Varsity 4 All-News4JAX girls golf: Beachside’s Sofia Rivera lives by simple motto on the course, ‘have fun’

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Sofia Rivera tried every sport that her parents could get her into, but golf was always going to be her game.

The Beachside junior and Varsity 4 All-News4JAX girls golfer of the year picked up the sport early and got a boost of motivation from her uncle on the PGA Tour. Now, there’s no question that Rivera is bona fide star and bound for the big time, with a little bit of inspiration from her uncle on the pro golf tour.

She became just the sixth local girls golfer to win an individual state championship with a 4-under 67 to win the Class 3A crown by four shots. Rivera capped her championship with a 30-foot birdie putt to slam the exclamation point on the title.

Local girls golf individual state champs

Long before Rivera was a high school golfing star, she was going from sport to sport and seeing what fit the best.

Ballet. Tennis. Soccer. Whatever the season, Rivera had something to compete in. Golf was there, too, boosted by the small fact that her uncle, Russell Knox, was surging on the PGA Tour. Rivera said she was pulled by the tug of golf by watching her uncle week after week. Knox won twice on the PGA Tour and currently plays on the Korn Ferry Tour.

“I kind of grew up watching him. Probably had a little bit of bias towards my decision because when I was younger, he was doing really well, like [ranked] 18th in the world at one point,” Rivera said.

“So, I think probably like watching him do well swayed my decision a bit. But yeah, I kind of fell in love with golf early. Probably when I was like 6 is when I really chose to play golf and then from then on. …”

From then on has been a whirlwind for Rivera and Beachside.

As a freshman, Rivera fired a 1-under 141, just one stroke back of the individual state champ. An even bigger achievement was that of the Beachside team as a whole. The Barracudas won the first team state championship in program history.

They did it as just a second-year school.

Rivera was already a rising star in junior golf, but playing on a team where every individual score mattered was an aspect that unlocked an even stronger passion for the game. She called that season and the girls on that squad the “dream team.”

Although she was playing in her first year of varsity golf for a school that wasn’t even two years old, Rivera said it felt like she and her teammates had been together for years.

“Honestly, from there, I fell in love with high school golf. Team golf was just so exciting, and it never really felt like we hadn’t done this before,” Rivera said. “It was just something new and exciting that we got to go through.

Rivera said the best advice she’s received from Knox and others has nothing to do with a club or a swing or the read on a green.

It’s much easier than that, and it’s something Rivera says with a smile when asked.

“He just always made sure I kept golf fun,” she said. “Because he knows and every pro that I ask or anybody that I ask, and I’m like, ‘OK, if you could give me one piece of advice, what would you say?’ And they always say, ‘Just keep it fun. Don’t burn yourself out. … So I always kept it fun.”

All-News4JAX Varsity 4 girls golfers of the year

2025: Sofia Rivera, Beachside

2024: Sadaly Campbell, Fernandina Beach

2023: Nancy Cox, Ponte Vedra

2022: Alexandra Gazzoli, Matanzas

2021: Anika Richards, Fernandina Beach

2020: Elizabeth Kondal, Bartram Trail

2019: Chloe Schiavone, Bolles

All-News4JAX girls golf team

First team

Golfer, School, Class, Notable

Sahana Chokshi, Episcopal, Jr.

One of the big stars in a loaded Class of 2027. Co-medalist in region (4-under 68) and district (1-under 71). Took eighth in Class 1A state tournament with 4-under 40. Already a five-time All-News4JAX selection (2024-25 first team, second team in 2023 and honorable mention in 2021 and ‘22).

Ryan Donaldson, Suwannee, Sr.

Class 2A state champ with a 2-under 140 to win by a stroke. Had 2-under 70 to finish T-3 at region. Signed with University of Oklahoma. Three-time first-team All-News4JAX selection and a second-team pick last year.

Chloe McGrath, Bolles, Jr.

Co-medalist at region (4-under 68) and district (1-under 71) to lead Bulldogs to team titles at both. Shot 2-over 144 to T-15 in Class 1A state tournament.

Sophia Moody, Fleming Island, Fr.

Had 3-over 145 to finish sixth in Class 2A state tournament. Took sixth at region (4-over 76) and won district tournament.

Sofia Rivera, Beachside, Jr.

All-News4JAX girls golfer of the year. Class 3A individual state champ after shooting 5-under 137 to win by four shots. Had 3-under 69 to finish runner-up at both district and region by a stroke. Three-time All-News4JAX selection (second team in 2023-24). Has committed to Indiana.

Second team

Golfer, School, Class, Notable

Grace Breffitt, Bolles, Jr.

Had a 4-over 76 for T-4 at district. Fired even-par 72 for fourth at region. Shot an 11-over 153 for T-40 at Class 1A state tournament.

Lily Chiang, Stanton, So.

Carded 7-over 149 to finish T-9 in Class 2A state tournament. Won region and district with 5-under 67s. Two-time All-News4JAX selection (second team last year).

Stella Moritz, Ponte Vedra, Sr.

Region champ with 4-under 68 and fifth at district tournament with 2-over 73. Had 11-over 152 for T-23 in Class 3A state meet. Scoring average per nine holes was 36.5.

Akery Paing, Wolfson, Fr.

Second at region by a stroke after 4-under 68 and district runner-up. Finished 20^th in Class 2A state tournament 12-over 154.

Sophia Stiwich, Flagler Palm Coast, Sr.

Finished T-20 in Class 3A state tournament with 9-over 151. District champ (2-over 74) and third at region (even-par 72).

Honorable mention

Golfer, school, class

Shayla Abbas, Fleming Island, Jr.

Sophia Cavanagh, Nease, Sr.

Danielle Dailey, St. Joseph, Sr.

Honor Donaldson, Providence, 8th

Alyssa Hardy, Stanton, Sr.

Alexia Iordanov, Beachside, Jr.

Leighton Lanier, Bartram Trail, Fr.

Hazel Peters, Nease, Fr.

Riley Powell, Bolles, Fr.

Elle Reisner, Fernandina Beach, Jr.

Nina Santiago, Ponte Vedra, So.

Charlotte Xia, Ponte Vedra, So.

Darci Wagner, Ponte Vedra, Sr.