American Junior Golf Association

Last updated

The American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) is a "501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf." [1] AJGA is considered by many leaders in the golf industry to be the premier junior golf association of the world. [2] Evidenced of AJGA's premier standing is shown through support from such organizations as TaylorMade Golf, adidas Golf (national sponsors), Rolex (Premier Partners), the PGA TOUR and United States Golf Association (Association partners), and partnerships with more than 100 other organizations nationwide. These relationships span multiple decades and help the AJGA focus its efforts on providing an unparalleled membership experience. [3]

Contents

The AJGA has run elite tournaments for junior golfers of both sexes in the United States since 1978. In 2023, the AJGA stages over 200 total events (including one-day qualifiers) per season. The Association is headquartered at Chateau Elan Resort in Braselton, Georgia. Currently, the AJGA focuses more on developing golfers at the highest skill levels of both sexes, preparing them for college golf, rather than fostering the recreational side of the sport, which is clearly conveyed in its mission statement.

Playing with the AJGA

Junior golfers between the ages of 12 and 19 are eligible to play in American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) events, and members come from around the United States and nearly 70 world countries. Players can qualify to take part through local and regional tournaments via the AJGA's Performance Based Entry system which consistently evaluates events for quality. Players who have the ability, but not the financial means to play a national junior golf schedule may qualify for the AJGA's Liberty National ACE Grant program. This grant provides reimbursements of tournament fees and travel expenses to provide an equal playing field for all junior golfers.[ citation needed ]

How to qualify

In 2003, the AJGA abandoned a tournament selection process based on the strength of a tournament application and resume in favor of the Performance Based Entry process. This enables more junior golfers ages 12–19 to earn their way into AJGA Open tournaments based on performances at top events on the national, regional and state levels.

The player's performance, not the AJGA, dictates acceptance into an event. The expanded opportunities to gain entry into AJGA events through success at the state and regional levels ensure all deserving juniors receive an opportunity to play in an AJGA event. Entry into AJGA events can be earned through numerous tournaments, major USGA events, and other state championships.

Rankings and awards

The AJGA runs a variety of rankings, teams and awards. The AJGA has developed its own ranking system, the Polo Golf Rankings, that helps fill tournament fields and determine Rolex Junior All-America teams and the Rolex Junior Player of the Year recipients. Past winners of the Rolex Junior Player of the Year awards include Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods in the Boys Division and Cristie Kerr and Paula Creamer in the Girls Division. In addition, the AJGA developed FJ Live Scoring to provide service to members and families during all rounds of AJGA events.

Beginnings

The AJGA was conceived in the mid-1970s by Mike Bentley, a sportswriter in DeKalb County, Georgia. Bentley first formed the DeKalb Junior Golf Association in 1974, which eventually evolved into the Atlanta Junior Golf Association . Bentley soon realized the need for organized golf at the national level. At the time, several national junior golf tournaments existed but there was no cohesive administration of junior golf events on a national scale. Bentley envisioned such an organization, and created the American Junior Golf Association to meet the need.

The AJGA conducted its first national junior golf event in 1978, the AJGA Tournament of Champions, at Inverrary Country Club in Lauderhill, Florida. [4] Later that same year the AJGA introduced and conducted its second national event. [5] In addition, the AJGA also named its first Rolex Junior All-Americans in 1978, and has done so every year since.

In 1984, Stephen Hamblin was hired as the Executive Director, the same role he continues to serve today. The AJGA's first permanent home was built in 1983 at Horseshoe Bend Country Club. In September 2000, the Association moved to a new facility in Braselton, Ga., at Chateau Elan Resort. The building was paid through capital gifts and accrued zero debt.

Growth

The AJGA has experienced consistent growth throughout its history in many aspects. A staff of five in 1983 has grown to a group of more than 60 full-time employees. The number of AJGA tournaments has also increased, moving from two in 1978 to its current total of 130+ events per year. In addition, AJGA memberships have increased to nearly 9,000 annually. The AJGA also serves more than 300 college coaches who help the AJGA accomplish its mission by providing players opportunities at the next level.

Achieving its mission

The AJGA focuses on running high-level, consistent golf tournaments that give college coaches the ability to accurately judge the skill level of junior golfers. This is accomplished through adherence to the USGA Rules of Golf, the AJGA Code of Conduct, a strict Pace of Play policy and the use of its Performance Based Entry system to fill tournament fields.

Each year, the vast majority of AJGA graduates go on to compete at the college level. In addition, most graduates are awarded college golf or academic scholarships. [4]

The AJGA also has implemented a "Care for the Course" initiative in an attempt to revolutionize the way junior golfers give back to tournament courses. With this new program, the AJGA hopes to teach proper course maintenance habits that will carry on throughout a junior golfer's career. Disciplinary measure are taken to make sure respect is given to the course.

AJGA alumni

Many AJGA alumni have found success at the college level and more importantly success at the professional level. AJGA college Alumni have competed successfully. AJGA college alumni have won 25 of the past 33 NCAA Division I Men's Champions (1986-2022) and 25 of the past 32 NCAA Division I Women's Champions (1986-2022). Additionally, many AJGA alumni have also found success at the professional level. With more than 200 AJGA alumni players combined on both PGA Tour and LPGA Tour, there has been a total of more than 1,000 professional victories collectively.

AJGA Alumni on the PGA TOUR include: Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, Patrick Cantlay, Sam Burns, Max Homa, Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Stewart Cink, Bob Estes, Keegan Bradley, Bill Haas, Steve Marino, Jim Furyk, Sergio Garcia, Lucas Glover, J.B. Holmes, Charles Howell III, Matt Kuchar, Dustin Johnson, Justin Leonard, Davis Love III, Hunter Mahan, Joe Ogilvie, Sean O'Hair, David Toms, Bubba Watson, and Scott Verplank.

