2026 Worldwide Golf Cinco De Mayo at Grayhawk

The Worldwide Golf Cinco De Mayo at Grayhawk Golf Club (Talon Course)—one of the premier flighted amateur golf tournaments in the country—delivered a championship-caliber test in the Arizona desert. With Worldwide Golf being the presenting sponsor of the Tour for the 4th consecutive season, and continued support from Universal Retirement and Lance Burbank (uniret.com)—a leader in self-directed retirement solutions—players were met with firm, fast greens, challenging hole locations, steady winds, and pristine conditions that demanded precision throughout the weekend.

As part of the Amateur Players Tour national major schedule, the stakes were high. National major victories earn exemptions into the North American Championship (NAC) and Senior North American Championship (Senior NAC), along with invitations into future majors. Additionally, top-3 and ties in every division earned a priority exemption to register early for We-Ko-Pa in September, raising the intensity across every flight.

In Division 1, Wallace Nelson (Phoenix) broke through for his first career major victory, finishing at +8 (76-76—152)in a steady, composed performance. Nelson held off a tightly packed leaderboard, including Joshua Crossen (Las Vegas)and Andrew Parson (Dallas/Fort Worth), who tied for second at +10 (76-78—154 / 78-76—154). The win positions Nelson as a legitimate challenger to 2x National Player of the Year Andrew Echard (Utah) as the season progresses.

In Division 2, Paul Hess (Central Pennsylvania) continued his dominant stretch, charging from behind with a final-round 4-over 76 to win at +17 (85-76—161). The victory marks back-to-back major wins, following his triumph at Black Desert Resort, firmly establishing Hess as one of the hottest players on tour. Mark Iriarte (Southern California)stayed consistent with a runner-up finish at +19 (82-81—163), continuing a strong season that includes a win earlier this year. Tanner Mattinson (Utah), Steve Wallace (Tucson), and Jeff Fassero (Phoenix) all tied for third at +21 (87-78—165 / 84-81—165 / 82-83—165) to round out the money positions.

In Division 3, James Heath (Indianapolis) surged from behind with a clutch final-round 9-over 81 to secure his first career major title at +25 (88-81—169). Keith Manchester (Southern California) finished second at +27 (85-86—171), while Dan Sadler (Central Pennsylvania) and Matt Gates (Denver) tied for third at +28 (88-84—172 / 85-87—172). Blake Moorman (Southern California) finished fifth at +30 (85-89—174), and Keith Muraoka (Southern California)claimed sixth at +31 (91-84—175).

In Division 4, Martin Vermillion (Phoenix) hung on down the stretch to capture his first career major victory, finishing at +31 (84-91—175). Vermillion built his lead early and weathered a difficult final round to close it out. Brad Forsyth (Southern California) finished second at +32 (93-83—176), while Michael Moynihan (St. Louis) secured his first major cash after being promoted, finishing third at +36 (94-86—180). Kurt Odegard (Southern California) rounded out the payout positions at +37 (89-92—181).

In Division 5, Tommy Weatherby (Southern California) came from behind to earn his first major victory, edging a competitive field by one shot at +46 (97-93—190). Trevor Heyer (Phoenix) finished second at +47 (94-97—191), while Michael Blunt (Phoenix) took third at +48 (94-98—192). The top three were separated by just two strokes, showcasing one of the tightest finishes of the championship.

In the Mid-Am Net division, a three-way tie at the top saw James Heath (Indianapolis), Keith Manchester (Southern California), and Tucker Jensen (St. Louis) all finish at +5 (78-71—149 / 74-75—149 / 71-78—149) to share medalist honors. Tiffany McMillan (St. Louis) finished fourth at +7 (79-72—151), while a four-way tie for fifth at +8 (152)included Kevin Smith (Nashville), Brentt Youngs (Phoenix), Vick Lopez (Southern California), and Guy Gamble (Phoenix).

In the Senior Net division, Michael Blunt (Phoenix) delivered a standout performance to win at -2 (69-73—142). Martin Vermillion (Phoenix) finished second at -1 (68-75—143), while Keith Muraoka (Southern California) took third at +3 (77-70—147).
Fourth place went to Jason Dale (East Tennessee) at +4 (71-77—148), followed by a tie for fifth between Steve Daniels (Charlotte) and Michael Moynihan (St. Louis) at +4 (76-72—148 / 78-70—148).
Seventh place belonged to Mike Paubel (St. Louis) at +5 (73-76—149), with Mark Iriarte (Southern California)finishing eighth at +7 (76-75—151).
A three-way tie for ninth at +8 (152) included David Raffety (Southern California), Dan Sadler (Central Pennsylvania), and Alan McGraw (Utah).

The Worldwide Golf Par 3 Challenge once again added an exciting layer to the competition, functioning as a tournament within each division. Players competed solely on their performance across the par 3s, with all entry fees paid back out in Worldwide Golf gift cards. Division winners included Adam Yarbrough (Atlanta) in Division 1, John Dicker (Cincinnati/Dayton) in Division 2, a tie between John Bilek (Kansas City) and James Heath (Indianapolis) in Division 3, Martin Vermillion (Phoenix) in Division 4, and John Danilowicz (Dallas/Fort Worth) in Division 5. The competition remains fully compliant with USGA Rules of Amateur Status, adhering to the $1,000 maximum prize pool.

On the longer holes, the Worldwide Golf Par 5 Challenge rewarded aggressive play and scoring ability. Division winners included Andrew Parson (Dallas/Fort Worth) in Division 1, a tie between Michael Konuch (St. Louis) and Wes Hohman (Phoenix) in Division 2, Keith Muraoka (Southern California) in Division 3, Mark Hewitt (Seattle) in Division 4, and Michael Blunt (Phoenix) in Division 5. As with the Par 3 Challenge, all funds were distributed via Worldwide Golf gift cards while maintaining compliance with amateur status guidelines.

If you’re searching for golf tournaments near you or looking to compete on a national stage, the Amateur Players Tour continues to deliver professionally-run events across North America.

Next up is the APT Players Championship, the Tour’s premier 54-hole event, set for Memorial Day Weekend at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, where a 120-player field will tee it up to kick off the summer in one of the most anticipated events of the season.