Tag: Patriot All-America

Vanderbilt’s Tillie Claggett, Florida’s Ian Gilligan capture 2023 Patriot All-America titles

Claggett set a tournament record with an impressive final round.

It was an impressive final round for Vanderbilt sophomore Tillie Claggett.

She fired a tournament-record 9-under 61 on Sunday to win the women’s division of the 2023 Patriot All-America, a year-end amateur tournament filled with plenty of the best amateurs from across the country in Litchfield Park, Arizona.

Claggett entered the final round six shots back of the lead, but nine birdies later on the Wigwam’s blue course she walked away with her name in the record books and the Folded Flag trophy and Bomber jacket.

“I’ve kind of been waiting for an individual win since I moved out of my junior career into my amateur career, so this definitely feels good,” Claggett said.

She finished at 12-under 198 for the tournament, two shots in front of South Florida’s Melanie Green, the 36-hole leader.

Meanwhile, Florida junior Ian Gilligan shot 2-under 68 in the final round at the Golf Course to cap his wire-to-wire victory, finishing at 12 under. He bested Notre Dame’s Parker Jackson, the event’s only five-time participant, by three shots.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet, but I’m stoked,” said Gilligan, the reigning Big West Conference individual champion. “I didn’t get off to an amazing start – it was a little slow – but I stuck around and waited for my opportunities. I was lucky to get a hole out, which helped, and then hung in there at the end. But I’m extremely to win this event.”

The Patriot All-America Invitational features PING All-Americans from the previous season in NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and NJCAA; as well as 2022 First Team All-America Seniors from the AJGA and other special invitees. The 54-hole amateur event is known as the first of its kind to combine the talents of 150 nationally recognized men and women golfers simultaneously at one tournament.

Conducted in a partnership with the GCAA, WGCA, the West Valley Mavericks, The Patriot All-America LLC and the Arizona Golf Association, The Patriot All-America honors fallen or severely wounded soldiers and first responders in collaboration with the Folds of Honor Foundation. The golfers receive a golf bag provided by PING Corporation at the event’s opening ceremony emblazoned with the name and branch of service of a fallen or injured military member whom they shall represent. Participants also receive a card with the soldier’s story so they can become familiar with that soldier. The golf bags are then sold by the players’ college or university with proceeds donated to Folds of Honor to support the families affected.

UNLV’s Caden Fioroni, San Jose State’s Antonia Malate win 12th annual Patriot All-America; Arizona’s Chaz Aurilia claims inaugural Thunderbolt

The event honors fallen or severely wounded soldiers in partnership with the Folds of Honor Foundation.

UNLV junior Caden Fioroni and San Jose State grad student Antonia Malate won their respective divisions at the 12th annual Patriot All-America in Arizona on Saturday.

Fioroni finished at 12 under after scores of 67-71-63 at the Wigwam Golf Club in Litchfield Park, Arizona, to beat Oklahoma’s Ben Lorenz by a shot. Colorado State’s Connor Jones and Oklahoma’s Stephen J. Campbell tied for third at 10 under.

Fioroni’s final-round 63 featured birdies on five of his last seven holes, including Nos. 16, 17 ad 18, to tie the men’s division low score. Lorenz had a look for birdie on the 18th hole to force a playoff but his putt came up short.

“I have no words right now, honestly I knew I was really behind today and this is the first time I never thought about my score,” said Fioroni. “I knew I needed to make as many birdies as I could. I was so much in the zone I didn’t realize until after the round that I shot 8 under. I’m kind of in shock right now – I dont know what to say.”

UNLV Caden Fioroni
UNLV’s Caden Fioroni celebrates after winning the 2022 Patriot All-America in Litchfield Park, Arizona. (Photo: Arizona Golf Association)

Meanwhile, Malate earned medalist honors in the women’s division after outlasting ASU’s Grace Summerhays and Emma McMyler of Xavier.

The three golfers finished 54 holes tied at 9 under. Summerhays was knocked out first after parring the first playoff hole, while Malate and Xavier made birdie. On the fourth playoff hole, Malate drained a 20-foot eagle putt to claim the win.

“This is one of my bigger collegiate wins so I’m excited,” said Malate. “[Emma] played really well and made a lot of great putts. She made it hard for me, so I had to make an eagle to win.”

2022 Patriot All-America
Antonia Malate of San Jose State celebrates after winning the 2022 Patriot All-America in Litchfield Park, Arizona. (Photo: Arizona Golf Association)

Arizona senior Chaz Aurilia won the inaugural Thunderbolt at Sterling Grove Golf & Country Club in Surprise, Arizona.

Aurilia also needed extra holes to win. Tied with Fresno State’s Joseph Lloyd at 13 under, Aurilia sank a 20-foot birdie then watched Lloyd’s birdie try from about 18 feet lip out.

“It feels good. I played really well all week,” said Aurilia. “This is the first time they’ve had this event, and it’s a really good event. It’s for a really cool cause, also, so it was a great tournament for me.”

