The Patriot Invitational, where golf meets glory, is in full swing in the West Valley

Max Schliesing is ranked No. 140 among amateur golfers worldwide. [Scott Bartle]

LITCHFIELD PARK — Perhaps no one has a better finger on the pulse of golf in America than Matt “The Golf Nomad” Cardis, the founder of the popular blog Golf In Your State. Earlier this year, Cardis was asked how this country became the best place to play the game of Scottish origin.

“There are so many things that make golf in the U.S. special and make it stand out from other places in the world,” he answered, “but, for me, it comes back to the people.”

Asked what makes the U.S. Military the best in the world, Arizona veterans give a strikingly similar answer. It’s the people.

And when the people come together in Arizona — a state with an illustrious military legacy and the best golf weather on the planet to boot — to celebrate heroes both on the battlefield and the fairway, “incredible” things can happen. That’s why the West Valley Mavericks Foundation is hosting The Patriot All-America Invitational, which began Saturday when a KC-135 Stratotanker and three F-35s flew over the Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park.

The 54-hole golf tournament ends tomorrow.

“Honoring the military families and those who have served is more important than the business that happens inside our walls,” said Patrick Fitzhugh, the regional site director for USAA in North Phoenix, “and that’s why we show up to incredible events like this.”

(Watch Fitzhugh’s speech below.)

The amateur golfers who compete — like soldiers, in a way — expect no payment for being winners, despite being the best in the world. Jasmine Koo, a freshman at the University of Southern California, sits in first place today after a clean scorecard with six birdies yesterday. She is the No. 2-ranked amateur women’s golfer internationally.

“I just played really well today,” Koo said Sunday. “I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

She had been given a PING golf bag bearing the name and branch of a fallen hero who had attended USC. In fact, every participant received such a golf bag, which connected some non-American competitors with U.S. military heroes who had something in common with them. Masato Sumiuchi of Nihon University in Tokyo, Japan, the No. 5-ranked men’s amateur golfer in the world, is leading the men by two shots.

Max Schliesing, a British-born resident of Switzerland, is ranked No. 140. He on Saturday was representing U.S. Army Cpl. Evan A. Marshall, who was only 21 years old when in 2008 he was killed in an ambush during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“It has been incredible,” Schliesing reacted after the opening ceremonies. “The camaraderie around here has been good … I can’t wait to represent Mr. Marshall and hopefully do him proud.”

The golf bags were provided through a sponsorship with Folds of Honor, a nonprofit that awards scholarships to spouses and children of military members and first responders who died or were disabled in action. After the event, the bags are returned to the golfers’ NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA or foreign universities to be auctioned off with proceeds benefiting the scholarship fund.

The golfers are also given the opportunity to visit Luke Air Force Base, the training center for American F-35 fighter pilots like those who performed the flyover Friday. There, they meet with base leadership, fighter pilots and crew, and tour the base while participating in activities rarely seen by civilians.

“All the heroes represented on these bags put service before self,” Brig. Gen. David J. Berkman, commander of the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base, said Saturday. “Today, we honor them, and all the others … who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.”

Unique to the tournament this year is a stadium around the 18th hole, inspired by the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, where active and former servicemembers and first responders use their free VIP passes to load up on food, drinks and great views of the green. That’s also where they’ll get great views of the “Patriot Unplugged” concert from 5 to 10 p.m. this evening featuring Nashville recording artist Aaron Nichols and fiddle player Melissa Barrison.

The VIP ticket holders can also take advantage of an open bar and premium spectating areas from the Salute to Service Tent, sponsored by the Buckeye Equestrian Center and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

General admission at the tournament is free.

Since 2022, The Patriot All-America Invitational has been further complemented by The Thunderbolt, named after the Air Force P-47 Thunderbolt, a second concurrent tournament at the Sterling Grove Golf & Country Club in Surprise featuring 72 more of the nation’s top collegiate male athletes. Leading the Thunderbolt tournament is Saint Mary’s College graduate student Zack Missigman, a local from Goodyear. “I’m looking forward to the rest of the way,” he said yesterday.