Ashcraft wins Saguaro Amateur, clinches Player of the Year
January 8, 2026 | by Amit Pandey of AmateurGolf.com
see also: Saguaro Amateur, Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club
Ashcraft chased down the 36-hole lead, pulled away late, and left Arizona with both the trophy and the season-long crown
Landon Ashcraft came into the week with plenty to play for. He left with two trophies.
The Notre Dame High School senior from Scottsdale, Arizona — signed with Texas A&M for fall 2026 — shot 64-70-69 to win the 2026 Saguaro Amateur at 12-under 203, and in the process also clinched the 2025–26 Saguaro Amateur Series Player of the Year title.
Ashcraft finished two shots clear of a pair of challengers at 10-under 205, with Alex Malanga, a sophomore at Sam Houston, and Owen Sawyer, a junior at Iowa State, sharing runner-up honours. Malanga posted 64-70-71, while Sawyer signed for 65-68-72 to match him at 205.
RELATED: Ashcraft survives late wobble for Agave Amateur title
The final round, though, belonged to Ashcraft — and it came after he started the day with work to do.
At the 36-hole mark, Ashcraft was T3 at even-par 134, sitting two shots behind leader Matthew Hull, who opened with the low round of the tournament — a blistering 62 — and followed it with a 70 to take the lead at 2-under 132.
But the tournament flipped on the final day. Ashcraft stayed steady with a closing 69, while Hull stumbled with a 78, sliding back into a T-10 finish at 5-under 210. Hull, from Corona del Mar, California, has signed a letter of intent to UCLA.
The tournament was played across two venues: Ocotillo–Sky Golf Course in Chandler and Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club in Maricopa.
The win continues a strong stretch for Ashcraft, who also captured the Agave Amateur two weeks earlier — form that carried him all the way to the season-long Player of the Year crown.
About the Saguaro Amateur
54-hole event with field comprised of 108 men’s amateur golfers from all over the United States. Most players are college golfers on winter break. All players must have completed high school by January 1 and must have a handicap of 3.0 or lower. The ...
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