2022 Thunderbolt
Chaz Aurilia won medalist honors at the 2022 Thunderbolt at Sterling Grove Golf & Country Club in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo: Arizona Golf Association)

About the The Patriot All-America

The event honors fallen or severely wounded soldiers in partnership with the Folds of Honor Foundation. At the opening ceremony, golfers receive a golf bag donated by Ping emblazoned with the name and branch of service of a fallen or injured military member whom they shall represent. Participants also receive a card with the soldier’s story so they can be familiar with that soldier, giving many of the top players a unique perspective not only on golf, but on life. At the conclusion of the tournament, the golf bags are shipped to players’ schools and auctioned with all proceeds benefitting the Folds of Honor Foundation. Named after the Air Force P-47 Thunderbolt, the new event was added in 2023 to accommodate players who met the initial eligibility but did not make it into The Patriot.

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Patriot All-America Invitational features loaded men’s and women’s field ahead of 12th edition

The Patriot All-America Invitational is set for Dec. 29-31 at Wigwam Golf Resort in Arizona.

It’s again time for one of the premier amateur events of the year.

The Patriot All-America Invitational is set for its 12th edition at Wigwam Golf Resort in Litchfield Park, Arizona, Dec. 29-31. It’s the second year there will be women in the field.

The tournament features Ping All-Americans from the previous season in NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and NJCAA as well as 2021 First Team All-America seniors from the AJGA. The golfers also have to be ranked high enough in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

“We’re eager to kick off this year’s Patriot All-America, and we’re thrilled to see the exponential growth of the women’s division,” said Mark James, Luke Air Force Base. “Women play a pivotal role in the U.S. Armed Forces, and we’re happy to see them so well-represented in this year’s tournament.”

There will be 84 men and 60 women in the field. The women’s field was expanded from 42.

Participating golfers have an opportunity to recognize a fallen or wounded military hero during the event by carrying a commemorative Ping golf bag bearing the serviceman or woman’s name and branch. At the end of the event, they sell the bags, with the proceeds benefiting Folds of Honor, a nonprofit that provides scholarship funding for the children and families of fallen or disabled military members and first responders. Participating golfers also get to tour Luke Air Force Base.

Play gets underway Thursday, as golfers will compete over 54 holes of stroke play to determine a champion.

It’s also the first year of the Thunderbolt, which will be played at the same time as the Patriot at Sterling Grove Golf and Country Club in Surprise, Arizona. It will feature golfers that met the initial eligibility, but did not make it into the Patriot.

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Patriot All-America will expand to include top female amateurs in 2021

Organizers of the Patriot All-America have announced the tournament will now include a women’s division.

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Amateur golf is steeped in tradition, and the calendar normally repeats itself from year to year. One of the final stops for the nation’s best college players is the Patriot All-America Invitational at the Wigwam Golf Resort in Litchfield Park, Arizona.

Beginning in 2021, the “best” college players will mean all college players. Organizers of the Patriot All-America have announced that, in partnership with the Women’s Golf Coaches Association of America, the tournament will feature a women’s division for the first time. A field of 42 of college golf’s best women will join the field of 84 men on Dec. 28-31 to end the year.

“The WGCA is excited to partner with The Patriot,” said Angie Ravaioli-Larkin, WGCA President. “This is so special to our organization especially with our involvement and commitment to The Folds of Honor. What a tremendous opportunity to recognize some of the finest players in women’s college golf while honoring those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.”

The Patriot All-America Invitational features PING All-Americans from the previous season in NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and NJCAA; as well as 2021 First Team All-America seniors from the AJGA. The tournament is unique in the way it allows players to honor fallen or severely wounded soldiers in partnership with the Folds of Honor Foundation. Each player receives a golf bag donated by PING Corporation at the event’s opening ceremony that carries the name and branch of service of a fallen or injured military member.  Participants also receive a card with the soldier’s story so they can be familiar with that soldier. The golf bags are then sold with proceeds donated to Folds of Honor to support the families affected.

“I’m grateful and excited about the return of the Patriot All-America Invitational in 2021,” said Lt Col Dan Rooney, founder and CEO of Folds of Honor. “This outstanding golf tournament honors those who have given so much for our country. I’m especially enthusiastic about the addition of women collegiate golfers in this year’s field. These are some of the best players in America. Women play an integral role in the military and have sacrificed so much.”

The Patriot All-America is the latest tournament to expand its field to include top women’s golfers or to offer a separate women’s division. This week marks the inaugural Sea Island Women’s Amateur. Sea Island, Georgia, has long been an important stop in men’s amateur golf, having hosted the Jones Cup tournaments (together with Ocean Forest Golf Club) since the early 2000s. Now, women get the chance to compete there annually, too.

The Southwestern Amateur added a women’s division recently and the Palmer Cup, a Presidents Cup-style match pitting the best American college players against their International counterparts, became a co-ed match in 2018.

