Harrison Zipfel holds off late charge to win Sonoran Amateur
January 4, 2026 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff
see also: Sonoran Amateur, Golf Club of Estrella
Zipfel wasn’t the 36-hole leader — but he finished the job with a 66 to win the Sonoran Amateur by one
Harrison Zipfel from St. Louis, MO, who has signed with University of Illinois this coming Fall Harrison Zipfel wasn’t the 36-hole leader — but he was the one still standing at the end.
The St. Louis native, who will join the University of Illinois this fall, closed with a 6-under 66 to win the Sonoran Amateur at Golf Club of Estrella in Goodyear, AZ, finishing at 14-under 202.
Zipfel began the final round at 8-under 136, six behind Matthew Wilson of Weber State, who looked in complete control after opening 67-63, including a tournament-low 63. But Wilson couldn’t hold the cushion on Sunday, closing with 75 and slipping to T3 at 11-under 205.HARRISON ZIPFEL
— SaguaroAmateurSeries (@SaguaroAmSeries) January 5, 2026
St. Louis, MO
2026 Sonoran Amateur
🏆CHAMPION🏆
69-67-66 (-14) @GCofEstrella / Goodyear, AZ@IlliniMGolf
FULL RESULTS⬇️https://t.co/F6yMdeBRW0
🌵 | 🏜️ | ⛳️ pic.twitter.com/kN9ie8GGSj
Nelson, a Scottsdale, Arizona native signed with Oklahoma State for 2027, made it a real finish late. He birdied 16 and 17, then added another birdie at the last — but he needed an eagle to tie, and Zipfel’s closing 66 kept him a shot short.
The win came in Zipfel’s first start of 2026, following a strong 2025 season in which he played eight ranked events, won twice — at the AJGA Junior at Geneva and AJGA NW Arkansas Junior — and added two more top-five finishes.
The Sonoran Amateur marked the eighth event on the Troon Saguaro Amateur Series, a world-ranked circuit founded in 2017 that runs nine tournaments this season. Next up is the Saguaro Amateur— the final stop—scheduled for January 6–8 at the Ak-Chin Southern Dunes in Maricopa, Arizona.
About the Sonoran Amateur
Introduced in 2022, the Sonoran Amateur is part of the Troon Saguaro Amateur Series, and is open to amateur golfers who meet the eligibility and exemption requirements which include position in various rankings, USGA appearances, and state amateur an...
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