend beyond this week. The champion earns an exemption into the 2026 U.S. Amateur Championship, while semifinalists receive exemptions into regional qualifying for the 2026 U.S. Amateur.
Top 10 Standings – Round One
Jorge Parada (South Mountain Community College), Tucson – 63 (-9)
Wyatt Chapman (Marquette University), Gilbert – 64 (-8)
T3. Nathan Ash, Tempe – 65 (-7)
T3. Joseph Nelson (Arizona commit), Gilbert – 65 (-7)
T3. Robert Brackett (Embry-Riddle University), Kingman – 65 (-7)
T3. Ryan Pelletier, Chandler-65 (-7)
T6. Frederick Egnatios, Scottsdale – 66 (-6)
T6. Austin Fisher, Scottsdale – 66 (-6)
T6. Chris Large, Scottsdale – 66 (-6)
T9. Grant Cesarek, Tuscon- 66 (-6)
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