AZ GOLF’s 2026 tournament season officially teed off Friday with the Arizona State Medallion 9-hole event at Oakwood Golf Club’s Sonoran Course.
Despite breezy conditions, the day was filled with smiles and laughter as 23 two-player teams from clubs across the state took on the challenge. Each pairing consisted of one golfer competing at gross and the other at net, with their combined totals determining the team score.
Maria Miller and Jo Carter of the Mountainview Preserve Lady Niners (Saddlebrooke) emerged victorious, posting a combined score of +9.
“Excited isn’t the word for it, we were extremely surprised,” Carter said. “We had a lot of fun today, and once the sun came out, the weather was perfect. We couldn’t have asked for a better day.”
Miller said she especially enjoyed the camaraderie among the field and looked forward to surprising her husband by returning home with her crystal bowl trophy.
The lone birdie of the round belonged to Antelope Hills Golfing Gals’ Margo Bower, who found the cup in two strokes on the third hole, a 94-yard par 3. It was the only hole on the day to record double digit pars (11) and less than 10 double bogeys or worse (8).
The toughest test of the day was the par-5 ninth hole, measuring 436 yards. Playing to a scoring average of 7.39, it allowed just two pars, while 40 golfers recorded a double bogey or worse.
The Arizona State Medallion continues through the weekend with consecutive days of 18-hole competition on Oakwood Golf Club’s Lakes and Palms courses. The format otherwise remains the same, with new pairings set to compete each day.