Orcas Island golfer sets record at WJGA Western Open
Published 1:30 am Monday, April 27, 2026
By Declan O’Malley
Sounder contributor
A local golfer is coming off a record-breaking performance at a major in-state junior golf tournament this spring.
Orcas Island’s Joe Anderson opened the 2026 Western Open at Capitol City with a historic 12-under-par score, breaking the Washington Junior Golf Association’s all-time scoring record and setting a new course record. Despite the milestone round, Anderson advanced to a playoff and finished second.
“I have been working really hard coming out of winter, because it takes time to get back into golf shape,” Anderson said. “I made birdie on the first hole, and that calmed my nerves. The WJGA Western Open had a field of 140 of the best players in Washington, so I wanted to get out to a fast start. I had a solid game plan and needed to stick to it. When things are going well, golf seems easy. That usually isn’t the case, but it was on Saturday. My drives were in the fairway, and I hit 17 of 18 greens. With only 24 putts, the hole felt bigger than usual.”
According to Anderson, Capitol City Golf Course was tightly tree-lined, with greens in excellent condition, demanding precise course management throughout the round.
The performance gives him confidence heading into the WJGA Eastern Open this weekend. He will be on the road for the next four to five months, with recruiting season opening in two months, making it a priority to compete at the highest level possible.
“Several people assumed that Joe’s mom and I enjoyed watching him break the Capitol City and WJGA single-day scoring records,” said his father, James Anderson. “But it was extremely stressful. We want Joe to play well so badly because he’s worked so hard. We were holding our breath on every swing and every putt until the final birdie dropped on the 18th hole. The field included 140 of the best players in the state, including several current and future Division I commits. We hope Joe can build on this and continue to find success.”
