INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Social Media Awards . Each year , the AJGA annually recognizes events on its schedule that excel in Volunteers , Media , Fundraising and Hospitality , as well as awards an event of the year in the category of Preview , Junior All-Star , Open and Invitational . The 2017 Junior Presidents Cup showcased the future of men ’ s golf by delivering an inspiring and spirited competition just days before the professionals took centre stage in the Presidents Cup at nearby Liberty National Golf Club .
ARK-LA-TEX JUNIOR GOLF TOUR ENDS SUMMER WITH TOC
The two-month , 10-stop Ark-La- Tex Junior Golf Tour comes to a conclusion on 5th August with the traditional , season-ending Tournament of Champions at Pinecrest Country Club . Mike Williams , Alpine Target Golf Centre owner and operator , wraps up his �rst year as tour director after taking the reins from creator and long-time director Dick Williams , no relation .
Eight different age divisions comprise the �eld for the �nale . Tristan Nutt , in the Boys 14-15 group , has inside track on the overall point ’ s championship . Nutt has a total of 73 points entering play and is well ahead in his division .
Kristopher Pechacek has racked up 57 points in the Boys 16-18 group , while Alex Hammond ’ s 53 points set the pace
Junior President Cup eligibility criteria finalised in the Co-Ed 7-9 division . Jett Surratt has 51 points and is near double his closest challenger Kayden Day , who has 26 points , in Boys 10-11 .
The most competitive �eld appears to be in Boys 12-13 where Ben Williams sports 31 points and Charlie Barber is on his heels with 30 points . Also expect a potential photo-�nish in Girls 14-15 where Laney Gruppi ’ s 31 points in three clear of Kenzie Parker ’ s 28 .
It ’ s packed extremely tight in Girls 16-18 with Autumn Parrott ( 14 ), Julie Sherman ( 13 ), Kory Hunter ( 12 ) and Grace Iltis ( 11 ) separated by a total of three points from �rst to fourth .
Lauren Fisher ’ s 31 points in the Girls 12- 13 appears safe , but the battle for second between Faith Ann Chinn and Emily Smith could be entertaining . They are both locked in a tie with 14 points each .
LAMBERT AND SARGENT TO HOST ALABAMA CUP
The Alabama Cup , part of the AJGA ’ s State Cup Series , will be held at Shoal Creek November 10-11 , 2018 . American Junior Golf Association members Gordon Sargent and Reynolds Lambert have partnered to create the Alabama Cup , hosted at Shoal Creek to bene�t Children ’ s Harbor and the American Cancer Society Alabama Chapter starting in 2018 .
The Alabama Cup , part of the AJGA ’ s
State Cup Series , will be a two-day Ryder Cup-style tournament held at the 2018 U . S . Women ’ s Open venue Shoal Creek in Shoal Creek , Alabama . While the event is sure to feature highquality golf and spirited competition , the primary goal of the event is charitable , with each junior golfer required to raise a minimum of $ 1000 for the bene�ciaries . The State Cup Series , a series of juniorled fundraising tournaments , is a branch of the AJGA ’ s Leadership Links program , which helps develop young men and women by teaching charitable giving skills and service-oriented practices at an early age . This program gives juniors all the tools necessary to donate their time , talent and resources to local charities and the ACE Grant .
WEST TEAM BRINGS HOME THE WYNDHAM CUP
Thursday dawned with the West needing 8.5 points of the 20 possible to reclaim the Wyndham Cup . Throughout the day the leaderboard was split evenly between the East and the West . As matches �nished though it became clear the West had the upper hand and closed out the 29th annual Wyndham Cup with a 26.5 to 23.5 victory .
In the end , it was the West ’ s Cole Ponich of Farmington , Utah , who defeated the East ’ s Karl Vilips of ( Australia ) Wesley Chapel , Florida , 1 up to claim the �nal point for the West . Ponich held on for the win after Vilips won four of the last seven holes . It was special since the whole team was following me ,” Ponich said . “ I knew my match really counted for us because of where the score was . The putt I made to win it was one of the bigger putts of my career . It was really cool that it happened on No . 18 and with Karl .”
Since 2011 , Wyndham Rewards has supported the Wyndham Cup , and in 2014 , Wyndham Rewards announced it would endow an Achieving Competitive Excellence ( ACE ) Grant to support talented junior golfers who lack the �nancial resources to play a national junior golf schedule . Wyndham Rewards is also the Of�cial Hotel Partner of the AJGA .
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