CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Kirtland Central High School standout Hayden Dan represented the Four Corners region on a national stage last week at the 2026 First Tee National Championship.
The 54-hole, no-cut stroke-play tournament wrapped up Thursday at the University of North Carolina’s Finley Golf Club. The premier youth development event brought together a select field of 24 female and 24 male golfers from First Tee chapters across the country.
Dan, an incoming junior at Kirtland Central, earned her place in the prestigious field representing the First Tee—Four Corners chapter. She is coming off a dominant spring prep season where she secured a victory at the Durango Hillcrest Invitational in April, lifting the Broncos over Durango High School, and finished as the individual runner-up at the NMAA Class 4A state tournament in May for the second consecutive year.
After a rough start to the tournament Tuesday, in which Dan shot a 13-over-par, she recovered with a 5-over round Wednesday that included a pair of birdies on the back nine.
Entering the final round at 18 over par, Dan fired a 9-over 79 to finish the tournament tied for 19th place.
Ashley Shaw, of Phoenix, topped the final leaderboard, capping off the third day with a 5-under 65 to finish the week at 10 under par. Shaw, a verbal commit to the University of Georgia, finished 13 shots ahead of her nearest rival, Naomi Phan of Fort Worth, Texas.
Beyond the trophy, top performers in the girls division played for a coveted exemption into the PGA Tour Champions PURE Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach Golf Links this September.