AJGA Alumnae on the LPGA Tour include: Paula Creamer, Rose Zhang, Alison Lee, Lexi Thompson, Nelly Korda, Jessica Korda, Stacy Lewis, Morgan Pressel, Brittany Lang, Brittany Lincicome, Jessica Korda, Amanda Blumenherst, Vicki Goetze-Ackerman, Julieta Granada, Pat Hurst, Cristie Kerr, I.K. Kim, In-Bee Park, Michelle McGann, Kristy McPherson, Lorena Ochoa, Kelly Robbins and Wendy Ward.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paula Creamer</span> American golfer

Paula Creamer is an American professional golfer on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour. As a professional, she has won 12 tournaments, including 10 LPGA Tour events. Creamer has been as high as number 2 in the Women's World Golf Rankings. She was the 2010 U.S. Women's Open champion. As of the end of the 2023 season, Creamer was 19th on the all-time LPGA career money list with earnings of $12,161,187.

William Thomas Andrade is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Champions Tour. He was previously a member of the PGA Tour, where he was a four-time winner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julieta Granada</span> Paraguayan golfer

Julieta Granada is a Paraguayan professional golfer on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour.

The Canadian Junior Golf Association (CJGA) is a national junior golf association. The CJGA is a not-for-profit "registered Canadian amateur athletic association" (RCAAA) with Revenue Canada.

William John Horschel is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour.

Jamie Lovemark is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour.

The goals of the Texas Junior Golf Tour (TGJT) is to prepare junior golfers, male and female, for national competitions while assisting and educating members on elite junior golf opportunities to enhance golf and academic scholarship opportunities. The TJGT is a regional tour in Texas that offers 85 competitive junior golf tournaments for national and international contestants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ariya Jutanugarn</span> Thai professional golfer

Ariya Jutanugarn is a Thai professional golfer who plays on the American-based LPGA Tour. She was born in Bangkok. She is the first golfer, male or female, from Thailand to win a major championship. She became the number one ranked golfer in the Women's World Golf Rankings in June 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucy Li</span> American professional golfer (born 2002)

Lucy Li is an American professional golfer. She currently holds records as the youngest qualifier for the U.S. Women's Amateur and the U.S. Women's Open, at 11, in 2014. She is the second-youngest qualifier for the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links, and the youngest ever to advance to match play in that event. Li was an age group winner at the inaugural Masters Drive, Chip, and Putt Championship in Augusta, Georgia. As of 2014, she is a student of Jim McLean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 U.S. Women's Open</span> Golf tournament

The 2015 U.S. Women's Open was the 70th U.S. Women's Open, held July 9–12 at Lancaster Country Club in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 U.S. Women's Open</span> Golf tournament

The 2017 U.S. Women's Open was the 72nd U.S. Women's Open, held July 13–16 at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, west of New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 U.S. Women's Open</span> Golf tournament

The 2018 U.S. Women's Open was the 73rd U.S. Women's Open, played May 31 – June 3 at Shoal Creek Club in Shoal Creek, Alabama, a suburb southeast of Birmingham.

Gina Kim is an American professional golfer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 U.S. Women's Open</span> Golf tournament

The 2019 U.S. Women's Open was the 74th U.S. Women's Open, played May 30 – June 2 at Country Club of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina.

John Pak is an American professional golfer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 U.S. Women's Open</span> Golf tournament

The 2020 U.S. Women's Open was the 75th U.S. Women's Open, played December 10–14 at Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas, having been postponed from its original date of June 4–7, 2020, on April 3, 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was played on both the Cypress Creek and Jackrabbit courses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rose Zhang</span> American professional golfer

Rose Zhang is an American professional golfer. She won the 2020 U.S. Women's Amateur, and both the 2022 and 2023 NCAA Division I Championships, becoming the first woman to win the individual title twice. She competed in the 2019 U.S. Women's Open and was on the gold medal team at the 2019 Pan American Games. Less than two weeks after turning pro, she became the first player to win in her professional debut on the LPGA Tour since 1951.

Nicholas Dunlap is an American professional golfer. He won the U.S. Junior Amateur in 2021 and the U.S. Amateur in 2023. With his victory at The American Express in 2024, Dunlap became the first amateur in 33 years to win a PGA Tour tournament. He subsequently turned professional, ending his amateur career ranked number one in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

The AJGA Tournament of Champions, known as the Rolex Tournament of Champions for sponsorship reasons, is a leading annual junior golf tournament in the United States for amateur golfers under the age of 19.

Jackson Koivun is an American amateur golfer. He is currently attending Auburn University, where he as a freshman had one of the best seasons in collegiate golf history. In 2024, he won the SEC Championship, was runner-up at the NCAA Division I Men's Individual Championship, and became the first player ever to sweep all four major collegiate awards in the same season, the Haskins Award, Jack Nicklaus Award, Ben Hogan Award and Phil Mickelson Award.

References

  1. "AJGA Quick Facts". 2002-12-06. Archived from the original on 2002-12-06. Retrieved 2023-08-26.
  2. "AJGA, Titleist Agree to 10-Year National Sponsorship Extension". AJGA. 2006-02-17. Archived from the original on October 17, 2018. Retrieved 2023-08-26.
  3. "Official partners". Archived from the original on 2006-10-13. Retrieved 2006-10-25.
  4. 1 2 "Springdale's Coats competing at AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions - KFSM". Archived from the original on 2010-07-08. Retrieved 2010-11-10.
  5. Dalter, Lindsey (2010-04-26). "Mike Bentley leaves lasting impression". Golf Channel. Archived from the original on August 28, 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-28.