Left, Copper Rock champion Fiona Xu holds the first-place trophy besides Tom Haraldsen, representing The City Journals. Center, she holds the $37,500 check for winning. Right, she taps in for a par on the final hole. (Courtesy of Peri Kinder, City Journals)
New Zealand golfer Fiona Xu captured the 2026 Copper Rock Championship on May 16, beating a trio of other pros to win the title for her second time. She won the Copper Rocks title in 2024 as well.
The City Journals, partners with the Salt Lake Business Journal, was a co-sponsor of the tournament.
On a windy day that saw several lead changes, Xu began her third round with a birdie on the par-4 third hole. She followed that with birdies on holes five and nine, and finally took the lead for good with a birdie on 16. She finished at 13 under par. There was a three-way tie for second among Ashley Menne, Annabelle Pancake-Webb and Maddie Szeryk-DiBello, all at 10 under.
“It feels really amazing, pretty surreal, and it hasn’t sunk in yet, but to do it again here is pretty special,” said Xu, who was accompanied on her final round by her mother. She admitted feeling some nerves as she reached the back nine, “I think it’s more in the last two holes, especially making that par putt on 17. I think from there, I kind of knew that I’d pretty much won. That putt was really important and I’m really happy.”
The win was worth $37,000 and 500 points on the Epson Tour, moving her from No. 131 to No. 12 in the season-long Race for the Card. The Epson Tour resumes June 12 at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship in Marshall, Michigan. This is the sixth time the tour has played in Utah, with plans to return in 2027.