The 52nd annual Junior America’s Cup, hosted by the Utah Junior Golf Association, saw lower scores and little wind in Round 2, with Southern California leaping San Diego to take the lead. Shooting 9-under-par as a team in the second round, Southern Cal was paced by Matthew Diehl with a 6-under-par 66. Diehl is the overall low individual at 9-under (69-66=135) for two days. Rounding out scoring for Southern California during Round 2 were Baron Nguyen with a 2-under-par 70, Nixon Lauritzen with a 1-under-par 71, and Luke Ringkamp with a 3-over-par 75.

In solo second place as a team, the first-round team leader San Diego shot an even-par team score of 216 for Round 2. Leading San Diego, Connor Herrera shot a 1-under-par 71, with a two-day total of 4-under, as he is tied for second overall. Reed Arnaldo with an even-par 72 and Ty Smock with a 1-over-par 73 round out the three counting scores for San Diego. Tied for second individually at 4-under is Ethan Schwan from Team Washington.

Host Team Utah is in fourth place as a team, at 2-over-par, after an exceptional 8-under-par Round 2 team score, to shoot up the leaderboard. Leading Team Utah during Round 2 was Carter Papke, who fired a 3-under-par 69 (two-day total of 2-under). Rounding out the scores for Utah for Round 2 include Lance Loughton with a team low 68 (two-day total of 2-over-par 146), Parker Bunn with a 1-under-par 71 (two-day total of 3-over), and Jaxon Erickson with a 1-under-par 71 (4-over 148 over two days).

This year marks the first time in event history that the Boys and Girls Junior America’s Cup are hosted at the same facility (Boys on Gold Course, Girls on Silver Course at Soldier Hollow) by the same host association, the Utah Junior Golf Association. Team Arizona continues to hold the lead at the Girls Junior America’s Cup after two rounds. Firing a 5-under-par team score, Arizona is 11-under for two rounds. Leading Arizona is low overall individual Kaitlyn Helm, at 5-under (69-70=139), followed by Alexis Vakasiuola (68-73=141), Alexis Lamadrid (75-69=144), and Lena Durette (72-76=148). Southern California is in second place, at 4-under as a team, seven strokes back, while Washington is in third place at 7-over.

Like a collegiate event, the Junior America’s Cup features 18 teams of four boys representing their state, province, or country. The competition takes place over three days, with 18 holes played each day for a total of 54 holes played to determine the winning team. Each team counts its best three scores each round, with the low-scoring team after 54 holes being crowned the champions and presented with the champions’ medals and trophy.

The 2024 competition marks the 52nd anniversary of the Junior America’s Cup championship and the fourth time it will be held in Utah. The previous time the event was hosted in Utah was 2006 at Ogden Golf & Country Club in Ogden, Utah. The team from San Diego won the championship that year. Junior America’s Cup alumni from the 2006 championship include Tony Finau and Zach Blair.

Past Junior America’s Cup participants who have gone on to successful professional careers include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Fred Couples, Corey Pavin, Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Cantlay, Rickie Fowler, Ryan Moore, Kyle Stanley, and Tony Finau.