Building on an impressive showing in 2023, local youth golfer Tazlyn Wagner is on a tear heading into this weekend’s Wyoming State Amateur Championship, scheduled to begin Thursday at Purple Sage Golf Course in Evanston.

Wagner’s most recent win came last weekend at the Optimist Qualifier, held at Glen Eagle Golf Course, in Syracuse, Utah. Wagner shot rounds of 76-77-76 for a three-day total of 229, winning the girls’ 13-14 division by eight strokes over Alpine, Utah’s Saylor Wagner (no relation).

Other highlights from spring and early summer include winning the 41st Utah State Junior Amateur earlier this month, earning a spot in the championship flight of the Devils Tower Match Play Tournament — where she competed against members of the University of Wyoming and Southern Utah University women’s golf teams — and multiple wins on the U.S. Kids Golf Salt Lake City Local Tour.

“Things are going very well,” said Wagner, who will be a freshman at Kemmerer High School in the fall. “I have won a lot in the last three weeks, with barely three days home during the tournaments. I made it into the championship flight for the Devils Tower Match Play, which is a huge accomplishment, considering I was playing against college athletes. I also qualified for the Optimist Tournament at Trump Doral Golf Club, as well as the IMG Academy Junior World Championships at the Rancho Bernardo Country Club in San Diego.”

Wagner credits improvement in her mental game for her early success in 2024, as well improvements on the course.

“I am excited for how much my golf game has improved this season,” she said. “My mental game has improved tremendously — instead of getting mad about a bad shot, I’ll just move forward without looking behind. My golf game has improved a lot by shooting about four to five strokes less than I did last season. That, and my yardages have increased by about 5-10 yards with each club.”

Wagner’s training regimen varies from week to week, though it usually includes swimming, weightlifting and — obviously — time at the driving range and on the golf course.

“Depending on the day, I will also go to basketball practice from 5-6:30 for more cardio and to learn plays for the season,” Wagner explained. “Then right after basketball, I will go to diving practice at the swimming pool. Even though I’m late, I still get good training during those times.”

Asked what her highlights of the summer have been so far, Wagner points to her win at the Optimist Qualifier and making it to the championship flight at the Devils Tower Match Play.

“At Devils Tower, I played Samantha Spielman from the University of Wyoming, and Reese Bandemer from Southern Utah University,” she said. “It was a tough tournament but I played really well.”

This week will be a busy one for Wagner, who will play in the Tooele County Junior Major (a Utah PGA Junior Series event) Tuesday and Wednesday, then head to Evanston Friday for the start of the Wyoming State Amateur Championship at Purple Sage.

Wagner said she’s familiar with Evanston’s course, and enjoys playing it.

“The greens are really fun to putt on, because they’re fast,” she said. “I also like the pro shop — people are always super-nice to me when I’m there. I don’t really have anything I dislike, other than walking it, because it’s hilly.”

To be successful this weekend at Purple Sage, Wagner said a lot of it will come down to her mental preparedness.

“I need to stay in my own lane, and not worry about anyone else’s score or attitude,” she said. “This has been a big problem for me, but I have gotten much better at it.”

With tournaments every week, burnout is always something a young golfer has to be aware of, especially when that golfer has