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Auburn senior Graysen Huff wins 2020 Patriot All-America

Graysen Huff discusses his win from the 2020 Patriot All-America from the Gold Course at Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park, Arizona.

Graysen Huff discusses his win from the 2020 Patriot All-America from the Gold Course at Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park, Arizona.

Auburn’s Graysen Huff ends 2020 with Patriot All-America title

The last amateur golf title of 2020 will go to Graysen Huff, who won the Patriot All-America.

The last amateur golf title of 2020 will go to Graysen Huff. The Auburn senior put together a clean card in the final round of the Patriot All-America at the Gold Course at Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park, Arizona, and clinched the title by two shots.

Huff’s final-round 67 included five birdies and moved him to 8 under for the tournament.

Dan Bradbury of Lincoln Memorial University finished second at 6 under while Clemson’s Turk Pettit and Oklahoma’s Logan McAllister tied for third at 4 under. All three of those players fired closing rounds of 66 on Thursday.

The Patriot All-America Invitational started in 2011 and features a cross-section of college golf talent from all divisions.

Each golfer in the tournament honors a fallen or severely injured soldier by carrying a bag bearing that person’s name.

Scores: Patriot All-America

It has been a busy summer – and fall – for Huff, but despite contending in several events in 2020, to the tune of five top-10 finishes in major college and amateur events, Huff had yet to close one out.

Until New Year’s Eve.

With the Patriot All-America title, Huff, from Eagle, Idaho, claims his first major victory since tying for individual medalist honors at the 2019 SEC Championship.

Entering the final round at the Wigwam Resort, Huff had a one-shot lead. A second-round 70 in chilly, blustery conditions was key in allowing him to maintain the lead position entering the final round. Huff battled for that score, overcoming a double-bogey on the par-4 second at the start of his day. He recovered to play the rest of the round in 2 under.

“You can’t win a tournament in the first two days – the last day is when you go out and win,” said Huff, who finished T-12 in the 2019 Patriot All-America Invitational.

He made good on that statement to end the year.

Patriot All-American champions

2020 – Graysen Huff, Auburn

2019 – Noah Norton, Georgia Tech

2018 – Isaiah Jackson, Memphis

2017 – Mason Overstreet, Arkansas

2016 – Cameron Champ, Texas A&M

2015 – Braden Thornberry, Ole Miss

2014 – Kyle Kochevar, Virginia

2013 – Kyle Westmoreland, Air Force

2012 – Sebastian Cappelen, Arkansas

2011 – Cory Whitsett, Alabama

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Noah Norton wraps up Patriot All-America title with closing charge

The final hours of Noah Norton’s year were spent climbing the Patriot All-America leaderboard.

The final hours of Noah Norton’s year were spent climbing one final leaderboard. The Georgia Tech junior turned it on once he reached the back nine of the Patriot All-America on Dec. 31. With three birdies from Nos. 10-13, he effectively lifted himself out of the crowd and cleared a path toward a season-ending win at the Wigwam’s Gold Course in Litchfield Park, Arizona.

The Patriot All-America Invitational started in 2011 and features a cross-section of college golf talent from all divisions.

Each golfer in the tournament honors a fallen or severely injured soldier by carrying a bag bearing that person’s name.

PATRIOT ALL-AMERICAN: Leaderboard

It’s a fitting way for the year to end for Norton, a Chico, California, native who advanced through U.S. Open qualifying to tee it up at Pebble Beach in June. A runner-up finish followed two weeks later at the North & South Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2.

His good play throughout the summer season pulled him inside the top 100 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. After the fall season at Georgia Tech, he is No. 85 in the WAGR.

Norton has worked to improve his game off the tee in the past year, but also to be more collected on the course. Interestingly, he may have a knack for coaching, too. When Georgia Tech teammate Andy Ogletree won the U.S. Amateur in August, Ogletree referenced a putting tip from Norton that had been season-changing.

Georgia Tech, by the way, finished the fall season No. 2 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings.

At the Wigwam, Norton’s closing 68 was enough to hold off a trio of players in second. Norton reached 7 under for the week, while Mason Overstreet, Jackson Suber and Sam Choi were all at 6 under.

Overstreet, a senior at Arkansas, won this event in 2017.

The two men in fifth included Pepperdine’s Joey Vrzich and Illinois State’s David Perkins.

As a team, Arizona State may have fared the best by placing Mason Anderson solo seventh at 4 under and Blake Wagoner in a tie for 12th at 1 under. A third teammate, Cameron Sisk, finished T-43.

Patriot All-American champions

2018 – Isaiah Jackson, Memphis

2017 – Mason Overstreet, Arkansas

2016 – Cameron Champ, Texas A&M

2015 – Braden Thornberry, Ole Miss

2014 – Kyle Kochevar, Virginia

2013 – Kyle Westmoreland, Air Force

2012 – Sebastian Cappelen, Arkansas

2011 – Cory Whitsett, Alabama