The Final is Set, 102nd Arizona Am Concludes Saturday

The stage is set for the championship match at Tucson Country Club, as Victor Larsson and Brody Leid emerged from a grueling Friday of match play to earn their spots in the final of the 102nd Arizona Amateur Championship.

Larsson, representing Maricopa and his home country of Sweden, will square off against rising collegiate standout Brody Leid on Saturday morning with the championship trophy, and an exemption into the 126th U.S. Amateur Championship, on the line.

Victorious Victor
After graduating from Lander University in 2025, Victor Larsson stepped away from competitive golf for a short time. This week, he's reminded everyone just how sharp his game can be.

"It was nice to be back and playing well," Larsson said.

Larsson opened Friday morning with a 2 & 1 Quarterfinal victory over Nash Arthurs before facing Tucson's Jordan Tees, the last remaining local player in the field, in the Semifinal round.

The Swede wasted little time taking control of the match, racing out to a 3-up advantage on the front nine. Tees fought back on the back, trimming the deficit before Larsson delivered the knockout blow. With a birdie opportunity on the 17th green, Larsson rolled in a lengthy putt to secure a 2 & 1 victory and punch his ticket to the championship match.

"I didn't have my best stuff going into Monday and Tuesday, but I feel like as the week had been going forward, I had been hitting it better and better every round and I don't make any mistakes out there… which is a big thing, especially with how the greens are rolling and the wind is blowing,” Larsson said.

Larsson's golf journey began when he was 13 years old and watched his older brother enjoy the game. He quickly turned that inspiration into competition.

"A year later I was better than him and just kept playing," Larsson said. "It's a very addictive game and pretty much everything I've been doing ever since I started playing."

Larsson has logged plenty of miles this week. After walking the opening rounds, he finally switched to a cart during Thursday afternoon's match. Through five days of competition, he's already played 80 holes and has more to go on Saturday.

"I'm a sucker for golf, so I'm ready for tomorrow," Larsson said.

Leid Leads The Way
Brody Leid arrives in the championship match playing the best golf of his young career.

The University of Wyoming sophomore recently carded a career-best 64 (-8) during the opening round of the 2026 National Golf Invitational at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes in May and has carried that momentum into Tucson Country Club this week.

However, Friday's quarterfinal was anything but easy.

Leid battled Thomas Herholtz through 22 holes before securing a victory with a clutch par on the fourth extra hole. The marathon match only seemed to sharpen his focus, when in the semifinal, Leid turned in one of the most impressive performances of the week, defeating No. 4 seed Kristoffer Marshall 5 & 4.

Marshall entered the week as the only former Arizona Amateur champion in the field, but Leid controlled the match from the first tee and never allowed the 46-year-old veteran to gain momentum.

"I'm just super proud of how I played and battled out there," Leid said. "My first match was a little sketchy, I didn't play very well, but I fought hard and here we are. My second match, I strung it together."

Originally from Denver, Leid grew up on baseball diamonds rather than golf courses. His path to competitive golf didn't begin until his family moved to Arizona when he was 13 years old.

"We moved here in 2019 and I started golfing during COVID because baseball shut down," Leid said. "My parents just dropped me off at the course. I was too small for baseball in high school, so I switched over to golf."

Leid entered match play as the No. 24 seed and has steadily worked his way through the bracket. He'll carry the better seed into Saturday's championship match and will have honors over the No. 55-seeded Larsson when the pair tees off at 7 a.m.

"More golf is always good, so I'm super excited," Leid said.

After surviving a demanding week of match play, Victor Larsson and Brody Leid stand one victory away from claiming the 102nd Arizona Amateur Championship.

The championship match begins Saturday at 7 a.m. at Tucson Country Club.

Follow along throughout the week and stay up-to-date with all things Arizona Amateur by following us on Instagram: @azgolfassociation.

Notable

• Kristoffer Marshall is the lone golfer in the 130 player field to have won an Arizona Amateur Championship in the past. (97th Arizona Amateur at Grayhawk Golf Club's Talon Course in 2021). 

• The oldest competitor in this year's field was 62-year-old Brian Light.
• The youngest competitor in the field was 14-year-old Nolan Wilson.
• There were 21 competitors who have the City of Tucson listed as their hometown. Five of which are members of Tucson Country Club — Jim Anderson, Wesley Bass, Finn Meister, Brian Prouty and Eric Rustand. Only Bass remains of the club members.

Quotable

• “You go into the day wanting to play good golf and then as the match goes on, you might do a thing or two different but for the most part your mentality stays the same.” - Brody Leid after a dominant 6 & 5 victory in the round of 64.
• “Making the cut is all that matters unless you're number 64 and have to go up against Ethan Butters.” - Trey Moore right before Ethan Butters sunk his putt to tie the Tucson Country Club course record on Tuesday.
• "A week like this, its daunting if you look at it in totality of it, especially for an older guy like me, but really it was trying to put two rounds back to back that were solid. And seeding, it's not irrelevant, but doesnt matter as much when you're playing with a bunch of young kids, so you gotta show up ready to play." - Kale Waaso after securing the No. 2 seed in the round of 64 match play.
• "I thought it was very cool to be able to compete at the next level. I always enjoy being the youngest, it kind of motivates me." - Nolan Wilson, on competing in his first Arizona Amateur Championship at 14 years old. Wilson advanced to match play.

• "To get this Kachina, that would be the pinnacle of my golf career. I don’t take a whole lot more pressure than any other tournament, but I’m playing well and I always putt pretty decent. The thing is, I’m 43 and toward the end of the week I don’t know how I’m going to hold up." - Kurt Watkins, following his round one 67 (-5)

• "That course was playing hard. The pins were gnarly today." - Jake Walden, following his round one 75 (+3)
• “I made some long putts today. I don’t expect them to fall all week, but I just need to keep momentum up and see the ball roll where I’m aiming.” - Carson Little, following his round one 67 (-5)

About Tucson Country Club
Established in 1947, Tucson Country Club has been a cornerstone of golf and community in Southern Arizona for nearly eight decades. Originally designed by renowned architect Billy Bell, the course underwent a renovation in 2023 led by architect Mike Gogel. The redesign introduced new tee boxes, expanded green surrounds, and added approximately 500–600 yards to the championship tees.

Unlike the desert-style layouts commonly found in Arizona, Tucson Country Club offers a classic parkland-style experience, featuring tree-lined fairways, subtle green complexes, and a welcoming, flat layout.

Throughout its history, Tucson Country Club has hosted some of the game’s most prestigious amateur competitions, including 19 USGA Championship Qualifiers and nine Arizona Amateur Championships. The club is also closely associated with the legendary Dr. Ed Updegraff, one of the finest amateur golfers to come out of Tucson, who won 27 club championships, as well as four Arizona Amateur Championships, and is honored through the naming of the club’s back-tee markers.

Key holes include the demanding 217-yard par-3 17th, the scenic water-lined 2nd, and the risk-reward par-4s at 14 and 15 which showcase the course’s strategic character. Since 2022, Tucson Country Club has served as the home course for the University of Arizona golf programs, further strengthening its role in the future of golf in Arizona.

About AZ GOLF
Founded in 1923, AZ GOLF is a nonprofit dedicated to serving and advancing the game of golf in Arizona. We engage our community through championships and tournaments, player development, education, and outreach while providing official USGA Handicap Indexes to golfers statewide. With more than 550 member clubs and golfers of all ages and abilities, we are committed to fostering a welcoming, inclusive golf community and ensuring the game’s long-term growth and sustainability.