The road to the title at the 102nd Arizona Amateur Championship took a dramatic turn Thursday at Tucson Country Club, as the tournament's top two seeds were eliminated in the Round of 16.
No. 1 seed Ethan Butters and No. 2 seed Kale Waaso both saw their championship hopes come to an end, opening the door for a wide-open race heading into Friday's quarterfinals and semifinals.
Peoria's Nash Arthurs knocked off Waaso in a thrilling 22-hole match that wasn't decided until a birdie on the par-4 fourth hole.
"I didn't really expect to win, I just wanted to have fun and go compete," Arthurs said. "That's what I did, so I'm just happy about that."
The sophomore at Fresno State appeared in control late in the match, building a 2-up advantage through 15 holes. But Waaso, battling through challenging afternoon winds, mounted a comeback and squared the match before the players reached the 18th tee.
Despite the pressure of competing in his first Arizona Amateur Championship, Arthurs stayed remarkably composed.
"Enjoying the moment was the biggest thing for me," he said. "It definitely could have gone either way. Kale is super good and I'm just lucky it worked out in my favor. It was so much fun, honestly the most fun I've had in a while."
The victory capped an impressive day for Arthurs, who cruised through his Round of 32 match with a dominant 6 & 5 victory over Scott Thomas earlier in the morning.
Now headed to the quarterfinals, Arthurs is eager for another opportunity to compete.
"It's pretty cool to come back and get to do it again tomorrow," he said. "Match play is super fun so I'm excited for it."
Earlier Thursday, No. 1 seed Ethan Butters was eliminated by future University of Tulsa golfer Thomas Herholtz.
Herholtz's path to the Round of 16 was anything but ordinary. He woke up Thursday morning to learn that his Round of 32 opponent had conceded, giving him an automatic advancement to the Round of 16.
"I was thinking I was going to have to play 36 today," Herholtz said. "There's maybe a little bit of an advantage to that, but the disadvantage I can think of was if you played early this morning you know exactly where the pins are. Even if you have a pin sheet, every once in a while there are little slopes you can't see on the greens if you don't know them very well."
The reward for the unexpected concession was a showdown with Butters, the 17-year-old Chandler native who tied the Tucson Country Club course record with a 61 earlier this week and entered match play as the tournament's top seed.
Herholtz quickly seized momentum, building a 3-up lead through 11 holes. Butters responded by taking holes 12 and 13 to trim the deficit to one and put pressure on the future Golden Hurricane.
Herholtz answered with perhaps his biggest moment of the day, making birdie on the par-4 15th to regain a 2-up advantage before delivering a clutch up-and-down on the par-3 17th to secure the upset.
"I caught a pretty good lie in that low area behind the green," Herholtz said of the up-and-down. "I was able to hit a spinny one and make a three footer."
By the end of Thursday's action, the field of 32 was reduced to eight:
Tees carries the hopes of the hometown crowd into Friday as the last remaining player from Tucson.
The championship continues Friday morning with the Quarterfinal and Semifinal rounds. By day's end, only two players will remain, setting up Saturday morning's championship match to determine the winner of the 102nd Arizona Amateur Championship.
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).
Quotable
"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)
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.