The American Junior Golf Association will head to Phoenix one last time this year for the 18th annual PING Phoenix Junior. The 54-hole stroke play event will be played at the Moon Valley Country Club, Aug. 11th-14th. The event will feature 78 of the nation's top boy & girl junior golfers, ages 12 -18.
After almost two decades of outstanding competition, the PING Phoenix Junior boasts an impressive list of past champions including PGA & LPGA Tour players Tiger Woods, Grace Park, Heather Bowie and Kevin Na. Last year, Sam Chien of San Diego & Jennifer Johnson of La Quinta, Calif., took home the title in their respective divisions. Chien, a two-time Rolex Junior All-American, won the event by 2 strokes shooting a low round of 65 in 2007. He has since earned a Polo Golf Ranking of No. 52 & has signed a National Letter of Intent to play collegiate golf for Northwestern. Johnson won the 2007 PING Phoenix Junior by 3 strokes grabbing her 6th career win. Johnson, also a 2-time Rolex All-American, has continued to her success by winning the 2008 Rolex Tournament of Champions earlier this season & is currently ranked No. 3 in the Polo Golf Rankings.
The event will tee off with a Junior-Am Fundraising Tournament at the Moon Valley Country Club. The event will begin with a 9 am shotgun followed by an official practice round at 1:30 pm. Tournament tee times will run from 6:30 am to 8:27 am off of Moon Valley Country Club's Nos. 1 & 10 tees, Tuesday, Aug. 11th through Thursday, Aug. 14th. An awards ceremony will immediately follow play on Thursday, Aug. 14th.
An official AJGA Qualifier will take place prior to the event on Sunday, Aug. 10th, at the Moon Valley Country Club. The Qualifier will give less experienced players an opportunity to play their way into the PING Phoenix Junior & compete against higher ranked golfers. The qualifier will begin with a 7 am shotgun. For more information about this qualifier, please contact the AJGA Player Services Department at (877) 373-2542.
The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth & development of young men & women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The AJGA, the largest Association of its kind, has an annual junior membership (boys & girls ages 12-18) of approx. 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states & 30 foreign countries.