Author: Jesse Dodson
The American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) is coming to Utah for the 2018 Rolex Girls Junior Championship, a top-tier AJGA invitational event featuring the top-72 juniors from around the world. The championship will be played June 11-15 at the Promontory Pete Dye Canyon Course in Park City, Utah.
Utah Section PGA President and Director of Golf at Promontory Club Ryan Kartchner played a pivotal role in the process of landing the Rolex Girls Junior Championship in Utah.
“It brings a lot of national exposure to Utah golf and Utah junior golf,” Kartchner said about the AJGA coming to Utah. “A ton of college coaches will be flying in from around the country to come watch these girls compete.”
“50- to 70-percent of the girls playing in this tournament will most likely end up playing on the LPGA Tour at some point,” he continued. “U.S. Girls’ Junior Champion Erica Shepherd turned down the Celebration of Champions event before the U.S. Open this year to play in this event, that just shows how important this tournament is.”
Kartchner ensured that an exemption spot be given to one of Utah’s many girl junior golfers. The winner of the Girls High School Golf All-State Championship in early June will be awarded an exemption into the limited invitational field.
Lisa Hardy, tournament chair of the Rolex Girls Junior Championship, said, “I have been trying to get an AJGA event to Utah for years and am thrilled to finally have one of such high-caliber and am thankful to Promontory for hosting the event.”
“Bringing a national event like this to Utah is a great way to showcase these young ladies’ talent to the young kids of Utah getting into the sport… and I believe having an AJGA event in Utah will help the Utah colleges and universities recruit. Maybe some of these girls have not considered playing collegiate golf in Utah yet… this could open their mind to that.”
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Those interested in volunteering or interested in being a sponsor for the Junior-Am fundraising tournament contact Lisa Hardy at 801.372.4488 or lisa.c.hardy@gmail.com
Public access is limited, please call Cole Carlson at 435-333-4720 if interested in attending.
Tournament schedule can be found HERE.