2026 Great Hearts Invitational Tournament of Cup Champions

The 2026 Great Hearts Invitational – Tournament of Cup Champions brought together some of the best high school golfers in the Great Hearts network as they faced off at Talking Stick Golf Club. “[It] was absolutely epic,” shared Roland Bennett, Director of Golf Operations and organizer of the event. The impressive tournament is now in its third year and affectionately known as the Quest for the Navy Jacket – the coveted prize for the first-place winner of the tournament.

“With two groups left to play the final two holes, we had four players tied at +5. Freshman Tristen Lerpold, Freshman Jack Green, Senior Kieran Walsh, and Sophomore Rylan Amis,” recalled Bennett. “Tristen, playing in the second to last group, makes a nice par on 17, and then an impressive bogey on 18 after trouble off the tee. And at that point, he was the clubhouse leader at +6. Both Kieran and Rylan make bogey on 17, heading to the 18th tied at +6, and Jack getting up and down on 17 from the bunker to remain at +5, and heading to the 18th with a 1 stroke lead over Tristen, Kieran and Rylan.”

“Off the 307-yard Par 4 tee on 18, Rylan Amis hits the shot of the tournament and puts 3-wood to 5-foot onto the green setting up a potential Eagle putt. Jack hits center fairway, and Kiran left rough. Jack chips on, and hits the pin, kicking his ball out to about a 6-foot birdie look. Kieran hits the green on his 2nd shot leaving a must make 25-footer for birdie to force Rylan to make the putt. First to Play, Kieran drains the birdie putt, going down as one of the most clutch birdie putts on the 18th in tournament history, to finish at +5.  Jack was next to play and lips his birdie putt out, finishing at +5.”

“Then the moment of the tournament, after hitting a 307 yard 3-wood to the middle of the green, and to avoid a 3-player playoff, Rylan Amis drains the downhill eagle putt to claim the Jacket finishing at +4.” Bennett said it was an epic moment. “As tournament director, it’s exactly the type of drama you want for this prestigious prize.”

Amis received his prize navy jacket ceremoniously from last year’s champion, Kieran Walsh, who tied for second place this year.

FINAL RESULTS:

1st Place – Rylan Amis (75) from Scottsdale Prep
Tied for 2nd Place – Jack Green (76) from Scottsdale Prep
Tied for 2nd Place – Kieran Walsh (76) from Cicero Prep
4th Place – Tristen Lerpold (77) from Arete Prep
5th Place – Pro Moreno (83) from Trivium Prep
Tied for 6th Place – Michael Cordova (84) from Veritas Prep
Tied for 6th Place – Connor Huseth (84) from Veritas Prep
8th Place – Harrison Kremer (85) from Arete Prep
9th Place – Jackson Brush (87) from Cicero Prep
10th Place – Grant Adams (88) from Glendale Prep
11th Place – Devin Brown (94) from Trivium Prep
Tied for 12th Place – Tristian Norquist (103) from Anthem Prep
Tied for 12th Place – Olivia Blake (103) from Anthem Prep

Bennett thanks Cool Clubs, Spinato’s Pizzeria, Van’s Golf Shop (FLW & 101), Top  Golf Scottsdale, McDowell Mountain Golf Course, Putting World, and Jonathan Liss. These businesses contributed to the amazing swag that the players received, making playing in the tournament even more rewarding.

Congratulations are in order for all participants for qualifying to play in the prestigious invitational, and especially this year’s champion. “Wear that Jacket proudly, Rylan Amis, because there are a bunch of players that are going to be working hard in the off season to have you place a jacket on them next year,” warned Bennett.

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